Do the Evolution

Last updated

"Do the Evolution"
Do the Evolution by Pearl Jam US promo stand-alone CD.png
U.S. promotional CD single
Promotional single by Pearl Jam
from the album Yield
ReleasedFebruary 3, 1998
Genre Hard rock, [1] garage rock
Length3:54
Label Epic
Songwriter(s) Stone Gossard, Eddie Vedder
Producer(s) Brendan O'Brien, Pearl Jam

"Do the Evolution" is a song by American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, "Do the Evolution" is the seventh track on the band's fifth studio album, Yield (1998). Despite the lack of a commercial single release, the song managed to reach number 33 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003) . It was the first of the band's songs to receive a music video since "Oceans", the final single from the group's 1991 debut Ten .

Contents

Origin and recording

"Do the Evolution" features lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard. Bassist Jeff Ament does not appear on the track. Gossard recorded the bass line for the track. [2] Vedder said that it is his favorite song from Yield. [3] He stated, "I can listen to it like it's some band that just came out of nowhere. I just like the song. I was able to listen to it as an outside observer and just really play it over and over. Maybe because I was singing it from a third person so it didn't really feel like me singing." [3]

Lyrics

When speaking about "Do the Evolution", Vedder stated, "That song is all about someone who's drunk with technology, who thinks they're the controlling living being on this planet. It's another one I'm not singing as myself." [4] Pearl Jam has stated that the novel Ishmael influenced the writing of Yield , [5] and according to the novel's writer, Daniel Quinn, this song comes the closest to expressing the ideas of the book. [6] Vedder stated:

This Daniel Quinn book, Ishmael...I've never recommended a book before, but I would actually, in an interview, recommend it to everyone....But this book, it's kind of the book of my ... My whole year has been kind of with these thoughts in mind. And on an evolutionary level, that man has been on this planet for 3 million years, so that you have this number line that goes like this [hands wide apart]. And that we're about to celebrate the year 2000, which is this [holds hands less than one inch apart]. So here's this number line; here's what we know and celebrate. This book is a conversation with a man and an ape. And the ape really has it all together. He kinda knows the differences between him and the man, and points out how slight they are, and it creates an easy analogy for what man has done, thinking that they were the end-all. That man is the end-all thing on this earth. That the earth was around even so much longer before the 3 million years. Fifty million years of sharks and all these living things. Then man comes out of the muck, and 3 million years later he's standing, and now he's controlling everything and killing it. Just in the last hundred! Which is just a speck on this line. So what are we doin' here? This is just a good reminder...And I'm anxious to see what happens. You know, I've got a good seat for whatever happens next. It'll be interesting. [7]

Reception

Without being released as a single, "Do the Evolution" peaked at number 40 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 34 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1998. [8] [9] In Canada, the song reached number 50 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart. [10] At the 1999 Grammy Awards, "Do the Evolution" received a nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance. [11]

In E! Online's review of Yield, "Do the Evolution" was described as having a "Neil Young-Beck hybrid feel." [12] Tom Sinclair of Entertainment Weekly stated, "On the album's most gleeful hip shaker, "Do the Evolution", Vedder howls throwaway lyrics...while the guitars gnash and grind at the primitive melody, briefly evoking the gnarly cacophony of the Stooges' monumental Fun House ." [13]

Music video

The animated music video for "Do the Evolution" was co-directed by Kevin Altieri, known for his direction on Batman: The Animated Series , and Todd McFarlane, better known for his work with the popular comic book Spawn and Korn's 1999 "Freak on a Leash" video. [14] The video was produced by Joe Pearson, the president of Epoch Ink animation, and Terry Fitzgerald at TME. It was written and developed by Pearson and Altieri with input from McFarlane and Vedder. [14] The total production time on the music video was 16 weeks. [14] The animation pre-production was produced by Epoch Ink Animation at their studio in Santa Monica. Under Altieri and Pearson’s supervision the Epoch team boarded and designed the short in less than six weeks. [14] Once McFarlane, Vedder, and Sony gave their final approvals, the designs were outsourced at Seoul to be animated at Sunmin Image Pictures and Jireh Animation. Over a four-week period, a team of over one hundred artists worked to deliver the finished animation. [14]

Once the final animation was back in Los Angeles, California, Altieri, McFarlane, and Vedder edited the final cut at Vittello Productions. In a press release, McFarlane stated, "We choose to work with people who convey a particular attitude and this video is a tribute to that attitude," while Pearl Jam stated, "As artists we are challenged to expand the meaning of our work and by utilizing this visual medium and working with a visionary like Todd, we were able to further explore some of the themes we depicted in the song "Do the Evolution". Basically we've tried to make a good stoner video." [15] The video premiered on August 24, 1998, on MTV's 120 Minutes . [16] The video was the band's first since the final video for Ten , "Oceans". At the 1999 Grammy Awards, the music video received a nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form. [11] The video clip for "Do the Evolution" can be found on the Touring Band 2000 DVD as one of the Special Features.

