Black, Red, Yellow
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| “Black, Red, Yellow” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Pearl Jam | |||||
| Album | "Hail, Hail" (Single) | ||||
| Released | 1996 | ||||
| Recorded | July 12, 1995–May 1996 | ||||
| Genre | Alternative rock | ||||
| Length |
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| Label | Epic | ||||
| Writer | Eddie Vedder | ||||
| Producer | Brendan O'Brien, Pearl Jam | ||||
| "Hail, Hail" (Single) track listing | |||||
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"Black, Red, Yellow" is a song by Pearl Jam. It first appeared as the B-side on the "Hail, Hail" single. A different version of "Black, Red, Yellow" can be found on the Lost Dogs album. This version is longer than the B-side version.
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[edit] Origin and recording
It was written by frontman Eddie Vedder and recorded during the sessions for Pearl Jam's fourth album, No Code.
[edit] Lyrical meaning
"Black, Red, Yellow" is an ode to Dennis Rodman.[1] Rodman was playing with the Chicago Bulls at the time the song was written. In the middle of the song an answering machine message by Rodman can be heard. In the liner notes for Lost Dogs, Vedder comments, "I took a Polaroid of Dennis Rodman's eyeball for the No Code cover...as the photo developed he looked at the emerging image and said, 'Can you say, octopus?' Sigmund Freud played by Phil Jackson."[2]
The song makes a reference to basketball coach Phil Jackson with the line "Freud walking the sidelines/Clipboard scoring the brain."[1] Jackson was in attendance at the the band's benefit for Jon Tester. Upon introducing the song, Vedder stated the song was written about "six extraordinary human beings that work together as a team."[3]
[edit] Live performances
The song was premiered live at the band's November 17, 1996 concert in Budapest, Hungary.[4] After the band's November 24, 1996 show in Lisbon, Portugal, the song was not played for almost nine years. The song finally made a return appearance at a August 29, 2005 benefit for politician Jon Tester. The song has only been played one time since that event.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Reynolds, John. "What is that line in "Black, Red, Yellow"?". TwoFeetThick.com. May 3, 2004.
- ^ (2003) Album notes for Lost Dogs by Pearl Jam, [CD booklet]. New York: Sony Music.
- ^ "Pearl Jam Concert Chronology: 2005". TwoFeetThick.com.
- ^ a b "Pearl Jam Songs: "Black, Red, Yellow"". pearljam.com.
[edit] External links
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