PEARL JAM - BLACK *First Time Hearing*

[@Jon-et5uu]

"He acts like he had someone in mind while singing the song".... that's how real songs are made by real artists

[@mucall]

The passion. Just amazing.

[@faithshade1430]

I believe this song is about letting go of his marriage after his divorce.

[@georgemcgregor9937]

Hello John I heard that she wrote that song about his best friend who unfortunately took his life he was a best friend that he had known for a long time and he was devastated right Chris Cornell took his own life as anyone wants to correct me please go ahead but that is my take on it unfortunately rest in peace Chris as that really broke him up for a long time?

[@djaxiom26]

@@faithshade1430 yeah it was about his divorce

[@gearjammer0445]

Was actually about his high school gf

[@aliciasavage6801]

The Grunge era was known for its gut renching pain and angst. its why so many connected with it

[@howdydoughty7634]

Dealing with real problem real people deal with.

[@Azznbad]

Yeah not a lot of happy feel good songs came out of grunge. This is a little more tortured than others though.

[@targhee159]

“I know someday you’ll have a beautiful life, I know you’ll be a star. In somebody else’s sky, but why, why, whyyyy can’t it be, can’t it be mine?” Tells the story. That’s why he seems so broken. It’s a hauntingly beautiful song.

[@0iceman092]

Eckle 😂

[@tpod1376]

we all have those unrequited loves that hurt our souls so deeply

[@carlossanchez6733]

Finally, my favorite reactor with one of my favorite bands. Gonna enjoy this.

[@EMPRESSJOYJEAN]

😀😍😍

[@PaisleyGreene63]

At 3:55 when you asked "Why does he look so...BROKEN" you described it perfectly. Eddie Vedder wrote BLACK after going through a bad breakup and he really was broken for a while. There were times he was unable to finish singing that song becaue he was overcome with emotion.

[@saltedllama2759]

The breakup happened when he was 16 and he wrote this song a decade later. He also happened to be a professionally trained singer. Bad or not, no one carries a high school breakup that long, after writing it, editing it, rehearsing it, recording and producing it, then performing it hundreds of times before this appearance on MTV. Also, making another individual one's universe is incredibly romantic, but also incredibly unhealthy (for both parties involved). I promise you, Eddie was 100% over it and desensitized to the breakup. But he is an artist who's confidence had grown considerably by this point, so he leans into the emotion of the song, or else the performance falls flat. These performers have to be just that: performers. Don't buy into the idea that they were all regular Joe's who had a bad life experience, and the emotion suddenly grants them the ability to sing and play instruments at a level that impresses the top vocal coaches and orchestra conductors in the world. There's a time when we all have to stop believing in Santa Claus...

[@marknoble5495]

@@saltedllama2759 I don’t think anyone is claiming or hinting at that. Thanks for sharing though.

[@thatgardeninggirl2864]

@@marknoble5495 they are 100 correct

[@KaninTuzi]

@@saltedllama2759 He could still be applying the lyrics to a fresher relationship while performing

[@Mazorian28]

@@saltedllama2759 I don't so much agree , well just not so much. This song is special to me when I was 18 and now I'm 42 , not gonna detail. I don't think of why it's so special every single time I hear this but sometimes I do. So you talk about 10 years later and here I am 24 years later and yes this song can hit me. So what if I wrote a song 24 years later about the experience I felt then and now. It'd still be emotional because when I write it , it really brings me back to that day , that's my words , my feelings , my thoughts. So I can't go along with he's just a "performer" thing , did he up it for this , yeah most likely but the song probably hits him hard as hell either way , you can be fine with that writing one day and the next day not , that's not being a "performer" that's being a human being. Or maybe I'm just fucked in the head , I don't know you decide about my comment. I know where I stand I get your thoughts about but just saying it is unlikely to the human condition , of well , being human.

[@mattjames8046]

I’m 43 and I love seeing youths reactions to music I love and grew up with. This song meant so much to me when I was young and still today

[@thatgardeninggirl2864]

Me too I am 40

[@nizan_baniya]

Dude you were born in right generation 🖤🖤

[@Sanguine_Addiction]

I'm 42 and I agree with you. This song definitely hit home when it first came out and still does today. We were all "Jeremy" at one point in our lives.