Video summary

Collage of scenes from the "Do the Evolution" video. Do the Evolution.jpg
Collage of scenes from the "Do the Evolution" video.

Throughout the video, a animated seductive woman (similar in appearance to the character Death from the DC comic book series, The Sandman ) dances and laughs, representing "Death" as it follows mankind through all of its history. The video begins with the evolution of life, from the smallest cell to the extinction of dinosaurs and reign of Homo sapiens. The video then cuts back and forth throughout human history, depicting man's primitive, violent nature has essentially unchanged over the centuries. Such depictions include a knight preparing for the coming slaughter during the Crusades, a ritual dance by KKK (the dance is repeated with other groups throughout the video), a rally by Nazi-esque troops (with a symbol reminiscent of the Sig Rune, itself reminiscent the flash and circle used by the British Union of Fascists, instead of a swastika), concentration camp prisoners, a book burning, carnage upon a World War I-era battlefield, a girl stepping on an anthill as she runs blissfully through a field with the image suddenly changing to that of a landmine going off (as if the mine had been buried under the anthill itself), a death row inmate nervously waiting on an electric chair, the apparent virtual-reality rape of a woman, and the bombing of a Vietnamese village by an American jet, specifically an A-4 Skyhawk, the pilot of which removes his oxygen mask to reveal a skull laughing wildly, and a scene with a crying baby representing Bloody Saturday . Every scene portrayed complements the song's meaning and tightly follows the lyrics. When Vedder sings "Buying stocks on the day of the crash," a scene is shown where businessmen are committing suicide by jumping from buildings, a reference to the apocryphal suicides of Black Thursday during the Wall Street Crash of 1929. [17]

Other social and environmental issues such as slavery, whaling, colonialism, Manifest Destiny, uncontrolled urbanization, vivisection, pollution, genetic modification and techno-progressivism are included. The music video blames humankind's brutality on leadership; with various scenes depicting a judge, a bishop or pope, a military dictator and an American president candidate, who is being portrayed as a puppet, controlled by someone unseen, from behind the scene. The video concludes in what seems to be future scenarios of the self-destruction of the human race, including the carpet bombing of a city of clones by futuristic aircraft, computers hijacking the human mind, and finally a nuclear explosion which leaves not only a city in ruins, but the planet damaged beyond recognition. However, near the end of the animation, the earth is briefly seen as an ovum, suggesting a rebirth and the perpetuation of the human condition. During the sequence of flashing images near the end of the video an image of a yield sign being smashed at the corner can be seen, which references the album title and cover art.

Live performances

"Do the Evolution" was first performed live at the band's November 12, 1997, concert in Santa Cruz, California at The Catalyst. [18] Live performances of "Do the Evolution" can be found on 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 . Performances of the song are also included on the DVDs Single Video Theory , Touring Band 2000 , Live at the Showbox , and Live at the Garden . On Touring Band 2000, Vedder adds the lyrics "free the West Memphis 3!" to the song.

Credits

Pearl Jam

Additional musicians

Charts

Chart (1998)Peak
position
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [10] 50
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [9] 33
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [8] 40

Related Research Articles

<i>Vitalogy</i> 1994 studio album by Pearl Jam

Vitalogy is the third studio album by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 22, 1994, on Epic Records. Pearl Jam wrote and recorded Vitalogy while touring behind its previous album Vs. (1993). The album's sound is more diverse than previous releases and consists of aggressive rock songs, ballads, and other stylistic elements, making it Pearl Jam's most experimental album at that period. Considered a departure from the grunge sound of the band's first two albums, the record focuses more on punk rock and hardcore styles in its production.

<i>Yield</i> (album) 1998 studio album by Pearl Jam

Yield is the fifth studio album by American rock band Pearl Jam, released on February 3, 1998. Following a short promotional tour for its previous album, No Code (1996), Pearl Jam recorded Yield throughout 1997 at Studio Litho and Studio X in Seattle, Washington. The album was hailed as a return to the band's early, straightforward rock sound, and marked a more collaborative effort from the band as opposed to relying heavily on frontman Eddie Vedder to compose the song lyrics.

<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">Stone Gossard</span> American guitarist

Stone Carpenter Gossard is an American musician who serves as a guitarist for the rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of the band.

