Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter - Live at Madison Square Garden (Reaction/First Listen!)

[@fgrillo29]

The lyrics to this song change every time Eddie sings it. Sometimes he forgets, sometimes he changes it for that specific show or city. It usually closes their shows and is a heartfelt goodbye to the fans that showed up. We closed our wedding reception to this song. My wife and I met at a Pearl Jam concert. I've seen them 27 times. She has seen them 35 times. We are going to see them at Madison Square Garden in September. Mike McCready is an amazing guitarist. Absurdly underrated. Yes, that's Eddie. He has gone through several hairstyles over the years. Hard to believe this was 21 years ago now. They play a different setlist every night. It's never the same show. Eddie usually writes the setlist the day of the show. Go see them if you can. You won't regret it.

[@FeelItRising]

because there were never any lyrics really. No need to read the lyrics. it was just a jam where he actually did just sing a melody over the jam and it became a song

[@WheresWaldo05]

Oofta. This was one awful live song. And the reason i don't like live music. So off tune and cringey.

[@iammine8117]

Mike McCready, maybe the most criminally underrated guitarists of all time!

[@iammine8117]

I just clicked send on this and I SWEAR you read the same comment from video. What are the odds, probably not that bad because it's just true.

[@nickface55]

Amen!

[@chriscallen3418]

Agree... have felt the same for the years

[@BanditHeelerOhBiscuits]

💯🫡

[@DanielLake-xz8qi]

You could be correct!! His name never comes up in conversations but he is absolutely wonderful

[@PriestessOfNothing]

The studio version of this is one of the most beautiful things you'll ever hear. It's obviously one of the biggest fan favorites, the one that everyone wants to hear. It's a feeling more than a song. You really should listen to it, and don't worry about understanding the words. Just listen and be. ❤

[@dbstrozier]

Yellow Ledbetter is not just a song, it's a feeling. It's this piece of heaven where we are sad the show is almost over, yet happy and grateful we just experienced this magical moment and shared it with 18000 other who understand and feel the same.

[@BanditHeelerOhBiscuits]

Truer words never spoken! 🫡

[@richardyoung3462]

Better Man comes pretty close to rivalling it, when the full crowd joins in on that one too. Full goosebumps moment each time.

[@paulodomingo205]

Can’t wait to hear your take on their unplugged Black

[@nikkireviews]

It's coming soon! 😁

[@saxon3980]

"Is this how it usually goes"😂 The lyrics change at a whjm, and has become a fan favorite. Plus Mike Mcready is sensational lead guitarist.

[@youravgjoe42]

That was an extended version with the great Mike McCready on lead doing a glorious glorious outro. You should also listen to the studio version. The meaning and lyrics of the song have changed over the years. Glad you found one of the articles online explaining different explanations of the song. Over the years the lyrics now emphasize anti war sentiments.

[@iNsTaNtpUdDiNhEaD]

Great reaction/analysis, Nikki! This is one of my favorite Pearl Jam songs. It features the most unintelligible lyrics of any song ever and the outstanding guitar work of Mike McCready!

[@nikkireviews]

Thank you! I really enjoyed this one!

[@ChristopherRobinson-l5v]

Yellow Ledbetter is never the same. Mike won’t allow it to be. That guitar work is always crazy.

[@RichardAkin-qj6xt]

That was great! 👍 Never seen that version, there is another live version that is even more epic!! Favorite Pearl Jam song..

[@mitchellbeston1033]

Love Pearl Jam. As a band they go the extra mile for their fans. For years, they would undervalue the ticket prices to see them live so that all their fans could afford to see them. Yes you are correct, it is red leather, yellow leather.

[@laurawatters914]

NIKKI, THE EVOLUTION OF THIS BAND IS AMAZING, EDDIE VEDDER THE SINGER ALMOST EVERY YEAR SINCE 1991 = 2024 HIS LOOKS CHANGE. "DO THE EVOLUTION" VERY AWESOME SONG. LEAD GUIATIST MIKE FREAKIN MCCREADY 🎸🔥 I LOVE YOUR REACTION NIKKI YES HE CHANGES THE LYRICS BY WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE PRESENT TIME. 😊🩷🤘✌️P.S.IM NOT YELLING, SORRY FOR THE CAPS.

[@Heathcoatman]

When Eddie Vedder sang "On a weelan Ona wissitonawayeaa Ani cownanasaya Nannawowasay ani gollah agaiii"... I felt that shit...

[@kelleewolfe2834]

He's a grown up now. Happens to the best of us.

[@adenauerlemos7926]

The band has now reached such maturity that the concert becomes just a jam session. The group is completely relaxed and of course everyone is different, they are older.

[@vddr24]

This song is nothing but the vibe. It's traditionally the last song of a 3 hour show.