[@josephtrask9342]

Same here brother

[@CecilMcW00t]

7:32 was them singing with their mouths. It's so pretty. Beautiful reaction

[@wendyreveyoso3731]

Eddies voice is like NO other ❣️❣️❣️

[@AllYouHaveToDoIsBeHonest]

Gorgeous song about heartbreak!

[@justincowan7486]

Eddie Vedder is always very passionate in his performances. Although, because of his style, you can't always hear his words... he is still such a powerful amazing singer. You have really been getting some Excellent recommendations lately. You did Cornell and Vedder, now you have to do their band together, Temple Of The Dog. Their song "Hunger Strike" was a huge part of my childhood. It's a masterpiece. Please give it a listen.

[@elmoblatch9787]

Arguable the best vocalist of the last 30 years -- certainly top five.

[@-mooseman-9439]

him and kurt, definitely

[@rfhudy]

Magnificent! Thanks for reacting to this, one of my favorite songs of all time! The harmonies towards the end of the song are backing vocals being sung by Jeff Ament, the bassist, and Stone Gossard, the rhythm guitarist. They were the founding members of Pearl Jam after playing in bands together for several years, and wrote most of the songs on Pearl Jam's first album "Ten", which I highly recommend. 😊

[@MissValkery]

That whole album was sooo good! At that time in my life the music saved my life. The feelings behind the music rang true of a whole generation❤️

[@rabidDAWGfan82]

One of the best live performances ever.

[@utjoseywales]

I'll just say it....this is absolutely one of my favorite songs of all time, and this rendition of it pushes it up even further. Watching this video with you in the same frame is spectacular, you're absolutely gorgeous. Love your videos, keep being you Empress.

[@switchflow5405]

Eddie is one of the last ones left from an era of music i grew up with, loved and they are almost all gone. So many great artist lost to soon.

[@Ravenholm337]

"And now my bitter hands cradle broken glass of what was everything."

[@rorybisson756]

for almost the entire song, the crowd doesn't MAKE A SOUND. it tells you everything you need to know about how special this was. also, not just this song but the whole MTV Unplugged show is probably 1 of the top 5 live performances ever put on film. i mean its almost 30 yrs old now and in another 30,40,50 yrs it will still stand up as that.

[@kelloneill74]

You pointed out my all time favourite song lyric - the angst he feels over her being a star in somebody else's sky always gets to me. As for the lyrics at the beginning, I always assumed his ex was an artist because he says "Sheets of empty canvas and untouched sheets of clay are laid, spread out before me like her body once did."

[@spaolozzi53]

The canvas and clay were the rest of his life, waiting to be turned into something beautiful with her, but now they've all been turned to black.

[@getinthecar3624]

@@spaolozzi53 I've heard many opinions obout the beginning part. Even about taking her virginity. Which sounds right to me. All in all, I have no idea what it really means.

[@spacenerd757]

I could be mistaken, but I think: at 3:21 you started to get it. at 3:51 you get it. at 4:38 you started to feel it. at 4:57 you felt it. at 5:01 you understood it. at 5:12 you let go emotionally, and I wish I could make out what you said. at 5:56 it touched you, personally, I think. at 6:17 you appreciated it. at 7:35 you could not tell what was lyrical and what was instrumental, and for good reason. Excellent reaction video. One of the best I've seen. Thank you

[@venlove9190]

I watch this version so much of black, I love a lot of Pearl Jam’s songs like even flow Jeremy, etccccc but this one hits me everytime..

[@shanitaube]

Thank you! As i expected you have such an intuitive emphatic perspective. You made my day! Love from Israel ♥️

[@EMPRESSJOYJEAN]

Thank you ❤

[@TheEMFB]

One of the most heart wrenching break up songs you could ever stumble across. Pure emotion in every breath. ☝❤

[@tacob69]

That song has lines that gives me chills and it's so poetic.Its the part that goes "I know some day you'll have a beautiful life I know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky but why can't it be mine"

[@faolanliath6687]

Listen closely Ladies. That's the sound of a man's heart breaking. There are 1000s of songs by women like this but it is rare that a guy will put it out there like this.

