Misheard Lyrics-Yellow Ledbetter, the real lyrics

[jknight1972]

Its poetry...not everyone understands it...thats ok...its poetry

[K4rt80y]

Make me fries.

[Memoria777]

POTATO WAVE!!

[hbrska]

vedder make me cry when he sing the love themes of pearl jam hahaha welcome to mexico PJ

[cinderviv]

it isn't a (coffin) box or (body) bag--he doesn't know whether he's the boxer or the (punching) bag because he's taking a beating.

[morgadaan]

lol...the real lyrics make about as much sense as the misheard lyrics!!!!

[btwall60]

Sometimes, I actually think I can write lyrics. After hearing this song, now I know I can't.

This is one of the greatest songs I've ever heard.

[jfoley715]

It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

I love Pearl Jam.

[KarenA926]

the lyrics say both, first its "And the reason oughta leave her calm I know, i said I know what I wear that a box or the bag"

then later it says : I want to drum it all away, an I said, I said ' I dont, i dont know whether i was the boxer or the bag' ".

[wolfgang3]

Blatant Jimi Hendrix rip off.

[moiyanez]

FUCK YOU ASSHOLE AND YOUR FAKE LYRICS!!!!

[blbrizzle]

i dont think u got the "boxer or bag" thing right. but for the most part u seem dead on

[TrishtheDishNY]

fender rules.

[joelunchbox1]

I don't suppose that he got a letter from a relative telling him of the death?? There are many ways and possibilities of being notified that someone you knew died. I can picture this explanation and I don't know why they would fabricate a story either. Now that I know the story and the lyrics, I love this song even more.

[BLShippy]

the gist of the song is about a "notification letter" that one brother recieves notifying him of his brother's death in a war is it not?

[posionjbv]

About the Gulf War thing I read it somewhere else and that's about the meaning of the song. when he sings "I said, I don't, I don't know whether is a box or a bag" meaning that her friend would not know whether her brother would be sent bag on a box (coffin) or a bag(body bag).

At least that's how I see it.

[TrishtheDishNY]

@posionjbv i think the reference to "a boxer or a bag" is a metaphor meaning which is worse--getting punched (dying) or punching (the relative survivor).

[lilhunter54]

@TrishtheDishNY no its about when he died and they dont know whether its a box(coffin) or a bag(body bag)

[TrishtheDishNY]

@lilhunter54 yup, thanks. i got that some time after i posted my comment. :D

[tamudamu1991]

its great that this video version is here because i never would have known the real lyrics.. and I am a fan. sad

[DuctapePenguin]

1:16 I know where a whale had a box on her back

[ICEMANdrake214]

I love this song soooooo much

[timslucky]

God these lyrics are stupid

[wefi02]

This is the most played song by PJ and didnt need a music video just to make this a hit. I like the 90's PJ than thousands.

[davelanger]

Unsealed on a porch a letter sat

Then you said I wanna leave it again

Once I saw her on a beach of weathered sand

And on the sand I wanna leave it again yeah

On a weekend I wanna wish it all away yeah

And I called and I said that I want what I said 6

[davelanger]

Then I call out again

And the reason oughta leave her calm I know

I said, I know what I wear not the box or the bag

Ah yeah can you see them Out on the porch

Yeah but they don't wave

I see them, round the front way yeah

And I know that I know I don't want to stay

[davelanger]

Make me cry

I see I dont know that there's something else

I wanna go my own a-way

I said, I don't, I don't know whether theres a box or the bag

Oh yeah, can you see them

Out on the porch yeah, but they don't wave

I see them round the front way yeah

And I know and I know I don't wanna stay at all

I don't wanna stay yeah x 3

No, I wanna go home, yeah

[reznorected]

almost got the lyrics right...

[favthings]

i think that it is said box or a bag...meaning that the death was clean and left whole or that it was bad and in parts...

[MetallicaFan349]

no i think the lyrics are right. He says a boxer or the bag.

In other words imagine a boxer preparing for a fight. He's not sure if he's the boxer, throwing the punches, or the bag, recieving all the pain

At least thats how I see it

[lexiyo091]

i love it!!

[PhoenixRains]

I would also like to add that the band said in the early 90s the song was about Huddie Ledbetter and a picture of a group of people from the south sitting on a porch. Which is why I also don't put much stock in the claim related.

[PhoenixRains]

I would not put much stock in this eddie's explanation. As the military doesn't send letters to notify the next of kin that their relative is deceased. Vietnam saw the end of the telegram. During the gulf war family members were notified by a small group of service members. Also, there is no Ledbetter listed as KIA in the first gulf war which also doesn't support eddie's claim. I understand that it may be a half brother with a different last name but doub it.

[jawdrop1]

wow read the info on this. Very interesting.

[journey6869]

i like misheard lyrics its funny....

[KhloeLuvsMJ]

The drummer's kids go to my school (:

My sister has met him and talked to him many times

He signed my bros guitar

I <3 Pearl Jam!

[jofussdean]

Like Matt Camerons kids? Cuz hes more famous from soundgarden

[webtvqld]

u serious !!!!!!!!!

