Released as the second single of the highly acclaimed album ‘Ten’, “Even Flow” ranks as a quintessential Pearl Jam song. The song was musically written by guitarist Stone Gossard – like most songs on ‘Ten’ – with lyrics added later by frontman Eddie Vedder. In this article, I will dive into the story, meaning, and legacy behind Pearl Jam’s “Even Flow”.
The Story Behind the Song
The instrumental of “Even Flow” was written before Pearl Jam was formed. Back then, the song was titled “The King” and part of The Gossman Project – a collection of 12 demo songs. Together with guitarist Mike McCready, bassist Jeff Ament, and Soundgarden’s drummer Matt Cameron, Stone Gossard recorded the demo songs in search of a singer and drummer.
A few months before Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament recorded the demo songs, they were still part of the band Mother Love Bone. But the band’s life was tragically cut short after the death of frontman Andrew Wood. Initially devastated, Gossard eventually decided to play music again. He started practicing with childhood friend Mike McCready, who, in his turn, recommended Gossard to reunite with Jeff Ament.
Five demo songs the musicians recorded were eventually assembled on a demo tape, which was circulated to find the band a singer and drummer. That demo tape reached Eddie Vedder in San Diego via former Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons.
Eddie Vedder recorded vocals over 3 songs on the demo tape – one of which would become “Alive” – and sent the tape back to Gossard and Ament. Impressed by what Vedder had done with the instrumentals, Gossard and Ament flew Vedder out to Seattle to work on more songs.
Read more: 6 Reasons Why “Alive” by Pearl Jam is Such An Amazing Song
During a period of seven days, Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, and newly joined drummer Dave Krusen worked on ten songs, most of which would end up on Pearl Jam’s debut album. One of those songs was, of course, “Even Flow”.
The Meaning of the Song
“Even Flow” is a song about homelessness. The lyrics delve into the struggles and hardships of a homeless man living out on the street. Eddie Vedder stated the song was inspired by a homeless veteran, whose name was also Eddie. Vedder met the homeless man in between rehearsals during his first stay with the other members of Pearl Jam.
During a Pearl Jam concert in Miami in 1994, Eddie Vedder introduced “Even Flow” by saying: “I thought I’d throw in a bit of street education while you still have an open mind… Right across the street, there’s a little homeless community that lives under the bridge. You should just know that those people ain’t all crazy and sometimes it’s not their fault.”
Recording
Pearl Jam started recording their debut album Ten at the end of March 1991. Unlike other songs on the album – which were recorded in just a few takes – “Even Flow” provided difficulties for the band, mainly because drummer Dave Krusen struggled with the song’s tempo irregularities. The song eventually took between 50-100 takes, with the band members still dissatisfied with “Even Flow’s” final version on Ten.
In 1992, after drummer Dave Abbruzzese joined the band, Pearl Jam re-recorded “Even Flow”. This new version of the song was used for the song’s music video, the single release in the United Kingdom, and on Pearl Jam’s greatest hits album.
Even Flow’s Legacy
“Even Flow” was released as a single on April 6, 1992. In the United States, the song reached number 3 on the Mainstream Rock chart. In the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, the song reached the top 30.
Read more: Pearl Jam’s ‘Ten’: Every Song Ranked From Worst to Best
Despite the song’s modest chart performance “Even Flow” grew out to be an indisputable rock classic. The song is one of the most popular songs in Pearl Jam’s entire repertoire and one of the many highlights on Ten. “Even Flow” is also a pivotal Pearl Jam live song, being the band’s most-played live song.
Read more articles about Pearl Jam
