Today’s track Rise is the second song to appear here from Eddie Vedder’s visceral Into the Wild (2007) soundtrack after the previous entry Guaranteed. The film and its music had a big impact on me when it came out and I continue to enjoy it when it comes on cable. It’s a confounding movie and I imagine most readers here would be familiar with it.
The film, based on Jon Krakauer’s book of the same name, tells the true story of Christopher McCandless, a young man who abandons his material possessions and ventures into the Alaskan wilderness in search of deeper meaning. Vedder’s involvement in the project stemmed from his admiration for McCandless’s quest and Penn’s vision for the film. My biggest take-away from it was after all of the soul-searching the American wanderer Christopher McCandless did, he could only arrive at one conclusion – Happiness is only real when shared (as recorded in his journal).
Director Sean Penn hand-picked iconic Pearl Jam frontman Vedder to provide the music for the film and said that as soon as he heard Vedder’s songs he “just felt that for sure this is the musical voice of (actor) Emile (Hirsch’s) character.” There is an intriguing Charlie Rose interview here with Sean Penn and Eddie Vedder about the movie and their collaboration. Eddie Vedder said about his writing of the soundtrack: ‘I wouldn’t want to romanticize my input of the process, but..two weeks or three weeks went by and I kind of woke up and it was done. And I don’t really remember a whole lot about it…it was from some place and I’m not really sure where it was.‘
At the 2009 Grammy Awards, Rise received a nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo. Through Vedder’s deep and resonant voice it encapsulates the spirit of personal growth and the journey towards self-realization. That is what makes Eddie Vedder truly unique. When one hears his voice, it can’t be mistaken for another. I have always been drawn to it since hearing the debut album masterpiece Ten which has featured here time and again.
[Verse 1]
Such is the way of the world
You can never know
Just where to put all your faith
And how will it grow?
[Chorus]
Gonna rise up
Burning black holes in dark memories
Gonna rise up
Turning mistakes into gold
[Verse 2]
Such is the passage of time
Too fast to fold
Suddenly swallowed by signs
Lo and behold
[Chorus]
Gonna rise up
Find my direction magnetically
Gonna rise up
Throw down my ace in the hole
Reference:
1. Into the Wild (Soundtrack) – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Absolutely love this song and video; appropriate any time but especially early morning here in NY. Eddie Vedder has hosted a few Beatles shows on SiriusXM The Beatles Channel. He is extremely knowledgable and well-spoken. His explanation of Dear Prudence was so fascinating that when the song came on, I had to park my car, turn up the volume and just sit and listen. It was quite an experience.
Thanks for this post today, Matt!
Eddie Vedder is indeed an eloquent speaker. I liked watching the video of him and Sean Penn talking about the origen of this soundtrack.
You must have licked your chops hearing Those Beatle Channel shows. I thought I had heard everything by The Beatles, but I believe this was my first listen of ‘Dear Prudence’. Wonderful. Thank you.
If I had know you were going to listen to Dear Prudence I would have suggested listening with headphones. Due to tensions within the group, Ringo temporarily left. Here’s the personnel lineup for that track:
John double-tracked lead vocal, backing vocals and rhythm guitar. Paul sang harmony and backing vocals, played drums, bass guitar, piano, tambourine and handclaps. George sang harmony and backing vocals, played rhythm guitar, lead guitars, tambourine and handclaps. Additional contributors were Mal Evans, Jackie Lomax and John McCartney on backing vocals, handclaps and unspecified percussion.
Listening to this song, it sounds like John, Paul and George are playing their own melodies but it all comes together beautifully. It is a work of art IMO. Now that you have that info, you may want to listen again and hear how everyone comes in separately with a specific melody. Def need headphones for the full impact.
Cheers! 🎧
Thanks for the extensive and intricate breakdown Nancy about the The Beatles track. I didn’t expect that, but thanks a lot.
Most welcome, Matt.
I don’t believe I’ve watched the film. “Rise” certainly didn’t ring a bell. That said, it’s a beautiful sounding song. I also still have a good deal of catching up left when it comes to Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder.
It’s a very polemic film since his venture for escapism and to be rid of materialism at all costs left his family in the wilderness (excuse the pun) as to his whereabouts until he was located dead from starvation (perhaps food poisoning). It’s one heck of a paradox as far as world-views are concerned. So on the one hand his idealism and extremist motives about human existence and adventure could be applauded and seen upholding a rite of passage into manhood done for eones, but his rejection of his family and modern civilisation which formed him as an individual and enabled him to pursue such an epic undertaking could be seen as selfish and reckless on his part.
Eddie Vedder’s fantastic soundtrack which exudes this call upon nature to sanatise the evils of the rationalist-material world is so good.