Immortality (Pearl Jam song)

Infobox Single
Name = Immortality


Artist = Pearl Jam
from Album = Vitalogy
B-side = "Rearviewmirror" (performed by The Frogs)
Released = June 6, 1995
Format = CD single, Cassette, Vinyl
Recorded = March 1994 – April 1994 at Southern Tracks Recording and Doppler, Atlanta, Georgia and April 1994 – May 1994 at Bad Animals Studio, Seattle, Washington
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 5:28
Label = Epic
Producer = Brendan O'Brien, Pearl Jam
Writer = Dave Abbruzzese, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder
Chart position =
Last single = "Not for You" (1995)
This single = "Immortality" (1995)
Next single = "Merkin Ball" (1995)Extra tracklisting
Album = Vitalogy
Type = studio
prev_track = "Aye Davanita"
prev_no = Track 12
this_track = "Immortality"
track_no = Track 13
next_track = "Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me"
next_no = Track 14Audiosample
Upper caption = Audio sample
Audio file = Immortality.ogg"Immortality" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on June 6, 1995 as the third single from the band's third studio album, "Vitalogy" (1994). "Immortality" peaked at number 10 on the "Billboard" Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It was later included on their greatest hits album, "".

Lyrics

The lyrical interpretation of the song can be disputed, as many feel it may be about Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain's death, although frontman Eddie Vedder has denied this. He stated:

No, that was written when we were on tour in Atlanta. It's not about Kurt. Nothing on the album was written directly about Kurt, and I don't feel like talking about him, because it [might be seen] as exploitation. But I think there might be some things in the lyrics that you could read into and maybe will answer some questions or help you understand the pressures on someone who is on a parallel train... [Hilburn, Robert. [http://www.fivehorizons.com/archive/articles/la112094.shtml "All Revved Up (As Usual)"] . "Los Angeles Times". November 20, 1994.]

Release and reception

The song peaked at number 10 on the "Billboard" Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 31 on the "Billboard" Modern Rock Tracks chart. Outside of the United States, the single was released in Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands. In Canada, the song reached number 62 on the Canadian Singles Chart. "Immortality" reached the top 30 in New Zealand.

In Allmusic's review of the "Immortality" single, it was stated that "Immortality" is "the best ballad from the otherwise spotty "Vitalogy"."cite web
url=http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wzfixqyjldde
title=Immortality
author=Torreano, Bradley
publisher=Allmusic
accessdate=2007-04-28] Jon Pareles of "The New York Times" called it a "sullen Neil Young-style march" in which Eddie Vedder "ruminates over suicide as an end to pain." [Pareles, Jon. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9900E0DC1030F937A35751C1A962958260 "RECORDINGS VIEW; Pearl Jam Gives Voice To Sisyphus"] . "The New York Times". December 4, 1994. Retrieved on December 13, 2007.] David Browne of "Entertainment Weekly" said that "the sulking, lashing "Immortality" appears to be a Big Statement song about death, yet you'd never know that from its obtuse lyrics." [Browne, David. [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,304817,00.html "Vitalogy"] . "Entertainment Weekly". December 9, 1994. Retrieved on May 17, 2008.]

Live performances

The song was premiered live at the band's April 11, 1994 concert in Boston, Massachusetts. [ [http://pearljam.com/songs/song.php?song=Immortality "Pearl Jam Songs: "Immortality""] . pearljam.com.] The lyrics that appeared in the first live version of the song were altered before release. A live performance of "Immortality" can be found on the live album "Live at Benaroya Hall".

Cover versions

A live acoustic version of the song by the band Seether can be found on the 2006 album "One Cold Night".

Track listing

;Compact Disc Single (US, The Netherlands, Australia, Germany, Canada, and Austria), 7" Vinyl Single (US and Europe), and Cassette Single (Australia and US)
#"Immortality" (Dave Abbruzzese, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder) – 5:18
#"Rearviewmirror" (Abbruzzese, Ament, Gossard, McCready, Vedder) – 5:18
#*Performed by The Frogs

Chart positions

References

External links

* [http://www.pearljam.com/songs/song.php?song=Immortality Lyrics]