Vacate is the word.
(-Obvious.)
Vengeance has no place so near to her.
(Earth.)
Cannot find comfort in this world.
Artificial tear,
("A single tear", an American invention to pretend sympathy from government/corporate/media)
Vessel stabbed
(The most important item in the village was the sacred bundle. Believed to have gifted by God's or ancient ancestors. The sacred bundle was regularly destroyed when Americans invaded Native villages.)
Next up, volunteers?
(Sarcasm.)
Vulnerable wisdom can't adhere.
("The Sacred Bundle holds a profound and enduring significance. It represents a tangible bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds." The "wisdom" was vulnerable to the sociopaths.)
A truant finds home,
(Nomadic tribes, or all nomads during the forced travel.)
and a wish to hold on
(Begins another tribal settlement or village in the locations they were told are safe, but Americans violated the contract and made them leave the new location too. Natives hold on to their own culture regardless of all the abuses.)
but there's a trap door in the sun.
(One way to retain your society or culture while the invaders try to forcefully assimilate you is to ensure that your religion and language continues. The "Sun Dance" was a multi-village, multi-tribe ceremony that was prohibited by American governments. Retaining your culture via Sun Dance is a trap to get more abuse or violence.)
Immortality.
(Fame caused by abuse; permanent "picture" in society of Natives in the 1700s or 1800s instead of Natives now.)
As privileged as a whore.
(Obvious, and additional layered commentary that Natihes were told that they are receiving benefits or privileges.)
Victims in demand for public show.
(Movies, circuses.)
Swept out through the cracks beneath the door.
(Obvious.)
Holier than thou. How?
(Disney's Pocahontas explains this line.)
Surrendered, executed, anyhow.
(Actually killed even if they surrendered, in some cases.)
Scrawl dissolved.
(Signed treaties that Americans quickly decided to ignore the signatures of and commit more violence.)
Cigar box on the floor.
(Cigars and boxes are a "trope" associated with Native Americans.)
A truant finds home, and I wish to hold on too, but saw the trap door in the sun.
Immortality.
I cannot stop the thought of running in the dark.
Coming up a which way sign.
All good truants must decide.
Stripped and sold mom.
(This verse starts with "I". Eddie Vedder talks about his own mom, "sold out" by the lyrics to "Alive". When he rewrote the lyrics, he left this line in the way it is, because Earth is also a "mother" that was literally stripped and also literally sold, by Americans, in contrast to basic principles of life that Natives loved under before they arrived. That's why this line says "mom" instead of "mother".)
Auctioned forearm
(Americans graverobbing and then removing the tattoos from the body and selling it as framed artwork, which the Natives were horrified by because the dead men still had living relatives.)
and whiskers in the sink.
(Forced shaving of beards by military. Maybe Eddie's personal experience that he wrote the song for also involved himself shaving. Or maybe talking about head hair would be too obvious to the audience who he wants to obscure the song's meaning from.)
Truants move on, cannot stay long.
Some die just to live.
Next up, volunteers?
(Sarcasm.)
Vulnerable wisdom can't adhere.
("The Sacred Bundle holds a profound and enduring significance. It represents a tangible bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds." The "wisdom" was vulnerable to the sociopaths.)
A truant finds home,
(Nomadic tribes or all.nomads during the forced travel.)
and a wish to hold on
(Begins another tribal settlement or village in the locations they were told are safe, but Americans violated the contract and made them leave the new location too.)
but there's a trap door in the sun.
(The commenter says that the Natives began to question whether Americans has artificially implanted aspects of their religion that relate to sun worship.)
Immortality.
(Fame caused by abuse; permanent "picture" in society of Natives in the 1700s or 1800s instead of Natives now.)
As privileged as a whore.
(Obvious, and additional layered commentary that Natihes were told that they are receiving benefits or privileges.)
Victims in demand for public show.
(Movies, circuses.)
Swept out through the cracks beneath the door.
(Obvious.)
Holier than thou. How?
(Your technology obviously isn't superior when your intelligence is similar to ours and we retain our spiritual connection.)
Surrendered, executed, anyhow.
(Actually killed even if they surrendered, in some cases.)
Scrawl dissolved.
(American signed several contracts with various tribal leaders, the violated them and did some more violence.)
Cigar box on the floor.
(Cigars and boxes are a "trope" associated with Native Americans.)
A truant finds home, and I wish to hold on too, but saw the trap door in the sun.
Immortality.
I cannot stop the thought of running in the dark.
Coming up a which way sign.
All good truants must decide.
Stripped and sold mom.
(This verse starts with "I". Eddie Vedder talks about his own mom, "sold out" by the lyrics to "Alive". When he rewrote the lyrics, he left this line in the way it is,because Earth is also a "mother" that was literally stripped and also literally sold, by Americans, in contrast to basic principles of life that Natives loved under before they arrived.)
Auctioned forearm
(Americans graverobbing and then removing the tattoos from the body and selling it as framed artwork.)
and whiskers in the sink.
(Forced shaving of beards by military. Maybe Eddie's personal experience that he wrote the song for also involved himself shaving. Or maybe talking about head hair would be too obvious to the audience who he wants to obscure the song's meaning from.)
Truants move on, cannot stay long.
Some die just to live.
