‘Getaway’: The Pearl Jam song that saw Eddie Vedder question his entire existence
Throughout history, two questions have continuously plagued human existence: Where are we from? Where are we going? Regardless of which period in history you assess, what culture you’re looking at, or the fame of somebody, those questions will always remain. Just ask Eddie Vedder.
We constantly ask ourselves if there is a bigger reason why we were put on Earth and if our lives have any deeper meaning. Millions of pages of philosophy and religion have been dedicated to these notions, and still, we don’t have anywhere near a definitive answer. As such, there is little point in trying to answer these questions in a relatively short article about Pearl Jam; however, it is worth knowing that this existential feeling is universal.
We all struggle to escape that overarching pondering feeling that surrounds whether or not our life has any deeper meaning. It must be especially difficult to escape this notion when you’re in a famous rock band. Pearl Jam continues to be one of the biggest bands on the planet, with a fan base that follows them around the globe and are as devoted to Pearl Jam as they are to grunge itself.
When your career revolves around these masses of people, and your life is making music and performing, it will be common for artists to question what has happened for the stars to align so perfectly. Eddie Vedder often does this, and you can hear it frequently in numerous Pearl Jam songs. One of them is ‘Getaway’, which was released on the band’s 2013 record Lightning Bolt.
On the track, listeners join Eddie Vedder as he questions the meaning of life itself. While no definitive answer has been reached on the record, there is no escaping the questions raised throughout the lyrics.
“I’m always trying to unravel the same mysteries when I write, the same mysteries I’ve been trying to unravel for a few decades now,” said Vedder when discussing the song, “It could be questioning our existence – what is the purpose of life? What’s going to be left of our future?”
When your life can be pinned down to very specific moments, you realise how finite everything is. This is undoubtedly something Vedder can relate to, as so much of his early career was out of his control. His rise to fame and the platform set before Pearl Jam released their debut album was paved by artists who had come before and some of the tragic circumstances that befell them.
For instance, one of the first grunge songs on the scene, so early that their existence pre-dates the label. Mother Love Bone was fronted by singer Andrew Wood. Wood passed away from a heroin overdose, and the band broke up; however, in a bid to pay homage to the singer, a small side project was formed using previous members called Temple of the Dog. The band was initially supposed to write a single, but this turned into an EP, which then became an album. Eddie Vedder fronted this tribute band, and it was the first time the world was exposed to his excellent lyricism.
Shortly after, when Pearl Jam released their debut Ten, the world was already excited to hear more of what Vedder had to offer, and subsequently, the stage was set. When moments like this define your life so clearly, it’s only natural that you ask why you’re here and what your purpose is.
Vedder doesn’t find an answer on ‘Getaway’ but comes about as close to one as possible, singing, “I found my place, and it’s alright, I got my own way to believe”.
