My Gen X Playlist: Black – Pearl Jam

When I was ten, the thought of being twenty never entered my mind. I was too busy eating chocolate chip cookies and thinking about what I was going to do at recess.

When I was twenty, thirty might have crossed my mind. I was busy having fun in college, but began thinking about what direction my life would take. I have to believe thirty was somewhere in the mix, if even for a moment.

When I was thirty, forty came into my sights as I worked with colleagues that were senior to me. I was climbing the corporate ladder and was benchmarking my career against theirs. Forty seemed middle aged. I imagined reaching it would be a shock to my system.

When I was forty, I’m not going to lie, I was exhausted. I wondered how I could continue at this same pace to fifty. Strangely, fifty didn’t seem far off. I thought it was the line in the sand to becoming old. I didn’t want to think about fifty and probably pushed that out of my mind.

When I became fifty, I was surprised how it wasn’t that big of a deal. And the kicker was, I didn’t feel that old. Was I still tired? Well, yeah. But I rather just feel tired instead of old and tired. They say fifty is the new thirty. I used to think that was a silly expression. Now that I’m here, I think they were right about that. Migrating over to sixty didn’t cross my mind.

Right now I’m 55. I still don’t think about sixty, or even 65 for that matter. Sixty five typically is that number that is tied with retirement. Personally, I’d like mine to be earlier, but we’ll have to wait and see. The funny thing is I’m now considered a senior citizen. Say what? I can even sign up to join the local senior center. That’s pretty funny. I needed a good laugh. Thanks WordPress.

The name of Pearl Jam’s first album was Ten. The album name came in a round about way, ultimately paying tribute to an NBA basketball player.

…the band took the name Mookie Blaylock, in reference to the then-active All-Star basketball player.

…the band…changed its name to Pearl Jam.

…in tribute to their original moniker, they named the album after Mookie Blaylock’s jersey number: Ten.

– thisdayinmusic

One of my favorite songs from the album is Black. Black started out as a lyric-less demo tape before Eddie Vedder got his hands on it.

It’s 1990, guitarist Stone Gossard is sending out demo tapes in hope to find a drummer and lead singer for his new band… Former Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons is one of the first to receive a tape and Gossard invites Irons to join his new band. Due to other projects Irons declines the invitation, but promises Stone to share the tape with a ‘surfer dude’ friend of his named Eddie. The tape includes lyric-less demo songs like ‘Dollar Short’ and ‘E-Ballad’. Eddie turns ‘Dollar Short’ into ‘Alive’, ‘E-Ballad’ into ‘Black’, and the rest is history!

– songstoriesmatter

I wonder if Vedder was looking ahead towards the future or living in the moment when he added his own lyrics to the demo tape. My guess is a little of both. And maybe that’s how we should treat our personal life cycles – one eye to the future, the other eye in the here and now. It seemed to work for Vedder, why not?

–

For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

Hey, hey, yeah, uh

Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay
Were laid spread out before me as her body once did
All five horizons revolved around her soul as the earth to the sun
Now the air I tasted and breathed has taken a turn
Mm, and all I taught her was everything
Mm, I know she gave me all that she wore

And now my bitter hands chafe beneath the clouds
Of what was everything
Oh, the pictures have all been washed in black
Tattooed everything

I take a walk outside, I'm surrounded by some kids at play
I can feel their laughter, so why do I sear
Mm, and twisted thoughts that spin 'round my head
I'm spinning, oh, I'm spinning, how quick the sun can drop away

And now my bitter hands cradle broken glass
Of what was everything
All the pictures have all been washed in black
Tattooed everything

All the love gone bad turned my world to black
Tattooed all I see, all that I am, all I'll be, yeah
Mm, mm, ooh

I know someday you'll have a beautiful life
I know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky, but why
Why, why can't it be, oh, can't it be mine?
Ooh, ah yeah, ah, ooh

Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, ooh ooh ooh
Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo, ooh