[@abrahamesparza01]

He changes the words every time live

[@DanielLake-xz8qi]

He’s pretty hammered here And is the end of the show after About two bottles of wine. So he’s not sounding his best but he’s performed his heart out for two already here

[@cherylmontgomery9753]

Mike McCready never got the recognition that he so deserved. He plays the best riffs! Pearl Jam I believe is one of the best bands still going strong after 30 years. ❤

[@unklebacon44]

In tears laughing at your thumbnail for this before me watching. They acknowledge this is a whole lot of jibberish.

[@BrendanStreitz]

If I remember correctly this is not to long after Eddie inducted the Ramones into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was just regrowing his hair as he shaved his hair and had a Mohawk for the rock and roll hall of fame induction. If you want to see the Mohawk he had shortly before this look up the Ramones Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction.

[@lukelarsson]

He was going to keep the mohawk until they ended the war in Iraq or something like that.

[@Grandview6613]

This was my early mid 20s! And the lyrics are indiscernible. Love this song.

[@WhiteChoklit7]

Love how McCready always changes the solo whenever they play it live!

[@PaulSink]

LOL way to bury the lead ,right Nikki?!!LOL!!yes that explanation should have been listed first.Thanks for the background on the song, very interesting info .

[@anthonyshoop575]

Pearl Jam used to play something like 200-300 different songs every tour. Originals, covers, rarities…Eddie managing to forget only the few lyrics and timing spots he does is amazing in itself! Imagine trying to maintain not just all the components in f that many song but. Also getting your energy up enough every performance to make sure the fans get what they paid for. It’s criminal that you didn’t listen to the original studio version where McCready seemingly became possessed by the ghost of Hendrix to come up with this gorgeous melody…while Eddie seemed to know there wasn’t really lyrics that could measure up to the music…hence he used his undervalued emotional range of sounds a lot…and it still became legendary!

[@noelleone1305]

Just discovered you. Will check out some more of your reactions. This is much, much better in the studio version.

[@Anonymousones1]

Me Ex faviroye song she passed respectfully a while ago this song will always remind me of Michelle ❤

[@IgorBzovski]

Pearl Jam.. still alive..dark matter.

[@saxon3980]

Off to see them in November. I thought I'd missed out, but they decided to put on 2 extra shows😊

[@keithkanin7442]

Love your reaction to this song. One of my favorites by PJ. Very sad when you learn what the overall meaning of the song is actually about. There are quite a few bands from the grunge era that I am sure everyone has already suggested. One of my favorites has always been Candlebox. They came in towards the tail end of that era, but they are also one of the few that still put out new music. They just celebrated their 30 year anniversary and have released two new albums in the last few years. Highly recommend checking out their library.

[@davidcadd9081]

It made perfect sense to me

[@PaulSink]

Nice choice.Love the laid back style from this show.

[@grega9059]

I was at this show with my sister(her first concert). I told her after the show that it’ll likely be downhill from here. Crowd was absolutely electric

[@nikkireviews]

Oh wow that's amazing you were there!

[@grega9059]

@@nikkireviews best show I’ve ever been to. The entire band was really on point that evening. This was ironically the sloppiest song of the show - just because it was the last and they had played close to 3 hours. Ed’s voice was really strong that night especially for the first 2 hours. The reason he has short hair here is because he shaved his head and this was as it was growing back.

[@natejames6867]

That’s crazy, they all have short hair. I graduated high school in 94 so this is so different to me . Great reaction keep it up.

[@froozle99]

Seen them many times and this song is different every single time.

[@davidcadd9081]

It's about the yellow letters the family recieved after a family member had been in the service and was either killed, wounded or missing, as well as being sent home in a box or a bag.

[@PaulSink]

Love the guitar solos in some of the older music,need more now .Wish TheWarning would add some into their newer music ,we will see.

[@bradymcelveney]

Love your reactions. There are 2 "Porch" performances....The MTV Unplugged and Pink Pop '92 that are worth checking out.

[@Casey-zp9kv]

Can absolutely tell you would have been a grunge fan back in the day, born in the wrong decade I guess lol. PJs music is filled with heart & soul which you too seem to have plenty of. Great review.

[@Chauncey71]

Amazing reaction. Yes maybe not the best one to start with for that song but studio version nice . They are amazing in live performances. I hope you keep diving into them deeper . I recommend the porch at the MTV unplugged for a reaction. Keep up the great work 😊

[@JoshSmith-wo7zw]

Its probably a fairly recent concert and Eddie is pushing 60 years old I think. They started back in the early 90's

[@abrahamesparza01]

I was there the next day

[@nikkireviews]

😱 Awesome!

[@timmatthews1085]

Same here, also a great show!