[wsox1705]

this is easily in pearl jam's top ten songs

[MetalliKatman]

@wsox1705 Perhaps. The music is great, but the lyrics need help. Although it does sound a lot like a Jimmy Hendrix ballad like Little Wing of Angel.

[bennycoaster]

I give it a ten, a mutha-fukkin-ten

[smigio111188]

this one is right but the one by misheardlyricsguy is hallarious

[MetalliKatman]

@smigio111188 Yeah I have to say, even thought this may have deep meaning to Eddie Vedder, his lyric writing is really bad on this song, and I am a Pearl Jam fan. There's just too much bad grammar, and repetitiveness on this song. I'll stick with the misheardlyricsguy lyrics. They make more sense!

[llaaragon]

@smigio111188

Potato Wave

[jonlord77]

YOU ROCK EDDY

[jonlord77]

YOU ROCK EDDY, KEEP WRITING PLEASE.

[jazzie0001]

que importan las palabras y el idioma lo importante es lo que esta cancion nos hace sentir solo hay que dar gracias a sus creadores y punto

[ialysia1617]

love it

[LeagueOJustice]

And Vedder is still not telling the truth about this song. It most definantly has to do with Ole ledbetter the blues player and Curt Cobain and "not wanting to stay"

[HanzoGEAR]

Wow... just wow. You truly are a retard.

[jofussdean]

I 'gree

[stonefly123]

I forgot one thing foxhound.....get your fucking hearing checked....scat......what an idiot.

[foxhound9673]

if your going to insult someone at least make sense about it....sad little person

[stonefly123]

It is almost right, but the fact is its "in a box or a bag"....talking about soldiers dying in war its what the whole song is about. A letter on the porch, men coming to the door, I want what I want(my kids life back)...wake the fuck up people.....this shit is propagated by your government! War means politicians make money, we citizens have no special interest groups we have no lobbiests lining our pockets in green, and pretty soon we wont have insurance either!!! Wake the fuck up!!!!!

[foxhound9673]

when are you morons gonna figure out he's scat singing through this entire song???....my god.....there are no lyrics......unbelievable

[snakous]

WTF are you talking about? Just because there aren't concrete lyrics for it, doesn't mean there aren't words. He sings it different a lot (every time I've seen them live). This is one of the first songs they wrote as a band. It has a meaning and there are words, just maybe not sang the same every time.

[foxhound9673]

.....google scat singing then reply with an intelligent reponse

[snakous]

I understand that scat doesn't mean that there are NO words. I just wouldn't go as far to say it's scat singing. In your response you said, "there are no lyrics." What do you call the words that he is singing? Whether they change or not, they're still lyrics and typically follow the same general structure.

[foxhound9673]

in the first 10 seconds of this video it says "These are the actual lyrics".........scat singing is not a written down lyrical idea...its scat singing....there are no official lyrics......damn you people will argue about anything as long as you think your right

[HanzoGEAR]

Like what you've been doing? LMAO the hypocrisy... it's too deep... I'm drowning.. someone please help

[foxhound9673]

that was sad....epic reply fail.....

[HanzoGEAR]

I know this is gonna shock your ego a bit bud, seeing as you're so obviously self-absorbed, but just because you say something doesn't make it true. What's even funnier is that in a roundabout way, you just proved my point(that you're a hypocrite when you call others out on arguing about anything as long as you think you are right). I should thank you for that, as it provided me with a bit of amusement in an other-wise boring morning.

[foxhound9673]

i dont have an ego. and im fairly sure that this thread didnt involve you till you made yourself involved...speaking of ego's. Love you morons who think you can just jump into other people conversations and pick a fight....sad....sad people

[googoplexable]

fuck you

[foxhound9673]

nice.....interjecting your wonderful commentary.....lmao.....nothin­g bad about my mother???....lmao...moron

[mdelair420]

just listen to the song and smoke a joint,fuck all this hate,grow up people.

[keckeye1979]

Amen brother

[Deathbringer41]

Cracking song.

[mortalexacutor]

there songs where always best when Eddie was drinking i love the first 4 cds

[hwoodyard]

Parts of this are right, but the band has never officially released the full lyrics. Either way great song. Don't know why he just won't tell us the lyrics...

[phunkjunkie68]

thanks for posting, my friend...this certainly answers a LOT of questions.

Much Love

[foreverashcroft]

i just love this..just listening to it is so fkn special..

[DONNANDMARY]

hey marcturner999- honorable mention! good turn. much appreciated, as well! thank you.

[orangequartermusic]

Nope. Make me fries. lol

[dave42444]

The song is about a soldier bringing the family members a letter saying that their loved one is dead due to combat. and he singing from the soldier delevering the the letter perspective

[waitdontshoot]

He DOES NOT say "I don't know whether Im the boxer or the bag". He is talking about someones brother coming home from war in either a box or a bag. He is just mumbling and it sounds like that

[dave42444]

yes he does say that! because the solder isn't sure if he's if he's the boxer meaning he the one delivering the blow of bad news or if he's the bag because he feels so bad for delivering the message like he's the one taking the blow

[StoneChild9]

glad i read that. thank you for leaving this comment :)

[92superunknown]

I have damn near developed a complex over the last 10+ years trying to figure out what the hell EDDIE is talkin about!......NOW I KNOW!!!!! I need a beer!