[@robinlabouche2230]

They were wonderful, especially Eddie !!!!!!!

[@brandonwillis7091]

That was one of the best bands ever I think

[@Ju5tB0b]

Definitely one of their best tracks ever and The MTV Unplugged was off the chain. This and " Release " are probably my top two tracks of theirs.

[@TedBrogan]

Queensryche - Killing Words Unplugged is incredible.

[@bsmith8943]

My absolute favorite band doing my favorite song the most epic way.

[@pamagnolia]

Nice!!! My favorite Pearl Jam song!😊 Check you Patreon, sent a couple of things. ☺️. Thank you for this Empress. 😊💐

[@christopherlopez8541]

You got it. This is an epic break-up song, so much so, that lead singer Eddie Vedder refused to release it as a single. Check out Chris Cornell's Price cover: "Nothing Compares to You". You won't be disappointed.

[@Duane9403]

Spot on great reaction.....chilling

[@kevincallahan7113]

Thank you enjoyed the reaction and song

[@Youtubesucks565]

That was a beautiful reaction!

[@hilarywilkes7853]

This has been my favorite song since I first heard it was first released. I love Pearl Jam!

[@tomtomlinson2835]

You're quite right Empress, this song is about lost love. Eddie Vedder, the lead singer and songwriter, even regretted the popularity of this song because of the pain it caused him to perform it. I highly recommend Jeremy (uncensored version) by these guys, it's definitely available on YT, and is harrowing. Bring tissues if you watch that one. I'd also suggest Foo Fighters, Pretender. More raucous than this but universally relevant and an absolute masterpiece of a video. Much love from UK.

[@mucall]

Great reaction. You are awesome 🤟🏻

[@numynumevs]

INXS ' need you tonight ' 🙏

[@lesliewoodley2384]

One of the best live bands ever.!!! The passion Eddie Vedder sings with is off the hook!! Check out Even Flow the official video . it's sick!!

[@debjoviful]

Favorite singer favorite song!!!

[@GuitarPlayersFun]

Real Singing girl! Also the “tu tu tududu”. ;-)

[@kylem4196]

He actually had a cold and sore throat when he did this. which just shows ur how amazing it is

[@newgrl]

7:35 - That's the backup singer doing that. I'm pretty sure that's mostly Jeff Ament (the guy in the hat on the guitar).

[@jutwilton7363]

There has been many mtv unplugged sets but pearl jams has to be one of the best, Nirvana's cover of david Bowie's "the man who sold the world" is also another unplugged song that's amazing ...and stone temple pilots unplugged version of "plush" is also up there with the best x 😊

[@marknoble5495]

Live and Alice In Chains were two of the best for me

[@DHIX33333]

@@marknoble5495 watching Alice in Chains unplugged now in hindsight is heart wrenching. You can tell that Layne was very sick.

[@devinluoto873]

Eddie brings me to tears in this performance

[@michaelwatson266]

Eddie didn't sing this song live for years cause it was about someone and it was very personal

[@aaronc5582]

So glad I got to grow up with this music.

[@moderndaydrifter3205]

The song was written by the guitarist Stone Gossard before Eddie was in the band.. Eddie is just an amazing & passionate performer..

[@ObiWanGinobiliTopFan]

I love your reaction. Beautiful sensitivity ❤

[@TwoTonTaft]

Eddie wasn't singing for us. The band just set it up and we were allowed to peek into his world. But the song was originally written about his first love in school, and it really hit him hard

[@_3clipse_]

So are you saying that it actually was about Liz Gumble? I've never been able to scratch up enough evidence to say for certain...

[@user-fz3sz2dj4r]

Good choice

[@tonyplove]

Now you are ready for "Hunger Strike" by Temple of the Dog. This is a collaboration between this guy, Eddie Vedder, and your dude Chris Cornell. :) You won't be disappointed.

[@daffybigbear]

They did TEmple of the Dog before Pearl Jam, in fact right before they formed it.

[@kauaicouple]

This is one of my all time favorite songs..

