Human beings are the only creatures who live with the awareness that one day they will die. It is undoubtedly one of their most enormous burdens, although people often find ways to distract themselves from this truth. It is impossible to lose oneself in the minutia of daily life without forgetting death. Even if one can find a way to do this for a while, death finds a way to remind itself sooner or later. The moment you lose a loved one is one of these heavy reminders.
Art has always been one of the most effective means of dealing with this intense feeling as it helps channel it elsewhere. It has been a vessel for keeping the memory of someone you lost alive, facing those heavy emotions, and above all, a symbol of immortality and permanence against death and extinction. And when Eddie Vedder lost a loved one, his music was there for him, waiting to be put into words.
You can immediately distinguish the songs written with the pain and desperation of losing someone. Pearl Jam’s ‘Life Wasted’ is one such piece. Eddie Vedder wrote it after losing his close friend, Johnny Ramone. Ramone’s death came after a long battle with prostate cancer. Perhaps it was an expected death given the circumstances, but still, it was a heavy feeling for Vedder, knowing that his best friend was no longer there.
In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2006, Vedder revealed the story behind the emotional track. Even though it had been three years since his friend’s death, his pain still hurt him deeply. In particular, he talked about the cycle of noticing death, forgetting it for a moment, then remembering it again. ‘Life Wasted’ was a song to remember that feeling, and it was based on the passing of Johnny Ramone.
“When you leave that funeral, that drive is as important as any single stretch of road you’ll travel on,” the singer said, sharing his feelings after his friend’s funeral. “You’ve got a renewed appreciation for life. And I think that feeling can last through the day, through the week, but then things start getting back to normal, and you start taking this living and breathing and eating thing for granted.”
Vedder continued, “I think that song is there to remind you, ‘This is that feeling’….The truth is—I’m a little sensitive, and this is a close, personal relationship. I’ll just say it. F*ck it. Right up front. Half the record is based on the loss of the guy who turned out to be the best friend I ever had on the planet. And that was Johnny Ramone.”
After Eddie Vedder wrote the lyrics, Stone Gossard composed the song, and the record was released in August 2006 as part of the band’s self-titled record. The contrast of the lyrics’ darkness with the song’s dynamic riffs was precisely like a symbol of continuing to live while also being aware of death.
