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Author/Artist: Pearl Jam (Vedder/McCready/Gossard)
Title: Light Years
Album: Binaural
Transcribed by: Chris Wilson and Evan Cowan
Email: g_wilson@ihug.com.au (temporary)
Thanks To Mackey From The BBS For The Verse Chords.
-|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|-
-|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|-
-|----------------------------------------------------7-7--7----7-7----7-7--|-
-|---4--4----4-4--4---4--4----4-4--4---4--4----4----4-4-4--4----4-4----4-4--|-
-|-5----5-5--5-5--5-5-5--5-5--5-5--5-5-5--5-5--5-5--5-5-5--5-5--5-5--5-5-5--|-
-|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|-
Gtr 1 With Fill 1
-|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------
-|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------
-|--7-7--7-7--7-7-7-7-7-7-----|-----------------------------------------------
-|--4-4--4-4--4-4-4-4-4-4--0--|-----------------------------------------------
-|--5-5--5-5--5-5-5-5-5-5--0--|-----------------------------------------------
-|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------
-|----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----
-|----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----
-|----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----
-|-------------12^---12^------12^-12^-12^-------12^------12^-12^--------|-----
-|----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----
-|----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----
Gtr.3
-|---------------------------|------------------------------------------------
-|---------------------------|------------------------------------------------
-|---------------------------|------------------------------------------------
-|--12^----12^---12^--12^--|------------------------------------------------
-|---------------------------|------------------------------------------------
-|---------------------------|------------------------------------------------
-|--0----------|--------------------------------------------------------------
-|----3--------|--------------------------------------------------------------
-|-------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
-|-------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
-|-------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
-|-------------|--------------------------------------------------------------
Fill 1 Gtr.2
-|-----2--2--2--0-----0--|---------------------0--|--0--------------------|---
-|-----3--3--3--3-------3|----3------3-----3---3--|--3--------------------|---
-|-----2--2--2-----0-----|0---0--0---0--0--0---0--|--0---6-6--6-6---6-----|---
-|-----0--0--0-----0-----|----0--0---0--0--0---0--|------3-3--3-----3-----|---
-|-----------------1-----|----1--1---3--3--3------|------4-4--4-----------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.1 I've used hammers made out of wood, I have played games with pieces
-|-----2-----------0-----|-----------0------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----3-----------3-----|-----------3------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----2-----------0-----|-----------0------------|------6----------------|---
-|-----0-----------0-----|-----------0------------|------3----------------|---
-|-----------------1-----|-----------3------------|------4----------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.2
-|---------2----2-3-2--0-|-----------0------------|--------0-0--0--0------|---
-|---------3----3-3-3----3-----3--3----3-----3----|--3--3--3-3--3--3------|---
-|------6--2----2-2-2----|-0---0--0------0---0----|--0--0--0-0--0-------6-|---
-|------3--0----0-0-0----|-----0-------------0---0|--0--0--0-0----------3-|---
-|------4----------------|-----1-----------------3|--3--3--3-3----------4-|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.1 Of rules, I have deciphered tricks at the bar but now you're gone
-|---------2-------------|-----0-----------------0|-----------------------|---
-|---------3-------------|-----3-----------------3|-----------------------|---
-|---------2-------------|-----0-----------------0|---------------------6-|---
-|---------0-------------|-----0-----------------0|---------------------3-|---
-|-----------------------|-----1-----------------3|---------------------4-|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.2
-|-----------------------|-------2---2-2--------2-|---------------0--0----|---
-|-----------------------|----3--3---3-3-----3--3-|------------3--3--3-3--|---
-|-----6-6--6-6---6-6--6-|----2--0h2-2-0h2---2--2-|-0-0--0--0--0--0--0-0--|---
-|-----3-3--3-3---3-3--3-|-3--0--0---0-0---0-0--0-|-0-0--0--0--0--0--0----|---
-|-----4-4--------4-4--4-|-4----------------------|---1--------1--1--1----|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.1 I haven't figured out why, I've come out with riddles and jokes
-|-----------------------|----2-------------------|---0-------------------|---
-|-----------------------|----3-------------------|---3-------------------|---
-|-----------------------|----2-------------------|---0-------------------|---
-|-----------------------|----0-------------------|---0-------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|---1-------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.2
-|--------0--------------|-----0------------------|----------2------------|---
-|-----3--3---------3-3--|-----3--3---------------|----------3------------|---
-|-----0--0--0--0---0-0--|-----0----0-6--6-6--6-6-|-6-6------2------------|---
-|-----0--0--0--0--------|-0---0------3--3-3--3-3-|-3-3--3---0------------|---