[StoneChild9]

HAHA shit man, ten plus years...i hope you had at least that many beers to celebrate lol!

[catoyoyo]

omg that's what they r saying damn! lol

[Bigpoppy1993]

i dont know wether im the boxer or the bag, he doesnt know if he is beating up on people or they are beating on him.

[damhellass]

Thank you! I've been listening to this song for god knows how long now & have NEVER been able to figure out what he's saying or what it's about

[honeydooda]

Nice job on the "more info" section...Never knew that about the song. Thanks!!!

[762sd]

loo,thiz iz wanna da bez banz owd der so wy iz zum kumplayinh,day rawck!

[TookieGenesis]

you are an asshole. get a life

[WC9456]

I don't see why i need to get a life. i was putting out my valid opinion on how the singer needs to enunciate his words better.

[TookieGenesis]

you've got a funny way of showing it

[imroach83]

I think it's I don't wanna wait on an box or a bag. It's what it sounds like to me and if it's an anti gulf war song it would make sense, waiting on a box (coffin) or a bag (body bag).

[LebowskiLuva]

Thank you so much for the lyrics & backstory. I loved the song without knowing what the hell Eddie was saying, but now I'm able to love it that much more. BRING OUR MEN & WOMEN HOME!!!!

[cdgt1]

Can't you see them out on the port.

I don't want a whale in a box or bag.

[joewar420]

Great song, One of my faves.

[RowanFitz]

nah i still don't think they're right,there're still some bits in that that don't match up

[nattynat78]

the misheard lyrics are better.

[Redbullgiveswgs11]

great song

[cashman534]

great job dude

[vhsdevil]

Excellent job translating. But, I have to agree with amundra3494 I think it is in a "box or a bag". Thanks for making that video. 50 year-old Pearl Jam fan.

[garageink74]

Make me fries....

[allcurls6]

Thank you so much for doing this. I love Pearl Jam, and I loved this song before knowing the heck he was saying - anyway, this is great, I really enjoy reading lyrics while listening to Pearl Jam's songs! Loooooove me some Eddie!

[neranm]

right on thanks for the info

[namdlefhtes]

Potato wave.

[RJcur]

On a wizard on a whale.

[elbradamontes]

he definitely says "I don't know whether there's a box or a bag". Don't know whether I'm the boxer or a bag is cool though. Maybe there are no lyrics, just an idea. Stipe did that. His band said that he never wrote anything down and they never knew what he was gonna sing. If this song is about a dead soldier, the imagery is quite vivid.

[AvsGirl66]

It's definitely "box or a bag," not "boxer in the bag"

[tra1031]

boxer or the bag

[jacknife10000]

no it isnt, he says "I dont know whether im the boxer or the bag" As in: a sports boxer or the punching bag. It makes sense, "box or a bag" doesnt

[jacknife10000]

They dont ship bodies home in bags from war. He says I dont know whether Im a boxer or the bag, not as a boxing reference but as in he doesnt know if hes doing the beating or if hes being beaten up

[HIONHELIUM]

Best arguement yet. no shit. beaten or beating? nothing can ruin this song 4 me. some understanding makes it better.

[amundra3494]

I always thought that it was in a "box or in a bag" because the guy knew his brother was dead so he would come home in a casket or a bodybag. But that's just what i thought

[intoxicated12gauge]

given the subject, I would have to say you are correct.

[riversavalon]

its stupid

[marcturner999]

fuck you

[kickinyounow]

@riversavalon how dare you insult pearl jam..

[YinYang931]

a yellow ledbetter is a letter sent to a family of a dead soldier, ex. unopened..

[ctrain149]

its actually" i dont want to SAY make me cry"

[igorfreerider]

definitely not... Anyways, they are awesome, he does that all the time, that´s why they are great!!!

[Nothingman54]

These are not the real lyrics! There are no real lyrics. Eddie was just saying what came to mind. He changes it up all the time.

[warzombie12]

the song is great

[kayrock421]

THIS SONG WAS ABOUT EDDIE VEDDERS FRIEND, TIM LEDBETTER!~ Some live versions he does sing a couple of different lyrics.."On the wayside I'd like to wish this war away I tried but it just don't happen that way"....I think of him when I go to bed, and he's coming home in a box or a bag" This song is played at every Pearl Jam concert. It's usually the last song. Sometimes Eddie will say.."In a period of war, we will sing songs that speak about the importance of peace"

[kayrock421]

This song is written about Eddie Vedders friend, TIM LEDBETTER, who went off to THE PERSIAN GULF WAR. So in the lyrics of this song..."i don't whether Im a boxer or a bar"...IT ACTUALLY IS..."i don't know whether it's a box or a bag" In some of the live versions he also sings..."And my brother...they sent off to fight for the flag, I just, I don't hope he comes home in a box or a bag"

[shicklebob]

dude is this the actual lyrics????