‘Nothingman’: The greatest breakup song in grunge history
Most of the greatest grunge bands didn’t need to write about traditional love songs. It would be impossible to decipher what Nirvana was on about during half of their tunes, and looking at Soundgarden’s greatest material, Chris Cornell seemed to be painting with words and creating mini-psychedelic images in your mind as he played. Pearl Jam always had an agenda whenever they performed, though, and when getting past Eddie Vedder’s signature vocal style, ‘Nothingman’ became one of the single greatest breakup songs to come out of Seattle.
From the beginning of their first album, Vedder was never one to just write about how his parents sucked or how the world had stomped on him. His lyrics had always come off more like reporting than anything specifically personal on Ten, but outside of the real horrors of ‘Jeremy’ or the imaginary killing spree going on in ‘Once’, the one we need to focus on is the song ‘Black’.
Although Vedder had strayed away from his personal experiences where he could, there’s no doubt that ‘Black’ comes from a genuine place. From the moment that he hits the second chorus, he delivers one of the most emotionally potent performances of his career, which gets even more depressing during their appearance on MTV Unplugged, where he starts crying out in pain for this woman who left him on his ass.
However, for as great as the tune is, there comes a point where it can be too emotional for some to take in. Lines about Vedder hoping that this person has a beautiful life without him might hit like a punch in the gut every single time he sings it, but after getting to Vitalogy, the group had grown up a lot more.
There had been other classics that had come since Ten, but their third outing just felt tired due to the years they had spent in the limelight. After lashing out in anger for the past two records, though, ‘Nothingman’ finds Vedder in a place of peace but certainly not hurting any less.
Featuring a barebones instrumental, Vedder’s melody is by far the prettiest that he had ever created around this time, which is semi-ironic considering the lyrics. Compared to the hurting young kid who cried all over ‘Black’, this is that same kid who has grown up into a man and is still thinking over the one that got away.
Even though things had changed a lot since then, this is the most poetic way that Vedder confronted his sadness, equating his relationship to letting go of a lightning bolt. This person had set his world on fire, and with just a few wrong directions, Vedder was left a shell of who he once was.
And despite not having the stratospheric notes of ‘Black’, ‘Nothingman’ is actually better for playing it straight. Everyone likes their favourite rock stars to make something operatic, but by keeping it subdued, it lets the pain sink in that much more. As opposed to someone who just wants to cry along thinking about their ex, this isn’t that kind of tune. This is the type of song that’s meant to be a subtle reminder of why that person affected you so much and why the only way they show up in your life is through the lines on your face.
More than anything, the reason why ‘Nothingman’ succeeds a little better than ‘Black’ is because it actually manages to teach fans a lesson in between the raw pain. Anyone can try to jump into a new relationship, but if it falls apart after years together, you’re not just left without a partner. You lost a piece of your soul as well.
