Deep

I like what TremorGabe is saying.(Essay Time:D) I think it's about a guy who doesn't wanna be homosexual, he just is. He asks himself why this would happen to him while shooting up needle-drugs(there's more than one you know!), he then envies others for their heterosexuality to the point of killing them. The man then goes into denial, saying "I'm still straight!" and attempts to prove it to himself by raping a woman, his mental pain from not being heterosexual has "SENT HIM OFF THE DEEP END" The second verse is just about his envy, and thinking the people deserve to die(not literally narcissism, he just thinks the people have zero worth)and taking the job into his own hands. The third verse is a virgin hooker, she get's her services bought by the homosexual man. The man doesn't truely believe she means anything, he just want's to prove himself that he's straight. The woman "doesn't like the view" because SHE'S A HOOKER, it's her job, nothing more, nothing less. There is no fourth verse. The "they just ain't nothin'" part is Vedder saying the people around them couldn't care less about them. "But he's got a great view" Implies that this person likes what they are seeing/are enjoying themselves. Vedder says "can't touch the bottom" because there's no possible way to hit the bottom, emotionally, physically or mentally because there's only going deeper.

I think I summed everything up. hope I didn't put you to sleep.

This song might ROCK the most out of all Pearl Jams songs. Its loud, strong vocal, great guitar and as always good beat. And the lyrics and meanings caps it off. Whenever I'm in the need to get psyched up and hype I put this in the stereo and play it as loud as I can.

"On the edge of a Christmas clean love" This girl(not an angel) has a pretty good life. Some suburbian brat. But she feels her father doesn't full love her("To the man above her, she just ain't nothin'".). Because she is a spoiled brat, she runs away to the city ("Young virgin from heaven...visiting Hell", heaven= small town/suburbs hell= city life) , so she trys to make it on her own and either ends up getting raped(by the dude mentioned above) or being a hooker ("But he sinks himself deep")

That is all...

obviously about heroin addiction

i was watching some video from just before ten was released on youtube and before the song started he said "Heroin got me where i am today." I believe this song is about Andy Wood to an extent

I think the comment about a man struggling to deal with his own homosexuality makes sense. First verse is the man thinking about god and why he gave him these unwanted feelings, perhaps considering suicide by throwing himself from the building. He doesnt kill himself but turns to drugs to avoid dealing with his feelings. He is in deep (trouble) and has lost control (cant touch the bottom). Second verse perhaps relates to the ignorance of the people around him who dont accept homosexuals. The reference to the aged could be the older generation who think its an illness/mental problem. He is then either killing someone who is criticising him or is self-harming to punish himself for his attraction to men (i beleive its the latter). Both verses show his feeling of low self-worth with the "he aint nothing" lines. Third verse is about a virgin/young girl being raped, presumably by the gay man in an attempt to prove to himself that he is not gay. The reason the man is upset, turns to drugs and loses control doesnt have to be his sexuality but it fits. If it is about a gay man fighting his feelings then the line "cant touch the bottom" has a bit of an unfortunate double meaning!

There is three parts to this song. The first part is about a drug addict pondering life as he takes an injection. Part two is a man who fells he is better then anyone so he feels quite superior. The line, the aged come makes me think of a girl coming of age. I am not sure if he is committing suicide with the knife or killing someone else. Maybe the knife is only figurative as he is putting someone down and making them feel bad. Part three is pretty disturbing as an angel comes down from heaven because she feels she is nothing to god, and ends up being raped. (As he sinks himself deep)

I think Ben is way off on the angel thing.

I don't think it's literal. The "man above her" is the dude raping her.

The "edge of clean love" implies the girl is still very young, not even really having those innocent relationships we had in Junior High/High school, and she's losing her innocence.

I also agree with Phoenixero. He just misses to mention it generally describes the urge to get deep ... literally and longing to have deep and thrilling emotions. Some people try to satisfy by drug use (first part), murder (second part) or rape (third part). But they will always fail to reach satisfaction (can´t touch the bottom)

This is going to keep it pretty simple. The song is about shitty aspects of our lives and how people choose to "cope" in a very unhealthy way. People's pain can run very deep.

First verse: This is a drug addict who may know better - "ponders his maker, ponders his will" - he's trying to examine his behavior, but when he thinks about his relationship to society and feels like he is worthless, he might as well sink that needle in.

Second verse: This could be about religious superiority. Old church-goers think they know best, but to God they are just peons so he laughs at their haughtiness, and sends down his retribution by means of a "burning knife".

Third verse: This is about a girl who wants to think herself harder than she actually is. He doesn't say she IS Christmas clean love, but ALMOST. She gets herself in over her head with some guy (maybe a "john") but it's too late.