Michael Jackson Influenced Pearl Jam Too
Believe it or not, Michael Jackson, who the world is mourning after his sudden death yesterday, played a formative roll in both Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament’s music life.
“At an early age, I realized music was a very powerful thing,” Jeff told Bass Player in 1994. “I’d hear Michael Jackson singing [1972's] “Ben” and it would make me cry and I’d have to go hide.”
While nine-year-old Jeff was reacting to MJ’s first solo No. 1 in Montana, seven-year-old Eddie over near Chicago counted the Jackson Five as one of his favorite groups. Eddie told Circus in 1992 that singing along to 12-year-old Michael Jackson was some of the first singing he ever attempted. “We had moved north of Chicago,” Eddie said. “And my parents became the new foster parents for seven kids in this group home. they were mostly African-American kids and some Irish kids. Most of these kids were around 11, and they were all full on Motown. That’s when I got into Smokey Robinson, James Brown, Otis Redding and the Jackson Five. I started singing to Michael Jackson records.” In the same article, Eddie notes that his first album was Michael Jackson’s 1972 album “Got To Be There.”
As all PJ fans know, these two unlikely fans paid homage to Michael Jackson twenty years later in the 1993 Pearl Jam song, “Rats.” The song is dominated by Jeff’s bass-heavy groove and it swings into a massive key shift at the end so that Eddie can repeatedly sing the chorus of “Ben.”
I don’t understand why it’s considered unlikely that Jeff and Eddie (and I’d bet on Stone as well) were fans of Michael Jackson’s music or the Jackson Five. I guess it depends on your age, experience and perspective…
I forgot all about that part in Rats. Fantastic little article. Keep up the good work. It’s appreciated.
I thought about Ed yesterday when I heard the news. I remember he saying at the end of Rats, “Michael Jackson is innocent” from 4/3/94.
It is amazing how great the music is that he produced over the course of his life.
It would be interesting to hear Eddie’s thoughts on Michael now
It is such a great loss that a man with great talent like Michael Jackson dies. RIP King of POP
I can’t believe it still.Such a genius, a bright beautiful star taken away just like that.
I will always hold a special place in my heart for Michael Jackson.Rest in Peace!
I recall an article in SPIN a few years ago where Eddie Vedder cited one of MJ’s albums as his top ten most influencial albums.
Michael Jackson is my favorite pop artist ever since i was a child. He is truly the King of Pop and i am saddened by this news.
I remember the time Michael Jackson was accused that Eddie spoke out clearly and said dont pre-judge him, he’s innocent until proven guilty
also noteworthy, the chord progression in a section of Rats is “A”, “B”, “C” – not a coincidence.
michael jackson is a very very talented person to the point that he rose as a pop icon. he would live forever in our history books and memories.
I agree that MJ was a great musician and a big influence on Ed, Jeff, and probably the others as well. However, I was at the first solo show in Atlanta and Ed commented to Liam that when he was watching him he was blown away at the amount of talent he possessed at such a young age. Ed then proceeded to say that if he had possessed that much talent at that age he would “probably have his own Graceland, died of an overdose, or be molesting children by now.” He then looked at Liam and said, “See what all you have to look forward to.” I mean, I don’t know, I took that as kind of a slap at MJ personally. While Ed may still be influenced by his music, I took that comment as Ed not really thinking very highly of the guy. But in all fairness, I could be dead wrong in my assessment. Ed may have been just speaking in general terms, and not referring to MJ in particular.
you can obviously see it in the “some day at christmas single”
there would be no other King of Pop like Michael Jackson. he would always be the King.
Michael Jackson would still be remembered as the only King of Pop. We would surely miss him.
i really would love to see PJ cover Beat It….frankly, I think it would be a killer cover for this and future tours.
Michael Jackson will be the greatest pop singer in the whole world. Everyone will miss him.
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i idolize Michael Jackson because of his great achievement in the Pop Music. farewell King of Pop.
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN MICHEAL YOU’RE WITHIN OUR HEARTS FOR EVER I LOVE YOU’REM MUSIC
I would love to have seen PJ do “Rats” and “Ben”. RATS! Someone mentioned that they should try “Beat It’ although cool it seems too obvious. It would be great to hear them do something like “Scream”. That song would lend itself very well to a guitar grunge sound. Thanks for rockin’ our world MJ!!! Thanks for continueing to rock our world PJ!!!!….:-)
Damn awesome song!!!!!! Hadn’t heard it in a while and I have to admit I totally forgot about the Ben reference at the end. In fact here are the end bits…..better yet crank it on your CD/mp3 player!!!!!
They don’t scurry when something bigger comes their way
Don’t pack themselves together and run as one
Don’t shit where they’re not supposed to
Don’t take what’s not theirs… they don’t compare…
Rats…they don’t compare
Rats…they don’t compare
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Ben, the two of us need look no more
Michael Jackson would always be the best popstar ever. i love all his songs and his live concerts.
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Michael Jackson is truly the King of Pop. He made a lot of great songs in the area of Pop Music. His death is a great loss to the music industry.
Michael Jackson is one of the greatest singer in our time. He is really the King of Pop and we would really miss this great person,
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Great! I know that Eddie was a MJ fan but I don’t know that he defend him from accuses. I really love MJ and I really love PJ is great to know that, especially about Eddie statements during the first accuses, when Eddie says repeatedly that Michael was innocnet, was great.
18 august 09 at O2 Arena, PJ tribute MJ with Ben intro, befor the into Ed says some words for Michael.