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Artist: Pearl Jam
Track: Black

Lyrics
Hey, oh
Sheets of empty canvas
Untouched sheets of clay
Were laid spread out before me
As her body once did
All five horizons
Revolved around her soul
As the earth to the sun
Now the air I tasted and breathed
Has taken a turn

Oh and all I taught her was everything
Oh I know she gave me all that she wore
And now my bitter hands
Chafe beneath the clouds
Of what was everything
Oh the pictures have
All been washed in black
Tattooed everything
I take a walk outside
I'm surrounded by
Some kids at play
I can feel their laughter
So why do I sear
Oh, and twisted thoughts that spin
Round my head
I'm spinning
Oh, I'm spinning
How quick the sun can, drop away

And now my bitter hands
Cradle broken glass
Of what was everything
All the pictures had
All been washed in black
Tattooed everything
All the love gone bad
Turned my world to black
Tattooed all I see
All that I am
All I'll be

Yeah
I know someday you'll have a beautiful life
I know you'll be a star
In somebody else's sky
But why
Why
Why can't it be
Why can't it be mine
Full Lyrics and Meaning
Genius Lyrics
Pearl Jam – Black
“Black” became one of Pearl Jam’s best-known songs and is a central emotional piece on the album Ten. Despite pressure from Epic Records, the band refused to make it into a single
Pearl Jam – Black (Live MTV Unplugged)
[Intro] / Hey / [Verse 1] / Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay / Lay spread out before me as her body once did, mm / All five horizons revolved around her soul as the
Pearl Jam – Black (2008 Brendan O'Brien Mix)
[Intro] / Hey, hey, yeah, uh / [Verse 1] / Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay / Were laid spread out before me as her body once did / All five horizons revolved
Pearl Jam – Black (Live 2017)
[Intro] / Hey, hey / Oh, yeah / [Verse 1] / Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay / Were laid spread out before me as her body once did / All five horizons revolved
Pearl Jam – Black, Red, Yellow (Live 2017)
[Verse 1] / Exponentially serving / Perpetually unnerving / Vehicle swerving / The adjectives they are all a-blurring / Freud walking the sidelines clipboard scoring the brain
Pearl Jam – Black - Live in Seattle, WA 06-December-2013
[Intro] / Oh-ho / Oh, yeah / [Verse 1] / Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay / Were laid spread out before me as her body once did / All five horizons revolved around
Pearl Jam – Black - Live in Katowice, Poland, 16-June-2000
See this needle / A-see my hand / Drop, drop, dropping it down / Oh so gently / Well here it comes / I touch the plane / Turn me up / Won't turn you away / Spin, spin / Spin the
Pearl Jam – Black, Red, Yellow
[Verse 1] / Exponentially serving / Perpetually unnerving / Vehicle swerving / The adjectives they are all a-blurring / Freud walkin' the sidelines, clipboard scoring the brain
Pearl Jam – Spin the Black Circle
[Verse 1] / See this needle, see my hand / Drop, drop, dropping it down oh so gently / Well here it comes, I touch the plane / Turn me up, won't turn you away / [Chorus] / Spin
Pearl Jam – Black Live Versions
See all of “Black” by Pearl Jam’s live versions
Pearl Jam – Black Samples
See all of “Black” by Pearl Jam’s samples, covers, remixes, interpolations and live versions
Pearl Jam – Black [CD Rip]
Sheets Untouched / Spread Body / All Revolved / Tasted Taken / All I taught / All she wore / Bitter hands / Beneath clouds / Everything / Pictures / Black / Tattooed
Pearl Jam – Black - Live in Nürnberg, Germany, 11-June 2000
[Verse 1] / Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay / Were laid spread out before me as her body once did / All five horizons revolved around her soul as the earth to the
Ram Jam – Black Betty
Often originally credited to Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter, though some recordings predate his. Eventually became Ram Jam’s only recognizable hit.
Pearl Jam – Black - Live in Barcelona, Spain 05-May-2000
[Intro] / Hey, hey, yeah, uh / [Verse 1] / Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay / Were laid spread out before me as her body once did / All five horizons revolved
Pearl Jam – Black (Live at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - March 5, 1998)
Mar 5, 1998 ... Black (Live at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - March 5, 1998) Lyrics:
Pearl Jam – Black [Sept. 1st 2005]
[Intro] / Hey, hey, yeah, uh / [Verse 1] / Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay / Were laid spread out before me as her body once did / All five horizons revolved
Pearl Jam – Jeremy
“Jeremy” is based on two different true stories. The song takes its main inspiration from a newspaper article about a 16-year-old boy named Jeremy Wade Delle from Richardson, Texas
Pearl Jam – Alive
“Alive” is Pearl Jam’s first single and the first song they ever played together. It appears on the band’s debut album, Ten (1991). Written by guitarist Stone Gossard, “Alive
Pearl Jam – Even Flow
“Even Flow” is the second single from Pearl Jam’s inaugural album Ten. It is a narration of the life of a homeless person. It is a favorite for many, including Matt Cameron (who
Pearl Jam – Black [July 22, 2006]