[@sinboy26]

Great reaction,your awesome

[@dojocho1894]

Men all love this song, but hate to hear it for it takes us back to a really dark place we all have had

[@kimberlinibambini1988]

Great song! Wonderful reaction! 💞

[@Sherri_Jordan]

I love your take on this

[@thatgardeninggirl2864]

ONE OF THE BEST songs and bands EVER My Favorite song OF ALL Pearl jam songs daughter evenflow Hell entire album ROCKS

[@truckerguychad]

3 seconds in shes already in her feels. Thats the effect this band has on people everytime

[@mirjamvond1731]

Iconic 🙌 Why can't it be, can't it be mine 😭😭

[@leewilliams1779]

You should react to Sirens by Peal Jam . Great great song!

[@shellos8]

This song is personal for Eddie but he puts his whole body and soul into every song he sings, every time. Even to this day. In fact, they're touring right now. They're older now but Eddie's voice is still powerful and they still perform at a very high level. Long live Eddie Vedder ❤

[@moneyinvestingwithvandi7727]

Great pick nice song

[@dancouver23]

He did have someone in mind. This was a very personal song for Eddie.

[@elmoblatch9787]

Saw Pearl Jam around 1992 and Eddie came out for the encore alone with his electric guitar and left his soul on the stage and only left when he had literally nothing else to give.

[@StefLuvsFoo]

Never a crush so hard as the one for Eddie Vedder back in the early 90s

[@dinihandiani4383]

i love.....

[@mikeferris408]

How quick the sun can drop away... ya

[@CJ-dm3ut]

You are literally insanely beautiful. Wow. 👀 Great reaction!

[@tjaartvanderwalt5864]

.Try the song Last Kiss.More of a country flavour but not in a bad way.

[@melvinpike4266]

I love your reactions! You are so beautiful!!! Please react to Angelina Jordan - I put a spell on you. This little girl has an amazing voice!!! You will be amazed!!!

[@johnowens7596]

love is everything the greatest of us and yet the worst when it go's away

[@mondaynightbasketball]

Just about the greatest song of all time.

[@johnmanley9485]

I actually went to school and used to run around with the drummer

[@mikebetts2046]

The sound you were hearing, but did not know the source of was just the voices of some of the band members. You can see them at their microphones during those moments.

[@woodside9285]

Things sure were different in the 90s

[@angelvazquez710]

Like a stone by audio slave is a very good song

[@hilarywilkes7853]

If you're not used to Eddie's voice it can be hard to make out what he's saying. Here are the lyrics love.❤ 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. And all I taught her was everything, I know she gave me all that she wore. And now my bitter hands chafe beneath the clouds of what was everything, all 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? And twisted thoughts that spin around my head, 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 that I'll be.. I know some day you'll have a beautiful life, I know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky, but why?! Why?! Whyyy can't it be mine?

[@ladykemma3]

Thanks

[@tylerthompson1842]

No the song is not about anyone in particular... And he's just an amazing actor.

[@image3320]

Chris Cornell has a ban with lh some of these guys. Temple of the Dog. He was a big brother firb the Grunge Sound in Seattle. Eddie's great @ showing emotion here.

[@nauseantrock532]

Awesome song and version

[@brainsareus]

I don't know the story, but often, good singing is simply great dramatic acting.

[@tacticalpeacock4828]

He was really sick during this performance

[@chaoticneutral3487]

Nice! How about, Temple Of The Dog - Hunger Strike

[@TedBrogan]

Whaa... ? If you're gonna go Temple of the Dog, you go "All Night Thing", "Call Me A Dog", "Times of Trouble", or "Say Hello 2 Heaven"!

[@newgrl]

"Say Hello 2 Heaven" and "Wooden Jesus" are my favorites from that album. One of my favorite albums of all time. You really can't go wrong with Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell singing and all of that talent making sweet sounds behind them.

[@image3320]

Temple of the Dog say hello to heaven Chris Cornell sings about his roommate from Mother Love bone

[@bennydejong8552]

i know what that feels like:(

[@1963921]

Maybe you should try Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms". Maybe you will like it.

