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October 30, 2018: Bingeing on Yield (Read on SPT Episode 66)

Hi Brad and Brad,
Last week I decided to put on Yield for the first time in a while.  After doing so, I found myself listening to it at least twice a day for the rest of the week.  Yield has been my favorite album of theirs and this may have been spurred on by your announcement of an upcoming date on the album review episode.  I completely nerded out and not only binged on listening to this album, but also dove into the details of it's production and inspiration (I attached the file I created as a Word doc).  Rather than spoil your guys upcoming review of Yield, I am only going to focus on a couple of things from my information overload.  I've never declared a favorite member of the band, however I may be leaning toward Jeff.  Please correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the first album he contributed lyrics on.  What's even more interesting are the two tracks he wrote, Pilate and Low Light, are both related to another.  He's also responsible for the album art, which was a photo taken in his native state of Montana.  Jeff has always seemingly been the most artistic of the group and that really shows for me on Yield.

The other focus I have on this album is the lyrics.  The album itself marked their first true collaborative record and everyone except Mike wrote the lyrics for at least one track.  Some of the tracks are directly inspired by literary works.


-       Pilate:                       The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

-      Do the Evolution:      Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

-      In Hiding:                  writings of Charles Bukowski


Your podcast has inspired me to look beyond the music of Pearl Jam and to study more closely into the lyric.  This album has some fascinating lyrics, especially considering the literary works that inspire them.  What I decided to do (to occupy me and keep from getting lost in my mind) was to highlight my favorite lyric from each track.  I am truly fascinated by this album both musically and lyrically now.  On Saturday I broke out Single Video Theory again just to take in the recordings of Yield once more.  I'm not a believer in fate, but I can't help and think how incredible it was that they played through this entire album when I saw them in Milwaukee in 2014.  I love this album so much and cannot wait to hear your guys take on it.  There are so many cool facts about it!

Track Lyrics Favorite Lyric
Brain of J Eddie The whole world will be different soon
The whole world will be relieved
Faithful Eddie M.Y.T.H. is belief in the game controls that keeps us in a box of fear
No Way Stone How I'm feeling, so revealing to me.  I found my mind too clear
Given to Fly Eddie A wave came crashing like a fist to the jaw.  Delivered him wings, 'Hey, look at me now'
Wishlist Eddie I wish I was a sacrifice, but somehow still lived on
Pilate Jeff Stunned by my own reflection
It's looking back, sees me too clearly
And I swore I'd never go there again
Do the Evolution Eddie I am ahead, I am advanced
I am the first mammal to make plans
Red Dot Jack We're all crazy, We're all crazy and we're
MFC Eddie There's no leaving here
Ask, I'm an ear
We've disappeared
Low Light Jeff Books and jealousy tell me wrong
All I feel, calm
In Hiding Eddie No longer overwhelmed and it seems so simple now
It's funny when things change so much
It's all state of mind
Push Me, Pull Me Eddie So if there were no angels, would there be no sin?
You better stop me before I begin
All Those Yesterday’s Stone You've got time... you've got time to escape
There's still time... it's no crime to escape



Forced to endure, what I could not forgive,

Chris

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