Nirvana is the grunge act that receives most of the credit for popularizing the genre, but fellow Seattle band Pearl Jam was just as successful and influential. The band’s 1991 debut, Ten, is neck-and-neck with Nevermind in terms of domestic album sales, both topping 10 million.
I love several tracks on Ten, including ‘Black,’ ‘Evenflow,’ ‘Alive’ and today’s SOTD, hit single ‘Jeremy.’ The rest of the cuts are either a little too loud, a little too meandering, or both.
It’s hard to deny the power and emotion in Eddie Vedder’s vocals, though. His distinct delivery, and his lyrics, set him apart from less passionate and cerebral rock stars.
How many bands can wring a top ten hit out of a song inspired by a news item about a bullied boy who committed suicide in front of his class?
At home drawin’ pictures of mountain tops
With him on top, lemon yellow sun
Arms raised in a “v”
And the dead lay in pools of maroon below
[Bridge]
Daddy didn’t give attention
To the fact that mommy didn’t care
King Jeremy the wicked
Ruled his world
[Hook]
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
[Verse 2]
Clearly I remember picking on the boy
Seemed a harmless little fuck
But we unleashed a lion
Gnashed his teeth and bit the recess lady’s breast
How could I forget?
And he hit me with a surprise left
My jaw left hurting, dropped wide open
Just like the day, oh, like the day I heard
[Bridge]
Daddy didn’t give affection, no
And the boy was something that mommy wouldn’t wear
King Jeremy the wicked
Ruled his world
[Hook]
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
[Outro]
Try to forget this (Try to forget this)
Try to erase this (Try to erase this)
From the blackboard
[Hook]
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in, spoke in
Jeremy spoke in, spoke in
Jeremy spoke in class today
(spoke in, spoke in, spoke in…)
(spoke in, spoke in, spoke in…)
(spoke in, spoke in, spoke in…)
Meet Me In Montauk 
Not much of a Pearl Jam fan either.