Mind Your Manners

Could be wrong, but i took this one is a cynical take censorship of expression on subjects like faith and religion. You can be as discontent as you want or in disbelief, as long as you don't express them because we're trained to go along with the general belief of the masses.

I have no idea what these lyrics mean, but overall, this might be the best song they have released in a while. It's just a straight up fuck yeah punk rock thrasher and I fucking cant wait for the album.

Lyrics from Pearl Jam's website:

pearljam.com/music/lyrics/all/all/21880/mind_your_manners

I agree with most that it's about religion but I'll get even more specific. I think it's about the Catholic Church and the sexual abuse sandal on young boys. Just read the first verse and it makes sense. "Taking young innocence." Great lyrics buried in a punk, fast moving song!

Okay, time to interpret. "I got an unfortunate feelin' I been beatin' down I feel I don't believe and now truth is comin' out What they'll take is more than a vow They've taken your innocence and then they throw 'em on a burning pile aha hey hey

All along they're sayin' Mind your manners"

It sounds like if you are young and a nonbeliever (I feel I don't believe) and want to tell your family (now truth is comin' out) they will take it as an attempt to troll ad be just rude and rebellious for no reason rather than taking it seriously. I see how this relates to minding your manners, I guess. Maybe it's about religion being related to manners and societal norms, idk.

"I caught myself believin' that I needed God And if it's out there somewhere we sure could use him now Tried my patience, my patience tried This world's a lonely planet and it makes me want to cry aye aye hey hey"

It sounds like he was taught as a youngster that God was real and God was the answer (I caught myself believin' that I needed God), but when he was patient and tried it out for himself, it didn't seem to work (Tried my patience, my patience tried). But considering that we live in a largely theistic world, it makes him feel alone (This world's a lonely planet and it makes me want to cry aye aye hey hey)

Next verse:

The "Self-realized and metaphysically redeemed May not live another life, may not solve our mystery" certainly means that he realized what he himself truly believes and that includes metaphysically non-believing. There might not be reincarnation or heaven/hell, and we might not learn all the mysteries about ourselves and the universe, but it's better than believing in lies as answers.

"Right around the corner could be bigger than ourselves We could will it to the sky or we could something else..." What we are close to knowing could be bigger than us. We could account for everything as a creation of God (the sky) or we could...something else...HMMMM... not.

"Go to Heaven, that's swell How do you like your living hell?" To me, this sounds like a commentary on how religion makes you worship things and do all this crazy shit while you're alive to ruin your life and doing all that impresses God to make you eligible for heaven.

Personal recap: I didn't grow up around a religious family (outside of Jewish tradition), but I feel bad for atheists in religious families. I like the second time it plays the first verse (0:37) and also the second verse (1:05), because it talks about being sure about your own personal beliefs deep down. This is important to me because it took me some time to have the bravery to even stop lying to MYSELF about believing in external/"metaphysical" powers, but I did it and found out what I truly am deep down: an atheist. I'm sure most religious people are religious deep down, but this is an important couple of verses personally. The last part explains everything that is wrong with religion. Well, not everything... but the truly most evil part. They make people's lives SUCK just because they think they have an eternal heaven ahead of them - when they probably don't, they will just be dead and unaware. I mean of course if you enjoy being religious and it makes you feel good inside, have at it, but I think it's mostly an evil believer slavery tactic.

Thanks for reading...if you read any of this long interpretation! xD

there is only one line in the song i dont really like, and that is "mind your manners". i have grown to like this line but it is a bit awkward. what i would really like is an entire album dedicated to the punk/thrash gendre. i really have a soft spot for the itw and uke songs as well as songs like black and just breathe etc. but mikes heavy background and jeffs funk-for want of a better word- is what makes pj's music great. stbc, dtr and rvm is what makes me crank up the stereo and now so does mym. love it!

I think it's pritty simple. I'm not sure if the subject was once a believer or not, but the thing that is clear is that he/she is not now. He/she feels betrayed, "beated down". He/she doesn't believe in christianity anymore and he/she has realised about the "truth".

The catholic leaders keep making you believe in their "God" and implying rules on you, when they've been the ones involved in many wars, racism and all that shit. But, you know, "mind your manners", it's all they're saying. Here's the ironic expression of the song, I would say.

Now that the subject realises that the religion that has trusted on no longer could be true, he/she realises that the life after death is uncertain, that can happen anything.

That's just the principal idea for me.

P.S: English is not my principal lenguage. Sorry if I don't explain myself as efficiently as I should.