Corduroy (song)
Encyclopedia
"Corduroy" is a song by the American alternative rock
band Pearl Jam
. The song is the eighth track on the band's third studio album, Vitalogy
(1994). Although credited to all members of Pearl Jam, it was primarily written by vocalist Eddie Vedder
. Despite the lack of a commercial single release, the song managed to reach number 13 on the Billboard
Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003).
of the first two notes of a power chord
. Then the song lifts off, proceeding with a structure of verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus-verse. Although not revolutionary, the song structure is not completely normal, as almost no lyrics are repeated (including choruses) and the fade-out of the song begins after a verse rather than the traditional ending of a song after the third chorus.
stated:
Regarding the song's title, Vedder stated:
of Rolling Stone
called the song "hard edged and catchy." Chris True of Allmusic described it as "simple, straightforward rock, the kind that Pearl Jam excelled at." He added, "Classic Pearl Jam—earnest lyrics and vocals, powerful classic sounding guitars, loose yet in control rhythm section, bass driven and tension filled breakdown (with Eddie mumbling in the background, of course) is all here, even down to the loose jam style outro."
"Corduroy" can be heard in a 2008 advertisement for Conservation International
which features Harrison Ford
. The song was also featured in the Cold Case episode "The Long Blue Line" in 2009.
, Missouri
at the Fox Theatre. The song has become a concert favorite, although in concert it is generally played at a considerably faster tempo. Some live performances are preceded by a brief jam of Pink Floyd
's "Interstellar Overdrive
". Live performances of "Corduroy" can be found on the live album Live on Two Legs
, various official bootlegs
, the iTunes exclusive release The Bridge School Collection, Vol. 1, the Live at the Gorge 05/06
box set, and the live album Live at Lollapalooza 2007
. Performances of the song are also included on the DVDs Touring Band 2000
, Live at the Showbox
, and Immagine in Cornice
. The version of the song on The Bridge School Collection, Vol. 1 is an acoustic
performance that has some lyrical changes towards the end, as well as a complete tempo change, with the song being played much slower and which more emphasis on Vedder's voice. There are also no drums in this version, with the percussion being played on a set of bongos. This version of the song was recorded live at the Bridge School Benefit
.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
. The song is the eighth track on the band's third studio album, Vitalogy
Vitalogy
Vitalogy is the third studio album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 22, 1994 through Epic Records. Pearl Jam wrote and recorded Vitalogy while touring behind its previous album Vs....
(1994). Although credited to all members of Pearl Jam, it was primarily written by vocalist Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
. Despite the lack of a commercial single release, the song managed to reach number 13 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003).
Composition
"Corduroy" begins with an eerie guitar riff played as an arpeggioArpeggio
An arpeggio is a musical technique where notes in a chord are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously...
of the first two notes of a power chord
Power chord
In music, a power chord is a chord consisting of only the root note of the chord and the fifth interval, usually played on electric guitar, and typically through an amplification process that imparts distortion...
. Then the song lifts off, proceeding with a structure of verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus-verse. Although not revolutionary, the song structure is not completely normal, as almost no lyrics are repeated (including choruses) and the fade-out of the song begins after a verse rather than the traditional ending of a song after the third chorus.
Lyrics
The lyrical content for "Corduroy" can be interpreted in many ways, but one common theory is that they are about the pressures of fame. In an interview, vocalist Eddie VedderEddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
stated:
It is about a relationship but not between two people. It's more one person's relationship with a million people. In fact, that song's almost a little too obvious for me. That's why instead of a lyric sheet we put in an X-ray of my teeth from last January and they are all in very bad shape, which was analogous to my head at the time.
Regarding the song's title, Vedder stated:
Yeah, that song was based on a remake of the brown corduroy jacket that I wore. I think I got mine for 12 bucks, and it was being sold for like $650. The ultimate one as far as being co-opted was that there was a guy on TV, predictably patterned, I guess, after the way I was looking those days, with long hair and an Army T-shirt. They put this new character on a soap opera, so there was a guy, more handsome than I, parading around on General Hospital. And the funny thing is, that guy was Ricky MartinRicky MartinEnrique "Ricky" Martín Morales , better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican and Spanish pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide...
