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Parting Ways Lyrics

Behind her eyes there's curtains and they've been closed to hide the flames. Remains.
She knows their futures burning but she can smile just the same. Same.
And though her mood is fine today there's a fear they'll soon be parting ways.

Standing like a statue. A chin of stone a heart of clay. Hey.
And thought he's too big a man to say there's a fear they'll soon be parting ways.

Drifting away. Drifting away. Drifting away. Away. Away.
Drifting away. Drifting away. Drifting away. Away. Away.
Song Info
Submitted by
trent On Dec 13, 2001
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Cover art for Parting Ways lyrics by Pearl Jam

Two people who are in love and wish they could stay in love forever, but something inside makes them think that it won't last. Perhaps it is some twist of fate beyond their control that will keep them apart, and they live in fear that they may not be able to overcome this obstacle.

Cover art for Parting Ways lyrics by Pearl Jam

most collections in art are in three's,as in a trinity, or trilogy like the mamasan trilogy (alive,once,footsteps).. i believe this song is the third part in the daughter/rearviewmirror sequence.. in the albumn sleeve of binaural , with the lyrics to parting ways is a bleeding violin.. tying in with the violins from daughter... daughter is about being abused, rearview mirror is about escaping the abuse..and parting ways is about the girl, grown up...she is unable to form, or at least keep,..an intimate relationship because of the abuse she endured as a child,(thus creating curtains to hide the flames, like creating a wall)...in "touring band 2000" eddie says the song is "about a lot of things"..i think the other thing this song ties into is his relationship with beth..i dont know the specifics there, but i'm pretty sure they divorced..or parted ways..around the time the song was written....this truly is an amazing song...

Cover art for Parting Ways lyrics by Pearl Jam

Honestly, in light of Vedders real life seperation from his wife, I think this was a song written about the fact they both knew their relationship was disolving, as much as they wished it wasnt, it was maybe damaged in a unrepairable way. Vedder had been with Beth for SO long, it had to be very hard for them both.

Cover art for Parting Ways lyrics by Pearl Jam

The way Eddie Harmonizes with April Cameron's Viola during the conclusion of the song sends chills up my spine, It gets so good that eventually you have trouble differentiating Eddie's voice from the viola...

I think that Eddie knew he and Beth were having problems and that there was a chance they would be beyond repair....

this song is just his way of expressing his anxiety or dispair... he does it wonderfullly...

If you have never listened to this song....

DO SO! New album in 06 =)

Cover art for Parting Ways lyrics by Pearl Jam

This song was written in 1996, Ed and Beth were together until 2001 or 2002, so it's not about his marriage. It's a song about an slow, inevitable death (probably not physical death).

Amazing song, amazing lyrics.

Cover art for Parting Ways lyrics by Pearl Jam

^Yeah, but they were starting to have problems around the time ofd Binaural. Parting Ways, Thin Air, Light Years, and KINDA Breakerfall... all show this theme.

Cover art for Parting Ways lyrics by Pearl Jam

In other words, this song IS about relationships, namely... according to Eddie... being a relationship and silently knowing it may end soon.

Cover art for Parting Ways lyrics by Pearl Jam

this song scares the fuck outta me i listened to it once in a certain... state of mind... and when the first big guitar crash came i felt like i got the wind knocked out of me, and when the long symphonic outro with the violin came and Eddie started singing "drifting away,ayay" i slipped off into a dreamworld and felt myself die... i was in a fog for almost 24 hours and i get flashbacks when i listen to it. only Pearl Jam can be that powerful on your psyche, sober or not. best band ever, thank you ed :)

Cover art for Parting Ways lyrics by Pearl Jam

Trent, you need to do a grammar check - "there future's burning" should be "their future's burning" and "to big a man" should be "too big a man".

 
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