[Intro] / Hey, hey, yeah, uh / [Verse 1] / Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay / Were laid spread out before me as her body once did / All five horizons revolved
Pearl Jam – Yellow Ledbetter
“Yellow Ledbetter” may very well be one of the most-debated songs in Pearl Jam’s repertoire. There are at least 4 prominent theories circulating as to the origin of the song title
Pearl Jam – Spin the Black Circle - Live in Seattle, WA 06-December-2013
[Intro] / Mmm, hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! / [Verse 1] / See this needle / A-see my hand / Drop, drop, dropping it down / Oh so gently / Well here it comes / I touch the plane / Turn me up
Pearl Jam – Spin the Black Circle Samples
See all of “Spin the Black Circle” by Pearl Jam’s samples, covers, remixes, interpolations and live versions
Pearl Jam – Spin The Black Circle - Live in Ljubljana, Slovenia, 19-June-2000
See this needle / A-see my hand / Drop, drop, dropping it down / Oh so gently / Well here it comes / I touch the plane / Turn me up / Won't turn you away / Spin, spin / Spin the
Pearl Jam – Pilate
[Verse 1] / Talk of circles and punching out / Looking in, drawing circles down / Falling up the south marking ground / Talking out of turn, drawing circles down / [Chorus] / Like
Pearl Jam – Spin The Black Circle - Live in Nürnberg, Germany, 11-June 2000
See this needle / A-see my hand / Drop, drop, dropping it down / Oh so gently / Well here it comes / I touch the plane / Turn me up / Won't turn you away / Spin, spin / Spin the
Pearl Jam – Better Man
“Better Man” is the eleventh track off Pearl Jam’s 1994 album Vitalogy. Lead singer Eddie Vedder penned the song in high school. Though the meaning is theoretically up in the air
Pearl Jam – Black Covers
See all of “Black” by Pearl Jam’s covers
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AZ Lyrics
Pearl Jam - Black Lyrics
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Pearl Jam - Spin The Black Circle Lyrics
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MusixMatch Lyrics
Pearl Jam - Black Lyrics
Lyrics for Black by Pearl Jam. Hey-hey-hey Yeah-ah Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay Were laid spread out...
Pearl Jam - Black Lyrics
Lyrics for Black by Pearl Jam. Hey, hey, yeah, uh Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay Were laid spread out ...
Pearl Jam - Black (Kaufman Astoria Studios - MTV Unplugged - New York, NY 3/16/1992) Lyrics
Lyrics for Black (Kaufman Astoria Studios - MTV Unplugged - New York, NY 3/16/1992) by Pearl Jam. Hey-hey, oh Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay Laid spread out before me, a...
Pearl Jam - Black translation in French
French translation of lyrics for Black by Pearl Jam. Hey, hey, yeah, uh Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay Were laid spread out ...
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Genius Artists
Pearl Jam
Founded in 1990 in Seattle, Pearl Jam is one of the most successful bands out of the grunge movement, if not of the whole alternative rock scene from the early 90s. It began with
Genius Q&A
Q:When did Pearl Jam release “Black”?
Pearl Jam released “Black” on August 27, 1991.
Q:Who produced “Black” by Pearl Jam?
“Black” by Pearl Jam was produced by Pearl Jam & Rick Parashar.
Q:When did Pearl Jam release “Black [July 22, 2006]”?
Pearl Jam released “Black [July 22, 2006]” on June 26, 2007.
Q:When did Pearl Jam release “Black [Live on Two Legs]”?
Pearl Jam released “Black [Live on Two Legs]” on November 24, 1998.
Q:Who wrote “Black (2008 Brendan O'Brien Mix)” by Pearl Jam?
“Black (2008 Brendan O'Brien Mix)” by Pearl Jam was written by Eddie Vedder & Stone Gossard.
Q:Who wrote “Black [Sept. 1st 2005]” by Pearl Jam?
“Black [Sept. 1st 2005]” by Pearl Jam was written by Eddie Vedder & Stone Gossard.
Q:Who produced “Black - Live in Katowice, Poland, 16-June-2000” by Pearl Jam?
“Black - Live in Katowice, Poland, 16-June-2000” by Pearl Jam was produced by Brett Eliason & John Burton.
Q:Who wrote “Black - Live in Seattle, WA 06-December-2013” by Pearl Jam?
“Black - Live in Seattle, WA 06-December-2013” by Pearl Jam was written by Eddie Vedder.
Q:When did Pearl Jam release “Spin the Black Circle”?
Pearl Jam released “Spin the Black Circle” on November 8, 1994.
Q:Who wrote “Spin the Black Circle” by Pearl Jam?
“Spin the Black Circle” by Pearl Jam was written by Stone Gossard & Eddie Vedder.
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Genius Albums
Ten by Pearl Jam
Ten is Pearl Jam’s debut studio album, released on August 27, 1991 through Epic Records. Following the disbanding of bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard’s previous group
Rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003) by Pearl Jam
Get all the lyrics to songs on Rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003) and join the Genius community of music scholars to learn the meaning behind the lyrics.
Let’s Play Two (Live/Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Pearl Jam
Get all the lyrics to songs on Let’s Play Two (Live/Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) and join the Genius community of music scholars to learn the meaning behind the lyrics.