Pearl Jam on The Howard Stern Show aired on Monday, the 22nd . The band performed "Running" and "Scare of Fear," songs from their new album Dark Matter , as well as the classics "Yellow Ledbetter" and "Daughter." Additionally, Eddie Vedder recounted the story behind a song supposedly inspired by an event involving Stevie Wonder .
The band is celebrating the release of their 12th studio album, and to give a taste of what's to come on Pearl Jam's new world tour, the musicians performed new songs and unforgettable classics on Howard Stern . Howard talks about his favorites from the album and mentions the riff in "Scare of Fear," the album's opening track.
Stern questions the musicians about why "Yellow Ledbetter" didn't make it onto the album Ten , and Mike McCready jokes that it wasn't his fault. Eddie Vedder, in turn, explains that the lyrics weren't finished but he wished it had been included on the album: "I remember saying that we really needed that song on the album, but they said: No, we already have Ten done, forget it, we're good."
Did Stevie Wonder inspire “Waiting For Stevie”?
The host asked the members of Pearl Jam who wrote “Waiting For Stevie,” and the vocalist explained that he and producer Andrew Watt were waiting for a friend in the studio. Howard then questioned if that friend was Stevie Wonder, and if the song was about him. Eddie responded (via TMDQA ): “No, but in a way, it’s a song about being affected by music, and music changing your life, and maybe leading you to your tribe. In that way, it connects to Stevie because his music has that power.”
“Waiting For Stevie” is the seventh track in a powerful sequence of 11 songs. The song speaks about the doubts surrounding an overwhelming feeling they have regarding what the person represents as an artist and public figure. “You can be loved by everyone and not feel love / You can be talked about by everyone and not hear a word from above.”
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