.
Reception
Without being released as a single, "Corduroy" peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 13 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1995. Al WeiselAl Weisel
Al Weisel was a freelance writer who lived in New York City.Weisel wrote for various publications such as Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, New York Newsday, and Us magazine. He also wrote for Premiere, Spin, Tracks, George, Travel & Leisure, Out, Time Out New York, and the Bulletin...
of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
called the song "hard edged and catchy." Chris True of Allmusic described it as "simple, straightforward rock, the kind that Pearl Jam excelled at." He added, "Classic Pearl Jam—earnest lyrics and vocals, powerful classic sounding guitars, loose yet in control rhythm section, bass driven and tension filled breakdown (with Eddie mumbling in the background, of course) is all here, even down to the loose jam style outro."
"Corduroy" can be heard in a 2008 advertisement for Conservation International
Conservation International
Conservation International is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, which seeks to ensure the health of humanity by protecting Earth's ecosystems and biodiversity. CI’s work focuses on six key initiatives that affect human well-being: climate, food security, freshwater...
which features Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford is an American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness and Jack Ryan in...
. The song was also featured in the Cold Case episode "The Long Blue Line" in 2009.
Live performances
"Corduroy" was first performed live at the band's March 15, 1994 concert in St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
at the Fox Theatre. The song has become a concert favorite, although in concert it is generally played at a considerably faster tempo. Some live performances are preceded by a brief jam of Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
's "Interstellar Overdrive
Interstellar Overdrive
"Interstellar Overdrive" is a psychedelic composition written by Pink Floyd in 1966, which appears on their 1967 debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn at almost ten minutes in length. An earlier, longer recording, 16:52, can be heard on the soundtrack to the film Tonite Let's All Make Love in...
". Live performances of "Corduroy" can be found on the live album Live on Two Legs
Live on Two Legs
Live on Two Legs is the first major live album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 24, 1998 through Epic Records. The album has been certified platinum by the RIAA in the United States.-Overview:...
, various official bootlegs
Pearl Jam Official Bootlegs
The Pearl Jam "Official" Bootlegs are a large, continually growing series of live albums by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam noted the desire of fans to own a copy of the shows they attended and the popularity of bootleg recordings...
, the iTunes exclusive release The Bridge School Collection, Vol. 1, the Live at the Gorge 05/06
Live at the Gorge 05/06
Live at the Gorge 05/06 is a seven-disc live box set by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on June 26, 2007 through Rhino/WEA. The box set documents the band's 2005 and 2006 shows at The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington....
box set, and the live album Live at Lollapalooza 2007
Live at Lollapalooza 2007
Live at Lollapalooza 2007 is a live album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam that was released as an iTunes exclusive on September 18, 2007.-Overview:...
. Performances of the song are also included on the DVDs Touring Band 2000
Touring Band 2000
Touring Band 2000 is the second DVD release by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, culled from performances from the North American legs of the band's 2000 Binaural Tour...
, Live at the Showbox
Live at the Showbox
Live at the Showbox is the third DVD release by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, the first of a complete show. It was released on May 7, 2003.-Overview:...
, and Immagine in Cornice
Immagine in Cornice
Immagine in Cornice, Italian for "picture in a frame," is a live concert film documenting the 2006 five-concert tour of Italy by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam. It was released on September 25, 2007.-Overview:...
. The version of the song on The Bridge School Collection, Vol. 1 is an acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
performance that has some lyrical changes towards the end, as well as a complete tempo change, with the song being played much slower and which more emphasis on Vedder's voice. There are also no drums in this version, with the percussion being played on a set of bongos. This version of the song was recorded live at the Bridge School Benefit
Bridge School Benefit
The Bridge School Benefit is an annual non-profit charity concert held in Mountain View, California, every October at the Shoreline Amphitheatre. The concerts are all organized by musician Neil Young and his wife, Pegi....
.
Chart positions
| Chart (1995) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay | 53 |
| US Modern Rock Tracks | 13 |
| US Mainstream Rock Tracks | 22 |
External links
- Lyrics at pearljam.com
- [ Review of "Corduroy"] at Allmusic