-|--------1--3--3--------|-3---3------4--4-4--4-4-|-4-4-------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.1 About words I've figured out numbers and what they're for
-|-----------0-----------|------------------------|-----------2-----------|---
-|-----------3-----------|------------------------|-----------3-----------|---
-|-----------0-----------|------------6-----------|-----------2-----------|---
-|-----------0-----------|------------3-----------|-----------0-----------|---
-|-----------3-----------|------------4-----------|-----------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.2
-|-----2------0------0---|------------------------|--------0-0----0-------|---
-|-----3--3---3---3--3---|--3--3----3-3-----3-3---|-3--3---3-3----3---3---|---
-|-----2--0h2-0h2-0--0-0-|--0--0----0-0-0---0-0---|-0--0---0-0--0-0---0---|---
-|-----0--0---0---0--0-0-|--0--0----0-0-0---0-0---|-0--0---0-0--0-0---0---|---
-|---------------------1-|--1--1----1-1-1---------|-3--3---3-3--3-3---3---|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.1 I've understood feelings and I've understood words but how could you
-|---------------------0-|------------------------|-0---------------------|---
-|---------------------3-|------------------------|-3---------------------|---
-|---------------------0-|------------------------|-0---------------------|---
-|---------------------0-|------------------------|-0---------------------|---
-|---------------------1-|------------------------|-3---------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.2
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----6--6-6-------6-6-6|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----3--3-3--3-3--3-3-3|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----4--4-4--4-4--4-4-4|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.1 Taken away
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|------------------6-6-6|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|------------------3-3-3|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|------------------4-4-4|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.2
-|-----------------------|-0----------------------|----------------------|----
-|-----------------------|------------------------|----------------------|----
-|-x-x-6-6-6--7-6-6-6--7-|---6-x-x-6-6-7-6-6-6--7-|6-----7---7---7---7---|----
-|-x-x-4-4-4--4-4-4-4--4-|---4-x-x-4-4-4-4-4-4--4-|4-----0---0---0---0---|----
-|-x-x-5-5-5--5-5-5-5--5-|---5-x-x-5-5-5-5-5-5--5-|5---------------------|----
-|-----------------------|------------------------|--7-7---7---7---7-----|----
Gtr.1 And wherever you've gone and wherever we might go it don't
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----7---8----7---8--8-|-7----7---8---7----8--8-|-----------------------|---
-|-----7---7----7---7--7-|-7----7---7---7----7--7-|-----7----7----7---7---|---
-|-----0---0----0---0--0-|-0----0---0---0----0--0-|-----0----0----0---0---|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----x----x----x-------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|--7--7----7----7-------|---
Gtr.2
-|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------
-|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------
-|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------
-|---------7----7-----------------------------|-------------------------------
-|-----7-7---------7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7----------|-------------------------------
-|-----5-5----5----5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5----------|-------------------------------
Gtr.1 Fair, today just disappeared
-|--------------5-----5------5------5---5-----|-------------------------------
-|---------5----5-----5------5------5---5-----|-------------------------------
-|---------7----7-----7------7------7---7-----|-------------------------------
-|---------7----7-----7------7----------------|-------------------------------
-|-----0-0-0--0-0---0-0------0----------------|-------------------------------
-|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------
Gtr.2
-|-----2-3-2-0-----------|---------------2-3-2-0--|-----------------------|---
-|--3--3-3-3-3-3---------|---------------3-3-3-3-3|-----------------------|---
-|--2--2-2-2-2---0------0|----0---0---2--2-2-2----|0----------------------|---
-|--0--0-0-0-0--------0--|--0---0-----0--0-0-0----|---0-------------------|---
-|------------------1----|3-----------------------|---1-------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.1
-|-----2-----------------|---------------2-3-2-0--|-----------------------|---
-|-------3---------------|-----------------------3|-----------------------|---
-|---------2-----------0-|----0-------------------|0----------------------|---
-|--0--------0--0----0---|--0---0-----0-----------|-----------------------|---
-|------------------1----|3-------3---------------|---1-------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.2
-|---2-------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|---3--3--3-----5--5--5-|-0--5--5-5-5-5-5--5-5--5|-5-5-5--5-5-5----------|---
-|---2--2--2--0--6--6--6-|-6--6--7-7-7-7-7--7-6--9|-9-9-9--9-9-9----------|---
-|---0--------0--7-------|-7--7--7-7-7-7-7--7-7--7|-7-7-7--7-7-7----------|---
-|---------------0-------|----0--0---0-0----0-0---|-0-0----0-0-0----------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Bridge Gtr.1
-|--2--------------------|-------0-0-0-0-0--0-----|-----------------------|---
-|--3--3--3-----2--2--2--|-0--2--3-3-3-3-3--3-2--5|-5-5-5--5-5-5----------|---
-|--2--2--2--0--2--2--2--|-2--2--2-2-2-2-2--2-2--2|-2-2-2--2-2-2----------|---
