Not for You

Last updated

"Not for You"
NotForYou.jpg
Single by Pearl Jam
from the album Vitalogy
B-side "Out of My Mind" (live)
ReleasedFebruary 13, 1995 (1995-02-13)
Studio Bad Animals, Seattle, Washington
Genre
Length5:52
Label Epic
Songwriter(s) Eddie Vedder
Producer(s) Brendan O'Brien, Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam singles chronology
"Spin the Black Circle"
(1994)
"Not for You"
(1995)
"Immortality"
(1995)

"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 (Greatest Hits 1991–2003) .

Contents

Origin and recording

Guitarist Mike McCready on "Not for You":

Tom Petty sent me this amazing 12-string Rickenbacker, and "Not for You" was the first time I used it. It was like a Christmas present. One day it just showed up at my door. I called him up and thanked him. But it's a cool song—an Eddie song. [3]

Lyrics

Vocalist Eddie Vedder about "Not for You":

I believe...that there is something sacred about youth, and the song is about how youth is being sold and exploited. I think I felt like I had become part of that too. Maybe that's why sometimes I have a hard time with the TV end of music and much of the media and the magazines. When I pick up a magazine, I just count how many pages of ads before the first article starts. You go one, two...up to fifteen to twenty or more. And then in the back you have phone sex ads. So I've pretty much had it. I don't want to be the traveling medicine show where we go out and do the song and dance and someone else drops the back of the wagon and starts selling crap. I don't want our music to sell anything—or anyone else use it. There are a lot of middlemen, somewhere between the band and the audience. I know you need some people to help facilitate things for the live show, and I'm not saying that I don't appreciate these people but...In the last ten or fifteen years, there have been a lot of changes in music, and somehow the percentages being charged [by the concert industry] got out of hand. We also don't want to be part of all the marketing tools or whatever, but believe me, we have been. [That happened] on the first album and that's probably why we are where we are now, but it was hell and I feel awful about it and I'm not going to do it anymore. [4]

In another interview, Vedder stated:

These attitudes out there...that it's the industry's music... And it's not. It's mine. And it's yours. Whoever's listening to it. It's mine and it's yours. And everybody in between, they're the distributors. I think that something like a music channel can be very powerful. Sometimes they think they're the ones who decide what's heard. I think that's a dangerous situation. And, I think, what's more dangerous is that they think it belongs to them. That's probably what "Not for You" is about. [5]

Release and reception

"Not for You" was released as a single on February 13, 1995, in the United Kingdom. [6] The release contains a previously unreleased B-side titled "Out of My Mind". The song peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and number 38 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. Outside the United States, "Not for You" reached the top 40 in the UK and peaked at number 29 on the Australian Singles Chart. "Not for You" reached the top 30 in Ireland and the top 10 in New Zealand.

Live performances

"Not for You" was first performed live at the band's March 7, 1994, concert in Denver, Colorado at the Paramount Theatre. [7] The song was performed on Saturday Night Live - without the explicit lyrics - in April 1994, almost eight months before the release of Vitalogy . Live performances of "Not for You" can be found on the Hype! soundtrack, 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 Touring Band 2000 . The version of the song on the Hype! soundtrack was recorded live on Pearl Jam's 1995 Self-Pollution satellite radio broadcast, a four-and-a-half-hour-long pirate broadcast out of Seattle which was available to any radio stations that wanted to carry it. [8]

Track listing

All songs were written by Dave Abbruzzese, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder.

  1. "Not for You" – 5:51
  2. "Out of My Mind" (live) – 4:41

Charts

Chart (1995)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [9] 29
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [10] 95
Ireland (IRMA) [11] 26
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [12] 10
Scotland (OCC) [13] 28
UK Singles (OCC) [14] 34
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [15] 38
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [16] 12

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

Vs. is the second studio album by the 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>No Code</i> 1996 studio album by Pearl Jam

No Code is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1996, through Epic Records. Following a troubled tour for its previous album, Vitalogy (1994), in which Pearl Jam engaged in a much-publicized boycott of Ticketmaster, the band went into the studio to record its follow-up. The music on the record was more diverse than what the band had done on previous releases, incorporating elements of garage rock and worldbeat.

<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">Jeremy (song)</span> 1992 single by Pearl Jam

"Jeremy" is a song by American rock band Pearl Jam, with lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music composed by bassist Jeff Ament. "Jeremy" was released in August 1992 as the third single from Pearl Jam's debut album, Ten (1991). The song was inspired by a newspaper article Vedder read about Jeremy Wade Delle, a high school student who shot himself in front of his English class on January 8, 1991. It reached the number 5 spot on both the Album and Modern Rock Billboard charts. It did not originally chart on the regular Billboard Hot 100 singles chart since it was not released as a commercial single in the US at the time, but a re-release in July 1995 brought it up to number 79.

<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">Daughter (song)</span> 1993 single by Pearl Jam

"Daughter" is a song by American rock band Pearl Jam, released in November 1993 by Epic Records as the second single from 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.

"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 .

<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">Dissident (song)</span> 1994 single by Pearl Jam

"Dissident" is a song by American rock band Pearl Jam, appearing as the fifth track on their second studio album, Vs. (1993). It was written by band members Eddie Vedder, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Dave Abbruzzese. According to Vedder, "Dissident" is about a woman who secretly shelters a refugee but eventually turns him in to the authorities because she cannot support him any longer, leading her to feel guilty about her decision.

<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">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 US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and reached the top five in New Zealand and Norway. "Go" 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 .

"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">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 .

"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.

<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 .

<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 – VITALOGY | GOLDEN VAULT #19". GoldenPlec. March 5, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  2. Childers, Chad (December 6, 2019). "25 Years Ago: Pearl Jam Overcome Internal Strife to Release 'Vitalogy'". Loudwire . Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  3. Gilbert, Jeff. "Prime Cuts: Mike McCready - The Best of Pearl Jam!". Guitar School. May 1995.
  4. Hilburn, Robert. "All Revved Up (As Usual)". Los Angeles Times . November 20, 1994.
  5. Chiam, Lynn. "Pearl Jam Interview". Singapore's BIGO (Before I Get Old). April 1995.
  6. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . February 11, 1995. p. 27.
  7. "Pearl Jam Songs: "Not for You"". pearljam.com.
  8. Gaar, Gillian G. "Radio Free Vedder". Rolling Stone . February 23, 1995.
  9. "Pearl Jam – Not for You". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  10. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media . Vol. 12, no. 9. March 4, 1995. p. 22.
  11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Not for You". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  12. "Pearl Jam – Not for You". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  13. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  14. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  15. "Pearl Jam Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  16. "Pearl Jam Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2017.