From album
Ten
Pearl Jam · 1991 · Track 3
Details
TonalidadD
Compás4/4
Tempo167 BPM
Duración5:40
ÁlbumTen
Año1991
ISRCUSSM19100003
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The story behind
When you dive into *Alive*, you encounter a raw energy that grips you from the first chord. The music, born from an instrumental guitar idea called *Dollar Short* in 1990, came to life with the voice of Eddie Vedder. He took that foundation and transformed it, creating a personal narrative about a crucial moment in his life, when he discovered that the person he believed was his father, actually wasn't. This story, though personal, resonates with a universality that makes it so powerful. The guitar solo that closes the song, a piece that extends after the third chorus, is a high point. It was recognized on major lists such as Guitar World, where it ranked 44th in the "100 Greatest Guitar Solos," and on Total Guitar at 26th in the "100 Hottest Guitar Solos." Interestingly, guitarist Mike McCready, who performed it, mentioned that he was inspired by solos from Ace Frehley and Robby Krieger, in addition to reflecting the influence of Jimi Hendrix with the use of the wah pedal and vibrato.
The genesis of *Alive* dates back to 1990, when Stone Gossard, still in Mother Love Bone, composed the music. After the tragic loss of Andrew Wood, Gossard and Jeff Ament joined Mike McCready to form a new project. From this collaboration, a demo tape with five instrumental tracks emerged, including *Dollar Short*, which circulated in the hope of finding a vocalist and drummer. That tape reached Eddie Vedder in San Diego, California. After listening to it, and while preparing to surf, the lyrics for *Alive* came to him. Back in Seattle, the band, then called Mookie Blaylock, recorded the song in January 1991 at London Bridge studio. That version was included on the group's debut album, Ten, released on August 27, 1991. The track became Pearl Jam's first single. Although its initial impact on the US charts was limited due to being import-only, it reached number 16 in the UK and ninth in Australia. Over time, in August 2018, it received a gold certification in the UK for sales and streams, exceeding 400,000 units.
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