Nothingman
Pearl Jam · rearviewmirror [2004]
Once divided...nothing left to subtract...
Some words when spoken...can't be taken back...
Walks on his own...with thoughts he can't help thinking...
Future's above...but in the past he's slow and sinking...
Caught a bolt 'a lightnin'...cursed the day he let it go...
Nothingman... (2x)
Isn't it something?
Nothingman...
She once believed...in every story he had to tell...
One day she stiffened...took the other side...
Empty stares...from each corner of a shared prison cell...
One just escapes...one's left inside the well...
And he who forgets...will be destined to remember...oh...oh...oh...
Nothingman... (2x)
Isn't it something?
Nothingman...
Oh, she don't want him...
Oh, she won't feed him...after he's flown away...
Oh, into the sun...ah, into the sun...
Burn...burn...
Nothingman... (2x)
Isn't it something?
Nothingman...
Nothingman... (2x)
Coulda' been something...
Nothingman...
Oh...ohh...ohh...
Nothingman
Nothingman stands as a defining track from Pearl Jam's 1991 debut album, Ten, capturing the raw intensity that established the band as leaders of the grunge movement. The song features a driving rhythm section and Eddie Vedder's distinctive, emotive vocals, which convey a sense of urgent introspection and social alienation. As a cornerstone of their early discography, the recording showcases the group's ability to blend heavy guitar textures with melodic sensibilities. Its enduring presence in live performances and compilation collections like rearviewmirror underscores its significance within the band's extensive catalogue. The track remains a powerful example of the Seattle sound, reflecting the artistic maturity and emotional depth that characterized the band's formative years.