[@lauragonzalez4487]

You should check out “Do the Evolution” from that same concert, it’s an amazing song and an incredible live performance (in my opinion)

[@timmatthews1085]

He gets all freaked out cause the stage is bouncing 😅 understandable given Roskilde three years prior

[@Artimesia]

I'm familiar with Pearl Jam's earlier albums, so I haven't heard this song before, but that's definitely Matt Cameron from Soundgarden on drums..I knew he played in Pearl Jam after Chris Cornell's (Soundgarden's vocalist) passing, but it appears he was playing with them before as well

[@abrahamesparza01]

This was around the Ten era

[@Artimesia]

@@abrahamesparza01 of course, there were members from both Pearl Jam and Soundgarden in Temple Of The Dog around that time, makes sense

[@timmatthews1085]

@@Artimesiahe means the song was created in the Ten era. Cameron took over drums for PJ for their 1998 tour in support of the Yield album so he was playing drums for both bands for a good 15+ years. And yes TOTD is essentially the current PJ lineup plus Cornell. Funny how it all came full circle, just a really great group of people hanging out who just happen to be reeeeeeal good at music

[@andylindberg6243]

That effect on the beginning of the first solo is a Leslie rotating speker or emulator.

[@sjy3000]

Please watch Pearl Jams Unplugged version of Black. It's there best song and performance

[@DanielLake-xz8qi]

Oh this is the one from live on two legs.

[@gcarap]

Not sure why the crowd tried to sing along considering Eddie sings this song differently every time 😀 And yes, they typically closed their shows with this.

[@dbstrozier]

Check out Ed 2006...he looks like a grunge rock star again

[@ColinRichards1]

Around 2012 Eddie was going through his eating and wine phase he started looking more like William shatner

[@damiandamn]

React to "Do the evolution"

[@timmatthews1085]

Consider giving the film documentary PJ20 a view in your own time. It’s a pretty solid ‘history of the band’ for their first 20 years

[@jmhaces]

I mean, it's not nonsense. The lyrics may be improvised every show but at the end of the day it's a song about receiving a letter letting you know that your family member who's serving in the armed forces died in the line of duty and is coming home in a box/bag.

[@nikkireviews]

Oh of course, I was just quoting what Eddie Vedder said in the article I read. That's how he described the endings. But I agree, the song as a whole - definitely not nonsense!

[@jarrodbinthenc6810]

❤❤❤

[@AlfredDavila89]

To me the lyrics don't even need to be understood. It's the best sound I have ever heard in my LIFE!!!

[@njoymn4330]

This was probably the most explicit version of the lyrics he ever sang. The concert was several months after the Iraq War was started by Bush (the son). You can kind of tell how much he was improvising... Verse 1 will I ever see my brother alive again but I tried to obliterate it all but the memories draggin me down And I wonder about the reason he was sent He's coming, he's coming home in a box or a bag Verse 2 I'd like to ?? like to wish it all away And I tried and I ? and no one was there Talked to my dad and he was worse than me I better ask why his son is coning home in a box or a bag

[@sumonjamal1653]

Yeah, it's Mike McCready (guitar) who also co-wrote the song w/ bassist Jeff Ament and vocalist Eddie Vedder ... 'Yellow ledbetter' was written and recorded in 1991 for Pearl Jam's debut album 'Ten'... but was left off the album. It was released in 1992 w/ the single 'Jeremy' and became a radio hit in 1994. It was released on the Pearl Jam album 'Lost dogs' in 2003 which consisted of songs that did not make the albums. Yeah, Pearl Jam looks like this now because they got old and not as energetic as their 90's heyday... but they still enjoy popularity on tour and record sales like this generation's Grateful Dead 😂 If u listen to their album 'No code' (1996), it was their 4th album and it was very psychedelic and not quite the heavy grunge rock album people expected... 'Binaural' (2000) was also a very hazy-sounding record... 'Yield' (1998) was one of their better ones w/ songs like - 'Given to fly' ... 'Faithful' ... 'Wishlist'... 🔥🔥

[@timmatthews1085]

Binaural and Yield might be my two favorite

[@davidcox7956]

He definitely changes the lyrics. This was after he lost his brother so he changed the lyrics about his brother.

[@abrahamesparza01]

"Box or the bag" not boxer

[@tinagilbert8902]

Exactly! "Don't know whether he's coming home in a box or a bag"... that was the original lyrics based on a real life event for Eddie. Even though I love how he changes the lyrics based on mood due to political bs and his disdain over all of it (even singing about French fries one time during this song cuz he was sick of the bs. lol!!😂). The original intent It matters.💯

[@jeremeywilson2318]

Dissident next!!!

[@DKS1975DKS]

This is the best live version of yellow ledbetter from 1993 which was a B-side on the "daughter" single kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYa4hIuIa791oqc

[@bentol888]

He sings different lyrics every time he does this live.

[@nikkireviews]

That's really interesting, and cool. 🤔

[@Grandview6613]

Because they are 30 years older.

[@joaofigueiredo823]

You should react to " Corduroy " live at Wrigley 2016 next. Also Pearl Jam just released a new song called "Dark Matter" .

[@vddr24]

Good luck with the lyrics. Lol😂😂

[@davidcadd9081]

React to "I am mine" By Pearl Jam

[@zev596]

Bon jovi livin on a prayer

[@user-vc5rp7nf8f]

you're so pretty

[@marvelcaptain3504]

You lose a bit of the musicality with the live version of this song. It is one of my favorite Pearl Jam songs though