Bu$hleaguer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Bu$hleaguer” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Pearl Jam | |||||
| Album | Riot Act | ||||
| Released | November 12, 2002 | ||||
| Recorded | February 2002 (Music) and April 2002 (Vocals) at Studio X, Seattle, Washington | ||||
| Genre | Alternative rock | ||||
| Length | 3:57 | ||||
| Label | Epic | ||||
| Writer | Stone Gossard, Eddie Vedder | ||||
| Producer | Adam Kasper, Pearl Jam | ||||
| Riot Act track listing | |||||
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"Bu$hleaguer" is a song by the rock group Pearl Jam off of the band's 2002 album, Riot Act. It is the twelfth track on the album. It also appears as a B-side on the European, Australian, and UK versions of the "I Am Mine" single.
Contents |
[edit] Origin and recording
"Bu$hleaguer" features music written by guitarist Stone Gossard and lyrics co-written by Gossard and lead singer Eddie Vedder. Gossard came up with the line "blackout weaves its way through the city" while Vedder wrote the rest of the song's lyrics. Stone Gossard on the song:
I wrote that. That was written at the same time we were putting together [new songs for] the [2001 edition of the] Bridge School [benefit concert outside San Francisco]. That's another experiment that worked out really well. It's so satirical. People are going to enjoy it. The four-on-the-floor drum feel that Matt is playing -- he's playing a kick drum pattern we don't have a lot of in our songs. The groovy, spooky outtro is kind of a different thing.[1]
[edit] Reception
E! Online called the lyrics of the song "venomous,"[2] while Louis Pattison of NME stated that "'Bushleager' fields a spoken-word attack against Dubya, Vedder growling like William Burroughs."[3] Kyle Reiter of Pitchfork Media called the song a "near-rap about D.C.'s current policy makers" and said, "Vedder's intentions here are admirable, but it's difficult to imagine the execution failing any more miserably."[4] Keith Harris of Rolling Stone said that "[Vedder] sounds too weary to work up the contempt he finds the president so far beneath."[5]
[edit] Lyrical meaning
The song is a commentary on President George W. Bush. The song's baseball metaphors are possibly a reference to Bush’s tenure as managing partner of the Texas Rangers.
[edit] Live performances
The song was premiered live at the band's December 6, 2002 concert in Seattle, Washington.[6] At many shows during Pearl Jam's 2003 North American tour, Vedder performed "Bu$hleaguer" with a rubber mask of President George W. Bush, wearing it at the beginning of the song and then typically hanging it on a mic stand to allow him to sing. The band made news when it was reported that several fans left after Vedder had "impaled" the Bush mask on his mic stand at the band's Denver, Colorado show.[7]
Following a performance of the song at Pearl Jam's April 30, 2003 show in Uniondale, New York, the band was met with boos from the crowd and chants of "U-S-A." Vedder responded by defending his right to free speech and the band followed with a performance of The Clash's "Know Your Rights".[8]
A performance of "Bu$hleaguer" can be found on the DVD Live at the Showbox. A performance of the song mixed from various dates is also included on the DVD Live at the Garden as one of the Special Features.
[edit] References
- ^ Cohen, Jonathan. "Inciting a 'Riot': Pearl Jam's New Album". Billboard.com. November 2002.
- ^ "Pearl Jam: Riot Act". E! Online. 2002.
- ^ Pattison, Louis. "Pearl Jam: Riot Act". NME. November 12, 2002.
- ^ Reiter, Kyle. "Pearl Jam: Riot Act". Pitchfork Media. January 6, 2003.
- ^ Harris, Keith. "Pearl Jam: Riot Act". Rolling Stone. November 4, 2002.
- ^ "Pearl Jam Songs: "Bu$hleaguer"". pearljam.com.
- ^ "Pearl Jam Bush Stunt Angers Fans". BBC News. April 4, 2003.
- ^ Crisano, Peter M. "Pearl Jam 3/30/2003". glidemagazine.com. May 8, 2003.
