Pearl Jam – Fatal

How good is he?
How warm are his eyes
You'll see it's not a reprise
Did he arrive

Too late and too tethered away
To put on his suit and his tie?
How good is he?
How warm is his heart

Or ego telling him which place to park
Did he relate, the message is clearly hardly
Grounds for dismissal outright
Grounds for dismissal outright

I wake up and wait up
When anger's in fashion
I wake up and wait up
It echoes through the mansions

I wake up and wait up
When April's in may, oh uh oh
I wake up and wait up
The answers are fatal

The answers are fatal
When I wait up and wake up
The answers are fatal
If he's truly out of sight

Is he truly out of mind?
If he's truly out of sight..


Lyrics submitted by Stoney

"Fatal" as written by Stone Gossard

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Fatal song meanings
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17 Comments

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  • +1
    General CommentI'm currently going through a divorce, my son's caught my wife cheating. We tried to work it out, but she just couldn't let go of him. For me the song has a personal meaning regardless of it's true intentions. When Eddie asks "how good is he, how warm are his eyes" it's him asking his wife/girlfriend whatever, how could you, is he really better than me? The answers he receives from her are Fatal! It's basically over, blindsided, fatally wounded by the one you loved and trusted. I know it's a stretch, but it got me through some very tough times. Thanks Eddie!
    fytdpwron October 30, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI'm reasonably certain the song is about someone catching their spouse cheating.


    References to:
    How good is he?
    Did he arrive too late and tethered away to put on his suit and his tie?
    Grounds for dismissal outright?

    The answers are Fatal could reference the significant other committing suicide or catching a fatal STD. The song "Wash" from the same album may be a reference to a cheating significant other "bringing back" an STD.

    Planting the devil's seed... Though I stray. What she don't know today, might kill us both tomorrow. Wash my love.
    PJAnalyzeron February 08, 2014   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI, just this one time, am not giving an interpretation but just a kudos to stone,, the dude can def write a helluva song and deserves to be commended, all those yesterday’s is still my favorite pj song, and this and All or none are absolutely beautiful songs, they make a great team when it’s just ed and stone !
    TomThumb681on January 23, 2019   Link
  • 0
    General CommentHow this didn't make the Binaural album, I'll never know. At least it's on an album though. One of my top five PJ songs.
    planetearthon October 06, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti LOVE this song. simple and beautiful. vedder's voice is an instrument in itself.
    i think its talking about a corporate businessman, and his daily life and decisions, and the lyrics are eddie's look into his life from a third person point of view. no matter how successful or high-up in the food chain you get, 'the answers are fatal'. i especially love the ending, how soft eddie's voice gets as it fades into the next track.
    x_miss_red_head_xon April 05, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti rmenmber writting a poem about how poor people look up to these white collar bussiness men if i find it i'll put it here for you to read.
    i can see lots of diffrent meanings to this song too though and i dont think the business one is my strongest.
    loss of a friend
    angry at something someone did
    wanting to be with someone not here for a long time but realized hoe much you love them
    how mean people out there can be just a few egs
    i love JFon August 31, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Commentthis song is really tough to interprate...amazing song though
    PJamfan90on December 30, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI remember hearing that the original intentions were to name the song "Plato", about the philosopher. But Vedder kept chuckling at the idea of singing "The answers are Plato" (which reminded him of "Play-doh", the popular children's product). Fatal seemed to fit better, and was similar in sound and structure.
    GinaMarzon February 05, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI remember hearing that the original intentions were to name the song "Plato", about the philosopher. But Vedder kept chuckling at the idea of singing "The answers are Plato" (which reminded him of "Play-doh", the popular children's product). Fatal seemed to fit better, and was similar in sound and structure.
    GinaMarzon February 05, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentyou didnt hear it anywhere it was written in the lost dogs book, and he didnt chuckle, he just couldn't "get around" it sounding like play-doh and we all know what that is.. sigh and yeah it can about whatevern you want it to be
    metallica 86on June 11, 2007   Link
    • 1 Reply

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