Fix what’s wrong, but don’t rewrite what the artist wrote. Stick to the official released version — album booklet, label site, verified lyric video, etc. If you’re guessing, pause and double-check.
Respect the structure
Songs have rhythm. Pages do too. Leave line breaks where they belong. Don’t smash things together or add extra empty space just for looks.
Punctuation counts (but vibe-editing doesn’t)
Correct typos? Yes. Re-punctuating a whole verse because it ‘looks better’? Probably not. Keep capitalization and punctuation close to the official source.
Don’t mix versions
If you’re editing the explicit version, keep it explicit. If it’s the clean version, keep it clean. No mashups.
Let the lyrics be lyrics
This isn’t the place for interpretations, memories, stories, or trivia — that’s what comments are for. Keep metadata, translations, and bracketed stage directions out unless they’re officially part of the song.
Edit lightly
If two lines are wrong… fix the two lines. No need to bulldoze the whole page. Think ‘surgical,’ not ‘remix.’
When in doubt, ask the crowd
Not sure what they’re singing in that fuzzy bridge? Drop a question in the comments and let the music nerds swarm. Someone always knows.
Eddie said in an interview with rolling stone that the "chanting" is the way that he could express his feelings towards the people who died in the denmark tragedy.
also, on the 2003 tour they performed the song only nine times (for 9 victims), with eddie using a mixing deck, he sang the nine separate vocal tracks on stage& then played back them mixed together.pretty cool.
it always reminds me of the whale on jack irons' chest. call me weird but next time you listen to that song close your eyes and look at the images that come out its amazing almost like medatating but not!
Eery song. It doesn't take words for Ed Vedder's voice to get to you. Recently, after listening to this song and thinking about Columbus-area Pearl Jam fan Brian Shaffer, who's been missing now for 5 months (since April 1st), I realize how important Pearl Jam views their fans.
I cannot even fathom what it must have been like that night, to have to bear witness to that kind of horror of nine people dying, or know what's happened to Brian Randal Shaffer.
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
Eddie said in an interview with rolling stone that the "chanting" is the way that he could express his feelings towards the people who died in the denmark tragedy.
Oh...I feel bad now because I really hate this song.
I think it is beautiful, and even more so now I know that there is such a concrete meaning behind it.
it has nine chants for the nine people who died, if u haven't noticed.
i think its weird and therefore i like it...o.O
also, on the 2003 tour they performed the song only nine times (for 9 victims), with eddie using a mixing deck, he sang the nine separate vocal tracks on stage& then played back them mixed together.pretty cool.
it always reminds me of the whale on jack irons' chest. call me weird but next time you listen to that song close your eyes and look at the images that come out its amazing almost like medatating but not!
Eery song. It doesn't take words for Ed Vedder's voice to get to you. Recently, after listening to this song and thinking about Columbus-area Pearl Jam fan Brian Shaffer, who's been missing now for 5 months (since April 1st), I realize how important Pearl Jam views their fans.
I cannot even fathom what it must have been like that night, to have to bear witness to that kind of horror of nine people dying, or know what's happened to Brian Randal Shaffer.
Now that the meaning has been revealed, it's fair to say that it makes a great opener to "Love Boat Captain" on the Madison Square Garden DVD.
"Lost nine friends we'll never know, three years ago today..."
I was fortunate to be there for the performance of this at Little Rock in '03. VERY powerful song live, never experienced anything like it.