• Track: Come Back
• Artist: Pearl Jam
• Album: Pearl Jam
• Year: 2006

Lyrics:

If I keep holding out,… will the light shine through?
Under this broken roof… it’s only rain that I feel
I’ve been wishing out the days… come back

I have been planning out… all that I’d say to you
Since you slipped away… know that I still remain true
I’ve been wishing out the days…

Please say that if you hadn’t of gone now
I wouldn’t have lost you another way
From wherever you are… come back

And these days, they linger on
And in the night, as I’m waiting on
The real possibility I may meet you in my dream

And these days, they linger on
And in the night, as I’m waiting on
The real possibility I may meet you in my dream
I go to sleep

If I don’t fall apart….will the memories stay clear?
So you had to go….. and I had to remain here

But the strangest thing to date
So far away
And yet you feel so close
And I’m not gonna question it any other way

There must be an open door
For you to
Come back

And the days, they linger on
And every night, what I’m waiting for
Is the real possibility I may meet you in my dream

And sometimes you’re there
And you’re talking back to me
Come the morning I could swear you’re next to me

And it’s okay.

It’s okay.
It’s okay.

I’ll be here
Come back
Come back

I’ll be here
Come back
Come back

I’ll be here
Come back
Come back

Of course, Pearl Jam needs no introduction. Since 1990, the Seattle rockers have churned out 10 studio albums, 15 live albums, 3 compilation albums, 36 singles, and countless official bootleg recordings. In that time, Pearl Jam has charted 43 Top 40 singles on the mainstream rock charts, including Alive, Daughter, Better Man, Jeremy, Given to Fly, and Corduroy. 

One glaring chart omission, however, is Come Back from Pearl Jam’s self-titled 2006 record. On this track, vocalist Eddie Vedder croons about the death of someone close and how he spends his days begging the lost to return and waiting for a day when he will see his love again in the afterlife. It’s one of the most powerful rock songs produced in the last 50 years, and it should have been a hit.

Assuming each of you has lost someone you love, try listening to Vedder’s powerful pleas for his love to return to him and not have a lump form in your throat. This song never fails to make me think of my best friend, Mark, who died in 2012 and who was a devout Pearl Jam fan. Every time I hear this song, my chest tightens and I wonder if a time will come that I will see him again.

And sometimes, he is there, talking to me. And it’s okay.

Video:

Pearl Jam didn’t release an official video for this track, but I have provided a high-quality audio track. Further down, I’ve included video of PJ performing Come Back live:

Here is a live version of Come Back from Pistoia, Italy. (Enjoy the Italian lyric subtitles!)

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