-|--0--------0--2--------|-2--2--2-2-2-2-2--2----2|-2-2-2--2-2-2----------|---
-|--------------0--------|-0--0--0-0-0-0-0-------0|-0-0-0--0-0-0----------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.2
-|-------------7--5--5---|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-------8--7--5--5--7---|--5-5--5-5-5-5--4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4---------------|---
-|-------6--6--6--6--6---|--5-5--5-5-5-5--4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4---------------|---
-|--7-7--7--7--7---------|--5-5--5-5-5-5--4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4---------------|---
-|--0-0--0--0--0--------0|--3-3--3-3-3-3--2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2---------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.1
-|-------3--2--2--2--0--0|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-------2--2--2--2--2--2|--1-1--1-1-1-1----------|-----------------------|---
-|-------2--2--2--2--2--2|--0-0--0-0-0-0--4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4---------------|---
-|--2-2--2--2--2--2--2--2|--2-2--2-2-2-2--4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4---------------|---
-|--0-0--0--0--0--0--0--0|--3-3--3-3-3-3--2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2---------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.2
-|-------------7--5--5---|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-------8--7--5--5--7---|--5-5--5-5-5-5--4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4---------------|---
-|-------6--6--6--6--6---|--5-5--5-5-5-5--4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4---------------|---
-|--7-7--7--7--7---------|--5-5--5-5-5-5--4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4---------------|---
-|--0-0--0--0--0--------0|--3-3--3-3-3-3--2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2---------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.1
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----------------------|-----------8----7-------|-7---------------------|---
-|-----------------------|--------9-----------8---|------9-v-v-v-v---vvv--|---
-|-----------------------|-----10----------------9|-----------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----------------------|--8---------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.2
-|-------------7--5--5---|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-------8--7--5--5--7---|--5-5--5-5-5-5--4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4---------------|---
-|-------6--6--6--6--6---|--5-5--5-5-5-5--4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4---------------|---
-|--7-7--7--7--7---------|--5-5--5-5-5-5--4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4---------------|---
-|--0-0--0--0--0--------0|--3-3--3-3-3-3--2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2---------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.1
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----------------------|-----------8----7-------|-----------------------|---
-|-9vv--9vvvvv-9vv-9vvv-|---------9--------8--9b11-9b11r9p8--------------|---
-|-----------------------|-----10-----------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----------------------|-/8---------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.2
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|--5-5-5-5-5-5-5--4-4-4-|4-4-4-4-4---5-5-5-5-5--5|-5-5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5---|---
-|--5-5-5-5-5-5-5--4-4-4-|4-4-4-4-4---5-5-5-5-5--5|-5-5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5---|---
-|--5-5-5-5-5-5-5--4-4-4-|4-4-4-4-4---5-5-5-5-5--5|-5-5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5---|---
-|--3-3-3-3-3-3-3--2-2-2-|2-2-2-2-2---3-3-3-3-3--3|-3-3-3-3-3---3-3-3-3---|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.1
-|-----------------------|------------------------|---15----15-15-15-15---|---
-|--13-13-10-12-13-10b12r10p8-10---8--13-13-10-12-13--15b17-17-17-17-17v--|---
-|-----------------------|------7h9---------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
-|-----------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|---
Gtr.2 Hold Bend-------|
-|---------------------------|----------------------------------------------|-
-|---------------------------|----------------------------------------------|-
-|--12-12--11-11-115-5-5-5--|--5-5-5-9-9-5--5-5-5--5-9-9-5--5-5-5-5/7-7-7--|-
-|--x--x---x--x--x--x-x-x-x--|--x-x-x-x-x-x--x-x-x--x-x-x-x--x-x-x-x-x-x-x--|-
-|--10-10--9--9--9-3-3-3-3--|--3-3-3/7-73--3-3-3--3/7-73--3-3-3-3/5-5-5--|-
-|---------------------------|----------------------------------------------|-
Gtr.2's Outro Octave Run 2x
-|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|-
-|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|-
-|--12-12--11-11-11-5-5--5-5-5--5---12-12-12-12--11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-|-
-|--x--x---x--x--x--x-x--x-x-x--x---x--x--x--x---x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--|-
-|--10-10--9--9--9--3-3--3-3-3--3---10-10-10-10--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--|-
-|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|-
-|------------------------------------|---------------------------------------
-|------------------------------------|---------------------------------------
-|--5-5-5--5/7--7-7-7-7-7--7/9-9--7--|---------------------------------------
-|--x-x-x--x-x--x-x-x-x-x--x-x-x---x--|---------------------------------------
-|--3-3-3--3/5--5-5-5-5-5--5/7-7--5--|---------------------------------------
