Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town

Last updated

"Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town"
Song by Pearl Jam
from the album Vs.
ReleasedOctober 19, 1993
RecordedMarch–May 1993 at The Site, Nicasio, California
Genre Acoustic rock [1]
Length3:15
Label Epic
Songwriter(s) Eddie Vedder
Producer(s) Brendan O'Brien, Pearl Jam

"Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. The song is the tenth track on the band's second studio album, Vs. (1993). Although credited to all members of Pearl Jam, it was primarily written by vocalist Eddie Vedder. The length of the song's title was a reaction by the band to the fact that most of its songs featured one-word titles. [2] The song is often referred to simply as "Elderly Woman" or "Small Town" by the band and its fans. Despite the lack of a commercial single release, the song reached number 17 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. An acoustic version of the song can be found on the "Go" single. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003) .

Contents

Origin and recording

When discussing how he initially came up with "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town", vocalist Eddie Vedder stated that "it was so quick". He elaborated further:

We were recording the second record, and we stayed in this house in San Francisco, and I was outside the house in my own world and the little outhouse had a small room. I'm talking the size of a bathroom. I was able to fit a Shure Vocal Master, which is a 1960s PA, and two big towers of PA and a little amp and a 4 track. I slept in there too. I remember waking up one morning and playing pretty normal chords that sounded good, and I put on the vocal master to hear myself and it came out right quick. I don't even think I scribbled the lyrics down. It took 20 minutes. Stone was sitting outside reading the paper, and he was like "I really like that." So we recorded it that day. [3]

Lyrics

Vedder about "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town":

It's kind of about a lady, and she's getting on in years, and she's stuck in this small town. Small towns fascinate me: You either struggle like hell to get out, to some people want to stay 'cause then they're the big fish in the small pond, and then others just kind of get stuck there. So here she is working in this little place, and then an old flame comes in, and he's probably driving a nice car and looking kind of sharp—not a fancy car, but he's moved on. And then she sees him, and at first she doesn't even remember who he is, and then she realizes who it is. She's just too embarrassed to say "hello". [4]

Reception

Without being released as a single, "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town" peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 17 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1994. David Browne of Entertainment Weekly said the song has "an unexpected melodic delicacy". [5]

The lyric page for the song in the album's liner notes featured a picture of an "elderly woman", but at some point after the first pressings another picture was used in place of the original. Allegedly, the original woman never gave permission for her picture to be used, so Pearl Jam changed the picture to another woman. [6] The difference is easy to spot, as "the new and improved woman behind the counter" is printed below the picture. [7]

Live performances

"Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town" was first performed live at the band's June 16, 1993 concert in Missoula, Montana, at the University of Montana-Missoula's University Theatre. [8]

Live performances of the song can be found on the "Dissident"/Live in Atlanta box set, the live album Live on Two Legs , various official bootlegs, the Live at the Gorge 05/06 box set, and the live album Live at Lollapalooza 2007 . A performance of the song is also included on the DVD Live at the Showbox . The live version from Live on Two Legs reached number 21 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 26 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1998. In Canada, this version reached the top 30 on the Canadian Singles Chart.

Chart positions

Vs. version
Chart (1994)Position
US Modern Rock Tracks [9] 17
US Mainstream Rock Tracks [10] 23
Live on Two Legs version
Chart (1998)Position
US Mainstream Rock Tracks [9] 21
US Modern Rock Tracks [10] 26
Canadian RPM Singles Chart [11] 27


Certifications

Certifications for "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [12] Platinum80,000‡
United States (RIAA) [13] Gold500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

A version of "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town" by Charlotte Martin can be found on her 2007 album Reproductions . Young@Heart Chorus, [14] whose singers range from ages 73 to 90, covered "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter of a Small Town" at their 4th Annual Mash-Up concert in November 2016.

The Anchoress covered "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town" on hew 2022 release Versions / EP 2.

Usage in media

The song was used in promos for the final season of Rescue Me .

Related Research Articles

<i>Vs.</i> (Pearl Jam album) 1993 studio album by Pearl Jam

Vs. is the second studio album by American rock band Pearl Jam, released on October 19, 1993, through Epic Records. After a relentless touring schedule in support of their 1991 debut album Ten, Pearl Jam headed into the studio in early 1993 facing the challenge of following up the commercial success of its debut. The resulting album, Vs., featured a rawer and more aggressive sound compared with the band's previous release. It was the band's first collaboration with producer Brendan O'Brien and its first album with drummer Dave Abbruzzese.

<i>Live on Two Legs</i> 1998 live album by Pearl Jam

Live on Two Legs is the first major live album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 24, 1998, through Epic Records. The album has been certified platinum by the RIAA in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alive (Pearl Jam song)</span> 1991 single by Pearl Jam

"Alive" is the debut single by American rock band Pearl Jam. It was released on July 7, 1991, 51 days before the release of the band's debut album, Ten, on which "Alive" appears. Written by guitarist Stone Gossard, the song originated as an instrumental titled "Dollar Short" and was included on a demo tape circulated in hopes of finding a singer for the group. Vocalist Eddie Vedder obtained a copy of the tape and wrote lyrics that describe a somewhat fictionalized account of the time when he was told that the man he thought was his father was not actually his biological parent.

"Black" is a power ballad by the American rock band Pearl Jam. The song is the fifth track on the band's debut album, Ten (1991), and features lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Even Flow</span> 1992 single by Pearl Jam

"Even Flow" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, it was released in 1992 as the second single from the band's debut album, Ten (1991). The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The song was included in Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror . A remixed version of the song was included on the 2009 Ten reissue.