[@rigjockey67]

Love all your vids! Just a suggestion. Altho live performances are great .. for reviews its better to watch the recorded version as that is the intended way the band wanted their tune portrayed! You'll get a much more accurate reading of the song and how its supposed to sound.

[@geraldwalmsley9278]

not true. this is the best version of “black” ever. besides, even the band said “Ten” was horribly recorded

[@rigjockey67]

@@geraldwalmsley9278 ok sure! Live is better, manual transmissions are better, vinyl is better than digital ... ya ya .. we all know you're a diehard! I am stating point in General for REACTION videos!

[@rigjockey67]

@@rickf710 Then that's their fault for selling out! looks good on em!

[@hardanheavy]

Let me be brutally honest here: in my opinion MTV was cashing in on a hype here. There is not one single one of these unplugged concerts that I prefer over the original versions. Not Pearl Jam, not Nirvana, not Queensrÿche. This particular song suffers, too. The subtle guitar wailing in the background, the lack of needing to fill certain phrases by sustaining vocal notes, it's missing. The original, 'bad production' (intentional. Grunge, you know) be damned, to me was far superior. I think one should distinguish between live and acoustic live. Live is fine to me. I mean 'Pisces' and 'Ghost Love Score' (probably the most reacted to songs on YT) are both live and genius.

[@rigjockey67]

@@rickf710 This is very true in some cases

[@alvajjoe]

The lyrics tells you why he is broken. I recommend reading the lyrics why he sigs. It is pretty straight forward.

[@alvajjoe]

BTW I wasn't trying to come off shitty at all.

[@w012thless]

Someone broke his heart

[@Lancemaker]

he was married once with the love of his life and it didt go well. he says this song is about letting her go.

[@stevengerhart-rinaldo3366]

THIRD WORLD, yOU'VE GOT THE POWER, tRY jA lOVE AND JAH JAH THE CHILDREN MOVEN UP. vERY INSPIRING, i AM DYING BUT WHEN I AM LOW I PUT ON THESE GUYS AND I CHANGE MY MOOD, THEY CHANGE MY MOOD INSTANTLY. i WAS 17 WHEN I SAW THEM LIVE, FOR THIS ALBUM, tRY Jah lOVE, THEIR BIGGEST COMMERCIAL SUCCESS... i SAW THEM WITH A ROCK AND ROLL BUDDY, HAD NO IDEA WHAT HE WAS GOING TO THINK... hE, LIKE I NEVER PLAYED ROCK AND ROLL FOR 30 YEARS OR MORE, ALL WE LISTEN TO FROM THAT DATE FORWARD WAS bOB, BURNING SPEAR, STEEL PULSE, UB40, (NOT RED RED WINE) pRESENT aRMS IS THE AMBUM TO LISTEN TOO.. FOR A COUPLE OF WHITE ENGLISH DUDES COULD SOUND SO ....SOUND SO AMAZING IN THIS STYLE OF MUSIC... i WOULD SO APPRECIATE IT YOU WOULD TRY AND COUPLE OF SONGS.. rECORDED BETWEEN 1977 TO THE PRESENT DAY, wHEN WE SAW THEM THEY HAD 11 MEMBERS.. RUGGS, BUNNY RUGS, LEAD SINGER, CAT COORES, (GUITAR AND CHELLO, IBOE DRUMS AND BONGO. i COULD GO ON... I'm 55 AND i STILL REMEMBER MOST OF THE PRINCIPALS NAMES.. REAL NAMES AND THEIR GIVEN NIK NAMES...........LIKE CAT.

[@reddog24playa1]

This song is about a girlfriend he had as a teenager

[@MyDragon66]

Love gone bad has turned my world to black

[@consuelaluna1414]

💚L E G E N D S💚

[@ripumaharjan474]

hes not actinggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

[@stephengiannone5449]

The Album 10 flows so good and doesn't have a bad song. Not many like that except any from Tool.

[@sandros5199]

🤟🏻🤟🏻🤟🏻

[@TedBrogan]

Studio version blows this away.... Drive around the block playing it. You'll see.

[@StefLuvsFoo]

🔥🔥🔥🙏🙏🙏