-|------------------------------------|---------------------------------------
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Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
|
No Picture
Wacko Average |
#1 by Wacko Jacko at Oct 17, 1970 at 2:03 AM EST |
| i think its about kurt cobain ... i dunno y but i have a strong feeling its about eddie writing about kurt...i went thru the lyrics i think it is pretty much. tho they were not in good terms with each other. but still. | |
|
No Picture
Jimmy Average |
#2 by Jimmy Dresbach at Apr 20, 1972 at 6:49 PM EST |
| what about God? I know PJ were never big on religion, but when I listened to this songs lyric- thats the first thing that poped in my mind. it explains step by step how man evolved (from making hammers to solving riddles to starting wars), but he cant find his God, for he is light years away. He feels deserted, because it was God (or something else higher) that turned us into human beings ("we were but stones... youre light made us stars") Im not a religious person myself, but that meaning was obvious to me. Think about it... | |
|
No Picture
The REAL Godfat Average |
#3 by The REAL Godfather at Jul 17, 1982 at 6:38 AM EST |
| i agree Matzy94, this man can slove anything., but he can't figure out love, and he doesn't realize it till its gone. | |
|
No Picture
Rebecca Average |
#4 by Rebecca Lira at Apr 26, 1991 at 9:58 PM EST |
| Eddie Vedder, Katowice 16/6/2000: "it's got a bunch of meanings, to me. And maybe you." I think the fact that it's so abstract means that Eddie didn't really know what it was about and that he just added words or lines with some connection (not necessarily a strong one) to how he was feeling. It sounds as if it could have been written over a week or something. I think Eddie wants people to come up with their own view of what it's about. The strongest message I get from it is that he's talking to people who jumped on the grunge bandwagon but don't listen to Pearl Jam any more, hence the title (his audience is light years away). He criticises them for being fickle (1st verse, because "now you're gone" with no logical explanation), yet he feels like he's missed out on something by doing so "awakened regrets. Back pages and days alone that could have been spent together". I see the line "we were but stones" as having a double meaning: 1) insignificant gravel 2) When the band 1st started, Stone wrote the majority of the music. The "light" of the the fans influenced the band. So they went from being stones to stars. Anyway, that's just my interpretation of one possible meaning. I'm sure there's plenty of others. | |
|
No Picture
bobby Rhythm Player |
#5 by bobby volm at Oct 7, 1995 at 6:55 AM EST |
| "I figured out numbers and what they're for." I like this line. | |
|
No Picture
Alex Wanna Be |
#6 by Alex Jurek at Oct 14, 1996 at 7:33 AM EST |
| Another beautiful PJ song. The only shining light on a disappointing album in my opinion | |
|
No Picture
Tim Professional |
#7 by Tim Marchant at Oct 31, 2000 at 11:07 PM EST |
| The whole address to the fans approach made the song more moving to me than thinking of it as about a death..It really shows that Ed is a true showman & entertainer, and his relationship with his fans is important to him, even if it's rocky (see "Corduroy"..). Beautiful song, great little instrumental bridge. | |
|
No Picture
metalis4ever Average |
#8 by metalis4ever at Dec 18, 2001 at 11:01 AM EST |
| "We try to do that as a band, take the less traveled route," he continues. "With 'Light Years,' Mike McCready had written some music. We were excited about it for a while, but when we got down to recording it, it was too nice, too right there - it was a little too close to 'Given to Fly.' We changed the tempos, and then one night Mike and I, after working on it all day and getting frustrated, just flipped it backwards, and in about 35 minutes it became 'Light Years,' with words and everything. It still has a fairly contagious chorus and melody, but it's just sideways enough to make me happy." ____________ DJ: What else do you like? You name a song. By the way, "Light Years" lyrically is one of the most amazing songs I've heard. EV: What are you getting from it there? DJ: Obviously it's about something deeply personal and obviously the song is written about an amazing person who really affected your life. I mean, do you want to talk about that at all or what? EV: No, you just said it all. That's great. ____________ “The song was written for a friend of Eddies who had recently passed away.” | |
|
No Picture
The Random Rock Average |
#9 by The Random Rocker at Jul 22, 2002 at 6:22 PM EST |
| I think this is an obvious metaphor for the loss of fans due to their unability to grasp the ideal of the band. In some ways, they cravy the popularity they once had on certain levels. The song is disguised as the loss of a person, but hidden is their regret (as a whole) as not being completly understood. Hammers made out of wood: guitar games w/ pieces and rules: any number of songs #'s and what their for: hello, Animal think about it | |
|
No Picture
Lucas Average |
#10 by Lucas Lawrey at Mar 6, 2006 at 9:45 AM EST |
| For a different take on the song consider it as being one written from the band to the fan. A bit like that Jackson Brown song, Stay a little longer or something. Only a LOT better. The first verse could be about instruments and songs The chorus could be about playing live. Even more so if you change the lyric from we were but stones to we were five stones. The last verse could be about long days on tour between shows!! | |
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