With a voice that has withstood the test of time (20 years of rock and roll to be exact), Eddie Vedder is still one of the greatest singers of our day. One thing we particularly love about him is his ability to make it big as a crossover artist in his own right. Let's be real: Most grunge guys don't play a ukulele in their spare time.
Unfortunately Eddie's show tonight at the Comerica Theatre has been postponed until November 4 due to temporary nerve damage in his right arm.
As wishful thinking, here are five songs we would have loved to hear him perform this evening (think of it as a "Wish List," if you will).
5. "Hard Sun"
There's something about the combination of Eddie's distinctive, ever-so-slightly raspy vocals and those big percussive claps that make this song a standout track from the Into the Wild soundtrack, all of which he composed. Two songs from the soundtrack were nominated for a Grammy. Vedder was also nominated for a Golden Globe for his work on the soundtrack, and Golden Globe-worthy it was.
4. "Without You"
It almost sounds like a would-be unplugged PJ song, but alas it's just Eddie doin' his thing to make music sound pretty.
3. "You're True"
We like that his ukulele playing style doesn't sound particularly Hawaiian or Jack Johnsonesque, but rather like he's still rocking out and playing in the same style that he would play a guitar. "You're True" is a great demonstration of that style.
2. "Society"
Another fantastic track from Sean Penn's Into the Wild, "Society" is a beautiful reflection of civilization as we know it. Vedder sings about always wanting more than one needs in a way that really makes you think. He also sings about his anticipation of no longer being an active member of society, but that's more to go along with the plot of the film.
1. "Better Man"
Well, we can dream, right? Come on, it's an essential taste of Pearl Jam that we just wouldn't be able to leave happy without hearing.
