Awesome Song Lyrics: Pearl Jam Edition

Ever since I can remember, I've been a sucker for good song lyrics. When I saw Annie as a kid back in the 70's, "It's a Hard-Knock Life" became by favorite song--I liked it way more than the famous "Tomorrow," mainly because it's lyrics are so great ("Instead of treated, we get tricked. Instead of kisses, we get kicked"). The words horrified and enthralled me.

The first "grown-up" song lyrics I obsessed over were the ones to "Jessie's Girl" (Rick Springfield), which came out in 1981, when I was the impressionable age of 12. I remember actually having trouble understanding what was going on in this song. Jessie is a boy? Isn't that a girl's name? Rick Springfield and Jessie are friends but Rick loves Jessie's girlfriend? Is that even possible?

I learned a lot from "Jesse's Girl." It actually got me to look up the definition of "moot" in the dictionary. And people say rock 'n' roll rots your mind--ha!

Because song lyrics have affected me so deeply over the years, I've decided to occasionally post lyrics that I find particularly interesting, thought-provoking, meaningful, sad, or funny.

I'm starting with "Wishlist" by Pearl Jam because, 1.) I heard it on the radio yesterday and remembered how much I love it, 2.) Pearl Jam are awesome, and 3.) every time I hear it, I want to cry and laugh at the same time.

"WISHLIST"
I wish I was a neutron bomb, for once I could go off.
I wish I was a sacrifice but somehow still lived on.
I wish I was a sentimental ornament you hung on
The Christmas tree, I wish I was the star that went on top.
I wish I was the evidence, I wish I was the grounds
For 50 million hands upraised and open toward the sky.

I wish I was a sailor with someone who waited for me.
I wish I was as fortunate, as fortunate as me.
I wish I was a messenger and all the news was good.
I wish I was the full moon shining off a Camaro's hood.

I wish I was an alien at home behind the sun.
I wish I was the souvenir you kept your house key on.
I wish I was the pedal brake that you depended on.
I wish I was the verb 'to trust' and never let you down.

I wish I was a radio song, the one that you turned up.
I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish,
I guess it never stops.


(Here is the video, for any of you who don't know the song.)