This is the only proposed interpretation that has zero missing lines or words that have no specific explanation.
Pearl Jam - Immortality Native American version
Vacate is the word. (-Obvious.) Vengeance has no place so near to her. (Earth.) Cannot find comfort in this world.
Artificial tear, ("A single tear", an American invention to pretend sympathy from government/corporate/media) Vessel stabbed (The most important item in the village was the sacred bundle. Believed to have gifted by God's or ancient ancestors. The sacred bundle was regularly destroyed when Americans invaded Native villages.) Next up, volunteers? (Sarcasm.)
Vulnerable wisdom can't adhere. ("The Sacred Bundle holds a profound and enduring significance. It represents a tangible bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds." The "wisdom" was vulnerable to the sociopaths.)
A truant finds home, (Nomadic tribes, or all nomads during the forced travel.) and a wish to hold on (Begins another tribal settlement or village in the locations they were told are safe, but Americans violated the contract and made them leave the new location too. Natives hold on to their own culture regardless of all the abuses.)
but there's a trap door in the sun. (One way to retain your society or culture while the invaders try to forcefully assimilate you is to ensure that your religion and language continues. The "Sun Dance" was a multi-village, multi-tribe ceremony that was prohibited by American governments. Retaining your culture via Sun Dance is a trap to get more abuse or violence.)
Immortality. (Fame caused by abuse; permanent "picture" in society of Natives in the 1700s or 1800s instead of Natives now.)
As privileged as a whore. (Obvious, and additional layered commentary that Natihes were told that they are receiving benefits or privileges.) Victims in demand for public show. (Movies, circuses.) Swept out through the cracks beneath the door. (Obvious.) Holier than thou. How? (Disney's Pocahontas explains this line.) Surrendered, executed, anyhow. (Actually killed even if they surrendered, in some cases.) Scrawl dissolved. (Signed treaties that Americans quickly decided to ignore the signatures of and commit more violence.) Cigar box on the floor. (Cigars and boxes are a "trope" associated with Native Americans.)
A truant finds home, and I wish to hold on too, but saw the trap door in the sun. Immortality.
I cannot stop the thought of running in the dark. Coming up a which way sign. All good truants must decide.
Stripped and sold mom. (This verse starts with "I". Eddie Vedder talks about his own mom, "sold out" by the lyrics to "Alive". When he rewrote the lyrics, he left this line in the way it is, because Earth is also a "mother" that was literally stripped and also literally sold, by Americans, in contrast to basic principles of life that Natives loved under before they arrived. That's why this line says "mom" instead of "mother".)
Auctioned forearm (Americans graverobbing and then removing the tattoos from the body and selling it as framed artwork, which the Natives were horrified by because the dead men still had living relatives.)
and whiskers in the sink. (Forced shaving of beards by military. Maybe Eddie's personal experience that he wrote the song for also involved himself shaving. Or maybe talking about head hair would be too obvious to the audience who he wants to obscure the song's meaning from.)
Truants move on, cannot stay long. Some die just to live.
Next up, volunteers? (Sarcasm.) Vulnerable wisdom can't adhere. ("The Sacred Bundle holds a profound and enduring significance. It represents a tangible bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds." The "wisdom" was vulnerable to the sociopaths.)
A truant finds home, (Nomadic tribes or all.nomads during the forced travel.) and a wish to hold on (Begins another tribal settlement or village in the locations they were told are safe, but Americans violated the contract and made them leave the new location too.) but there's a trap door in the sun. (The commenter says that the Natives began to question whether Americans has artificially implanted aspects of their religion that relate to sun worship.) Immortality. (Fame caused by abuse; permanent "picture" in society of Natives in the 1700s or 1800s instead of Natives now.)
As privileged as a whore. (Obvious, and additional layered commentary that Natihes were told that they are receiving benefits or privileges.) Victims in demand for public show. (Movies, circuses.) Swept out through the cracks beneath the door. (Obvious.) Holier than thou. How? (Your technology obviously isn't superior when your intelligence is similar to ours and we retain our spiritual connection.) Surrendered, executed, anyhow. (Actually killed even if they surrendered, in some cases.) Scrawl dissolved. (American signed several contracts with various tribal leaders, the violated them and did some more violence.) Cigar box on the floor. (Cigars and boxes are a "trope" associated with Native Americans.)
A truant finds home, and I wish to hold on too, but saw the trap door in the sun. Immortality.
I cannot stop the thought of running in the dark. Coming up a which way sign. All good truants must decide.
Stripped and sold mom. (This verse starts with "I". Eddie Vedder talks about his own mom, "sold out" by the lyrics to "Alive". When he rewrote the lyrics, he left this line in the way it is,because Earth is also a "mother" that was literally stripped and also literally sold, by Americans, in contrast to basic principles of life that Natives loved under before they arrived.) Auctioned forearm (Americans graverobbing and then removing the tattoos from the body and selling it as framed artwork.) and whiskers in the sink. (Forced shaving of beards by military. Maybe Eddie's personal experience that he wrote the song for also involved himself shaving. Or maybe talking about head hair would be too obvious to the audience who he wants to obscure the song's meaning from.) Truants move on, cannot stay long. Some die just to live.
This is the only proposed interpretation that has zero missing lines or words that have no specific explanation.