Man of the Hour

Last updated

"Man of the Hour"
PJMOTH.jpg
Single by Pearl Jam
from the album Big Fish: Music from the Motion Picture
B-side "Man of the Hour" (demo)
ReleasedNovember 26, 2003
RecordedOctober 2003
Studio Studio X, Seattle, Washington
Genre Alternative rock, grunge
Length3:46
Label Self-released
Songwriter(s) Eddie Vedder
Producer(s) Adam Kasper
Pearl Jam singles chronology
"Love Boat Captain"
(2003)
"Man of the Hour"
(2003)
"World Wide Suicide"
(2006)

"Man of the Hour" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "Man of the Hour" accompanies the closing credits of the 2003 film Big Fish , and is the first track on the film's soundtrack album. It was released as a single on November 26, 2003. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003) .

Contents

Origin and recording

Director Tim Burton approached Pearl Jam in 2003 to request an original song for the soundtrack of his new film, Big Fish . After screening an early print of the film, Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder went home, wrote "Man of the Hour", and had a demo ready by the next day. It was recorded by the band four days later. [1] Guitarist Mike McCready stated, "We were so blown away by the movie... Eddie and I were standing around talking about it afterwards and were teary-eyed. We were so emotionally charged and moved by the imagination and humanity that we felt because of the movie." [1]

Lyrics

The wistful song is a young man saying farewell to his father: "The man of the hour has taken his final bow/Goodbye for now." [2] According to Billboard magazine, the "acoustic-tinged track is accented by wistful slide guitar work, with lyrics reflecting how the father/son bond can be rocked by what seem like insurmountable obstacles." [3]

According to Vedder at a June 1, 2006 concert in East Rutherford, New Jersey at Continental Airlines Arena, "Come Back" from the band's 2006 album, Pearl Jam , is set with the same young man from "Man of the Hour" talking to the departed two months later. [4]

Release and reception

"Man of the Hour" was released as a single on November 26, 2003, just prior to the release of the film. The single of this song features a demo version of Vedder alone on vocals and guitar as a B-side. The single was made available for purchase through the band's official website as well as through Amazon.com. It was Pearl Jam's first release without a label, [3] in partnership with Amazon.com. [5]

"Man of the Hour" was nominated for the 2004 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, but lost to Annie Lennox's "Into the West" from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King . [6] It was also nominated for a 2003 Broadcast Film Critics Association Award, [7] and a 2004 World Soundtrack Award. [8]

Heather Phares of Allmusic said, "Though Burton's quirky, eerie aesthetic would normally be at odds with Pearl Jam's earnestness, the two work well together here, with the song touching on the film's warmth and adding a bit of earthiness to its daydreamy nature." [9] Barry Walters of Rolling Stone said that "the star is the film's end-titles' closer, Pearl Jam's "Man of the Hour", which captures the darkness of Big Fish's central Oedipal conflict." [10] In the director's commentary for the DVD release of Big Fish, director Tim Burton raves about the song, calling it "beautiful" and "so right" and noting how well it "matched and mirrored" the film. [11]

Live performances

"Man of the Hour" was first performed live at the band's October 22, 2003 concert in Seattle at Benaroya Hall. [2] [3] Since the death of Ramones guitarist Johnny Ramone, Vedder has dedicated live performances of the song to him. [12] Live performances of "Man of the Hour" can be found on the live album Live at Benaroya Hall , various official bootlegs, the Live at the Gorge 05/06 box set and the Eddie Vedder DVD Water on the Road . On October 27, 2013 at their show in Baltimore, the band dedicated the song to Lou Reed who had died earlier that day. [13]

During a show in Chicago on August 22, 2016, Vedder dedicated the song to his late friend Layne Staley, lead singer of Alice in Chains. That day would have been Staley's 49th birthday; "It’s the birthday of a guy called Layne Staley tonight, and we’re thinking of him tonight too. 49 years old", Vedder told the crowd before dedicating the song to his friend. [14]

Track listing

All songs written by Eddie Vedder.

  1. "Man of the Hour" – 3:46
  2. "Man of the Hour" (demo) – 3:53

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Vedder</span> American singer (born 1964)

Eddie Jerome Vedder is an American singer, musician, and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist, primary lyricist, and one of three guitarists for the rock band Pearl Jam. He was previously a guest vocalist for supergroup Temple of the Dog, a tribute band dedicated to the late singer Andrew Wood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Layne Staley</span> American rock musician (1967–2002)

Layne Thomas Staley was an American singer and songwriter who was the original lead vocalist of Alice in Chains, which rose to international fame in the early 1990s as part of Seattle's grunge movement. He was known for his distinctive vocal style as well as his harmonizing with bandmate Jerry Cantrell. Prior to his success with Alice in Chains, Staley was also a member of the glam metal bands Sleze and Alice N' Chains. He was also a part of the supergroups Mad Season and Class of '99.

<i>Riot Act</i> (album) 2002 studio album by Pearl Jam

Riot Act is the seventh studio album by American rock band Pearl Jam, released November 12, 2002, through Epic Records. Following a full-scale tour in support of their previous album, Binaural (2000), Pearl Jam took a year-long break. The band reconvened in the beginning of 2002 and commenced work on a new album. The music on the album was diverse, including songs influenced by folk, art rock and experimental rock. The lyrics deal with mortality and existentialism, with influence from both the political climate after the September 11 attacks and the accidental death of nine fans during Pearl Jam's performance at the 2000 Roskilde Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mad Season (band)</span> American rock supergroup

Mad Season was an American rock supergroup formed in 1994 as a side project of members of other bands in the Seattle grunge scene. The band's principal members included guitarist Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, lead singer Layne Staley of Alice in Chains, drummer Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees, and bassist John Baker Saunders. Mad Season released only one album, Above, in March 1995. Its first single, "River of Deceit", was a radio success, and Above was certified a gold record by the RIAA in June.