<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.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spin the Black Circle</span> 1994 single by Pearl Jam

"Spin the Black Circle" is a song by American rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 8, 1994, as the first single from the band's third studio album, Vitalogy (1994). 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 11 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100. It additionally charted at number 10 in the UK Singles Chart, giving them their only top-10 hit in that country. The song was later 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 .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pearl Jam</span> American rock band

Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, as well as Matt Cameron (drums), who joined in 1998. Keyboardist Boom Gaspar has also been a touring/session member with the band since 2002. Jack Irons, Dave Krusen, Matt Chamberlain and Dave Abbruzzese are all former drummers for the band. Pearl Jam has outsold and outlasted many of its contemporaries from the early 1990s, and is considered one of the most influential bands from that decade, dubbed "the most popular American rock and roll band of the '90s".

<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">I Am Mine</span> 2002 single by Pearl Jam

"I Am Mine" is a song by American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "I Am Mine" was released on October 8, 2002, as the first single from the band's seventh studio album, Riot Act (2002). The song peaked at number six on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Light Years (Pearl Jam song)</span> 2000 single by Pearl Jam

"Light Years" is a song by American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co-written by Vedder and guitarists Mike McCready and Stone Gossard, "Light Years" was released on July 10, 2000, as the second and final single from the band's sixth studio album, Binaural (2000). The song peaked at number 17 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">Hail, Hail</span> 1996 single by Pearl Jam

"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 .

"Tremor Christ" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. The song is the fourth track on the band's third studio album, Vitalogy (1994). Although credited to all members of Pearl Jam, it features lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music primarily written by guitarist Mike McCready and bass player Jeff Ament. Besides Vitalogy, the song was also featured as the B-side of the single, "Spin the Black Circle". The song managed to reach number 16 on both the Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock Billboard charts.

"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.

"Nothingman" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music by bassist Jeff Ament, "Nothingman" is the fifth track on the band's third studio album, Vitalogy (1994). The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, Rearviewmirror .

"1⁄2 Full" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by bassist Jeff Ament, "1⁄2 Full" is the thirteenth track on the band's seventh studio album, Riot Act (2002).

"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>Backspacer</i> 2009 album

Backspacer is the ninth studio album by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on September 20, 2009. The band members started writing instrumental and demo tracks in 2007, and got together the following year to work on an album. It was recorded from February through April 2009 with producer Brendan O'Brien, who had worked on every Pearl Jam album except their 1991 debut Ten and 2006's self-titled record—although this was his first production credit since 1998's Yield. Material was recorded at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California, and O'Brien's own Southern Tracks Recording in Atlanta, Georgia. The album—the shortest of the band's career—features lyrics with a more optimistic look than the politically infused predecessors Riot Act and Pearl Jam, something frontman Eddie Vedder attributed to the election of Barack Obama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Fixer (song)</span> 2009 single by Pearl Jam

"The Fixer" is a song by the rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co-written by drummer Matt Cameron and guitarists Mike McCready and Stone Gossard, "The Fixer" was released on August 24, 2009, as the first single from the band's ninth studio album, Backspacer (2009). The song debuted and peaked at number two on the Billboard Rock Songs chart and reached number three on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.

References

  1. ↑ Pearl Jam (September 10, 2013). Pearl Jam Twenty. Simon and Schuster. p. 207. ISBN   978-1-4391-6937-7.
  2. ↑ Marsh, Dave. "Pearl Jam: Art and Economy". Musician . April 1998.
  3. 1 2 "Pearl Jam Talks About New Approach To Yield". MTV.com. February 4, 1998.
  4. ↑ Moon, Tom. "Calling Off the Crusades" Archived January 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine . The Philadelphia Inquirer . February 8, 1998.
  5. ↑ Papineau, Lou. "20 Things You Should Know About Pearl Jam" Archived June 29, 2011, at the Wayback Machine . VH1.com. June 30, 2006.
  6. ↑ Quinn, Daniel. "Questions and Answers..." Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine . Ishmael.com.
  7. ↑ Marsh, Dave. "Pearl Jam's New Day Rising". Addicted to Noise. February 1998.
  8. 1 2 "Pearl Jam Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
  9. 1 2 "Pearl Jam Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
  10. 1 2 "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6996." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  11. 1 2 "41st Grammy Awards". Rockonthenet. Retrieved September 5, 2007.
  12. ↑ "Pearl Jam: Yield". E! Online. 1998.
  13. ↑ Sinclair, Tom (February 6, 1998). "Last Band Standing". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on December 25, 2007. Retrieved May 28, 2008.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "Music Videos & Shorts". Epoch Ink Animation. Archived from the original on September 3, 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2007.
  15. ↑ "Do the Evolution" Archived September 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine . sonymusic.com.
  16. ↑ "DTE Scheduled to Air August 24". fivehorizons.com. August 21, 1998.
  17. ↑ Adams, Cecil (August 30, 2002). "Did investors jump from the windows?". The Strait Dope. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Pearl Jam Songs: "Do the Evolution"" Archived May 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine . pearljam.com.
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.