"Better Man" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. It is the eleventh track on the band's third studio album, Vitalogy (1994). The song was written by vocalist Eddie Vedder. Despite the lack of a commercial single release, "Better Man" reached the top of the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and spent a total of eight weeks at number one. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nothing as It Seems</span> Pearl Jam song

"Nothing as It Seems" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by bassist Jeff Ament, "Nothing as It Seems" was released on April 25, 2000, as the first single from the band's sixth studio album, Binaural (2000). The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The song also appears on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror .

<i>10/22/00 – Las Vegas, Nevada</i> 2001 live album by Pearl Jam

10/22/00 – Las Vegas, Nevada is a two-disc live album and the sixty-second in a series of 72 live bootlegs released by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam from the band's 2000 Binaural Tour. It was released along with the other official bootlegs from the second North American leg of the tour on March 27, 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wishlist (song)</span> 1998 single by Pearl Jam

"Wishlist" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "Wishlist" was released on May 5, 1998, as the second single from the band's fifth studio album, Yield (1998). In the United States, the song peaked at number six on both the Billboard Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock Tracks charts. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Go (Pearl Jam song)</span> 1993 single by Pearl Jam

"Go" is a song by American rock band Pearl Jam, released in October 1993 as the first single from the band's second studio album, Vs. (1993). Although credited to all members of Pearl Jam, it features lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music primarily written by drummer Dave Abbruzzese. The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and number two in New Zealand, and it received a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 1995 Grammy Awards. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal (Pearl Jam song)</span> 1994 single by Pearl Jam

"Animal" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released in 1994 as the third single from the band's second studio album, Vs. (1993). Although credited to all members of Pearl Jam, it features lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music primarily written by guitarist Stone Gossard. The song peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Not for You</span> 1995 single by Pearl Jam

"Not for You" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released in February 1995 as the second single from the band's third studio album, Vitalogy (1994). Although credited to all members of Pearl Jam, it was primarily written by vocalist Eddie Vedder. The song peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and became the band's fourth top-10 single in New Zealand. It was later included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Life Wasted</span> 2006 single by Pearl Jam

"Life Wasted" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, "Life Wasted" was released on August 28, 2006 as the second single from the band's eighth studio album, Pearl Jam (2006). The song peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. On Pearl Jam, "Life Wasted" is reprised as a modified version on the album's tenth track, "Wasted Reprise".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gone (Pearl Jam song)</span> Pearl Jam song

"Gone" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "Gone" was released through digital music stores on October 7, 2006 as the third single from the band's eighth studio album, Pearl Jam (2006). The song reached number 40 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.

<i>Live at Easy Street</i> 2006 live album (EP) by Pearl Jam

Live at Easy Street is a live EP by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam that includes songs taken from a surprise in-store performance at Easy Street Records in West Seattle on April 29, 2005. The EP was released on vinyl to celebrate Record Store Day on April 13, 2019.

"Glorified G" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. The song is the fourth track on the band's second studio album, Vs. (1993). The song features lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by the band's members. Despite the lack of a commercial single release, the song managed to reach number 39 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hail, Hail</span> Pearl Jam song

"Hail, Hail" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co-written by guitarist Stone Gossard, bassist Jeff Ament, and guitarist Mike McCready. "Hail, Hail" was released in October 1996 as the second single from the band's fourth studio album, No Code (1996). The song managed to reach the number nine spot on both the Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock Billboard charts. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror .

"In Hiding" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, "In Hiding" is the eleventh track on the band's fifth studio album, Yield (1998). Despite the lack of a commercial single release, the song managed to reach number 13 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 14 on their Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

"Brother" is a song by American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, "Brother" was an outtake from the band's debut album, Ten. An instrumental version of the song was included on the 2003 B-sides and rarities album, Lost Dogs. The version of "Brother" with vocals appears on the 2009 Ten reissue. The version of the song with vocals was released to radio in 2009; however, a commercial single was not released. The song topped the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, where it spent two weeks at number one.

<i>Live at the Gorge 05/06</i> 2007 live album (box set) by Pearl Jam

Live at the Gorge 05/06 is a seven-disc live box set by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on June 26, 2007 through Rhino Entertainment/Warner Music Group. The box set documents the band's 2005 and 2006 shows at The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington.

References

  1. ↑ Toland, Michael (October 6, 2014). "ACL Live Shot: Pearl Jam". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Rockline Interview". KISW-FM . Seattle. October 18, 1993. Eddie: ...basically the title comes from being fed-up with one word titles.
  3. ↑ Scaggs, Austin. "Eddie Vedder: Addicted to Rock". Rolling Stone . April 21, 2006.
  4. ↑ Wall, Mick. Pearl Jam. Music Book Services Corporation, 1996. ISBN   1-886894-33-7.
  5. ↑ Browne, David. "The Courtship of Eddie". Entertainment Weekly . October 22, 1993.
  6. ↑ Vedder, Eddie. (Speaker). (2003). 2/9/03, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, Australia [Audio Recording]. Epic.
  7. ↑ (2003) Album notes for Vs. by Pearl Jam, [CD booklet]. New York: Sony Music.
  8. ↑ "Pearl Jam Songs: "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town"" Archived May 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine . pearljam.com.
  9. 1 2 "Pearl Jam Artist Chart History". Billboard . Retrieved April 28, 2007.
  10. 1 2 "Pearl Jam – Billboard Singles". Allmusic . Retrieved June 11, 2007.
  11. ↑ "Top Singles - Volume 68, No. 11, December 07 1998". RPM . Archived from the original on May 19, 2011. Retrieved March 7, 2008.
  12. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Pearl Jam – Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town". Music Canada . Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  13. ↑ "American single certifications – Pearl Jam – Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  14. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : "Young@Heart - Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town (Pearl Jam)". YouTube .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.