<i>Lost Dogs</i> (album) 2003 compilation album by Pearl Jam

Lost Dogs is a two-disc compilation album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 11, 2003 through Epic Records. The album has been certified gold by the RIAA in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Ament</span> American bassist

Jeffrey Allen Ament is an American musician best known as the bassist of rock band Pearl Jam, which he co-founded alongside Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder. Ament wrote or co-wrote many of Pearl Jam's hits, including "Jeremy", "Oceans", "Dissident", "Nothingman" and "Nothing as It Seems".

<i>Live at Benaroya Hall</i> 2004 live album by Pearl Jam

Live at Benaroya Hall is a two-disc live album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, recorded on October 22, 2003 at Benaroya Hall, Seattle, Washington and released on July 27, 2004 through BMG.

<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">Black (Pearl Jam song)</span> Song by Pearl Jam

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

"Yellow Ledbetter" is a song by the American band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co-written by bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Mike McCready, "Yellow Ledbetter" was an outtake from the band's debut album, Ten (1991). "Yellow Ledbetter" was selected by the band to be on the B-side of the 1992 single "Jeremy", where it was first released. The song eventually found its way onto radio, peaking at number 21 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The song was also included on Pearl Jam's 2003 B-sides and rarities album Lost Dogs, and on their 2004 greatest hits album Rearviewmirror .

<i>11/6/00 – Seattle, Washington</i> 2001 live album by Pearl Jam

11/6/00 – Seattle, Washington is a three-disc live album and the seventy-second and final in a long series of live bootlegs that the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam released 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.

<i>7/9/03 – New York, New York</i> 2003 live album by Pearl Jam

7/9/03 – New York, New York is a two-disc live album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam. It was released to retail stores on September 16, 2003.

<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. Former members include Dave Krusen, Matt Chamberlain, Dave Abbruzzese, and Jack Irons, all of whom were the band's drummers from 1990 to 1998. 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".

<i>7/11/03 – Mansfield, Massachusetts</i> 2003 live album by Pearl Jam

7/11/03 – Mansfield, Massachusetts is a three-disc live album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam. It was released to retail stores on September 16, 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Off He Goes</span> 1997 single by Pearl Jam

"Off He Goes" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "Off He Goes" was released in January 1997 as the third single from the band's fourth studio album, No Code (1996). The song peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Alternative Songs 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 .

"Once" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, "Once" is the first track on the band's debut album, Ten (1991). On Ten, it is preceded by a brief interlude of the album's closing hidden track, "Master/Slave". Besides Ten, the song was also featured as a B-side on the single for "Alive". Remixed versions of the song were included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, Rearviewmirror , and the 2009 Ten reissue. The song is one of the band's heaviest compositions to date.

"Thumbing My Way" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "Thumbing My Way" is the seventh track on the band's seventh studio album, Riot Act (2002).

The Pearl Jam 2005 North American/Latin American Tour was a concert tour by the American rock band Pearl Jam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immortality (Pearl Jam song)</span> 1995 single by Pearl Jam

"Immortality" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on June 6, 1995, as the third 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 10 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror .

References

  1. 1 2 Lammers, Tim. ""Man Of The Hour" Up For BFCA, Golden Globe Awards" Archived July 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine . WDIV. January 8, 2004.
  2. 1 2 Lyrics and performance trivia Archived July 20, 2006, at the Wayback Machine from the website of the band's official fan club
  3. 1 2 3 Cohen, Jonathan. "Pearl Jam Reels In 'Exclusive' Fish". Billboard . November 6, 2003.
  4. Vedder, Eddie. (Speaker). (2006). 6/1/06, Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey [Audio Recording]. Ten Club.
  5. "Pearl Jam Joins Amazon.com's Advantage Program to Sell Music Directly to Fans". December 17, 2003. Retrieved July 2, 2007.
  6. "Golden Globes Nominations & Winners". goldenglobes.org. Archived from the original on February 1, 2008. Retrieved February 20, 2008.
  7. "BFCA Nominees/Winners". bfca.org. Archived from the original on February 9, 2008. Retrieved February 20, 2008.
  8. "WSA awards". worldsoundtrackawards.com. Retrieved August 2, 2008.
  9. Phares, Heather. "allmusic ((( Big Fish > Review )))". Allmusic . Retrieved May 11, 2009.
  10. Walters, Barry. Various Artists: Big Fish. Rolling Stone . January 15, 2004. Retrieved on May 11, 2009.
  11. Burton, Tim (2004). Big Fish director's commentary (DVD). Event occurs at [ time needed ].
  12. "Pearl Jam Concert Chronology: 2005" [usurped] . TwoFeetThick.com.
  13. "After 23 Years Pearl Jam Finally Comes to Baltimore". Baltimore Sun. October 27, 2013. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
  14. "Watch Eddie Vedder's Heartbreaking Tribute To Layne Staley During Pearl Jam's US Show". Music Feeds. August 26, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2017.