Immortality - Remastered

Many listeners believed that this song is about the life and death of fellow Seattle grunge rocker Kurt Cobain. There are several lines that could refer to drug usage in the song. For instance, "artificial tear" could symbolize substances dripping from a syringe. Also there is a mention of a "cigar box on the floor," and a cigar box was found next to Cobain's body. The song, though, was written before Cobain's April 1994 suicide. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times published November 20, 1994, Eddie Vedder addressed the song, explaining that it was about his state of mind, and that the cigar box was simply where he kept his tapes. Asked if the song was about Cobain, Vedder replied: "No, that was written when we were on tour in Atlanta. It's not about Kurt. Nothing on the album was written directly about Kurt, and I don't feel like talking about him, because it [might be seen] as exploitation. But I think there might be some things in the lyrics that you could read into and maybe will answer some questions or help you understand the pressures on someone who is on a parallel train."

"Immortality" shows up on Billboard's Hot 100 chart for two weeks in July 1995, peaking at #102. The band was peculiar in the way they released singles in America, typically using them only as promotional vehicles for their albums, not selling them in stores (which made them ineligible for the Hot 100). Pearl Jam fans bought the albums, and some of their hardcore fans picked up the "Immortality" single on 7-inch vinyl as well, adding it to their Vitalogy records. Pearl Jam championed vinyl long before it was retro, and for the first two weeks of release, that was the only format available for the album.

Dave Abbruzzese, Pearl Jam's drummer on this song, considers it some of his best work. " I put a whole lot of thought into the arrangement of that drum part," he told Songfacts. "When I hear it, I'm really proud of what I pulled off because of all the subtleties in the track. To me, a good drum part is like a good movie soundtrack. I didn't want to do things that stood out and sounded flashy or unnecessary. In that song, there are so many intricate parts within each phrase and I'm really proud that they don't leap out – they sit right where they're supposed to, supporting the song." Abbruzzese played with the band from 1991-1994, replaced by Jack Irons when he was fired over personality conflicts.