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Listen to Eddie Vedder's melancholic version of The English Beat's "Save it for Later" [1]

['Jennifer Sandlin']

Date: 2024-07-02  

If you've watched Season 3 of the hit television drama The Bear, you've heard the hauntingly beautiful rendition of British ska band The English Beat's 1982 hit "Save it for Later." When it came on during episode two, I instantly recognized the song, as The English Beat is one of my all-time favorite bands! But I knew it wasn't any version the band had ever sung or recorded. I couldn't quite place the voice in the cover, but as soon as I looked it up I had that "oh, of course!" moment when I learned that it was Pearl Jam's frontman Eddie Vedder. American Songwriter describes Vedder's cover:

. . . the original "Save It For Later" is a ska-adjacent tune with hints of rock and old wave, which was interesting for the usually new wave English Beat. The lyrics are said to be about coming of age, according to writer Dave Wakeling, but the title is also a reference to a dirty joke popular with schoolboys. Previously, Pearl Jam covered "Save It For Later" during a live show in 2014 as part of a "Betterman" medley, but this marks the first studio release of the Pearl Jam/Vedder version. The cover takes less of a ska approach to the opening phrases and more of a quiet, anticipatory lead up to Vedder's vocals. It makes for a great atmospheric moment on the show, as the song isn't quite as brash as the original. The English Beat version definitely has more of a brit-rock flavor, while Vedder's version is firmly rooted in U.S. grunge.

I definitely prefer The English Beat's up-tempo ska version, but I like Vedder's cover, too. Its dark and haunting mood works perfectly to capture the existential angst plaguing almost everyone in season three of The Bear. Enjoy!

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[1] Url: https://boingboing.net/2024/07/02/listen-to-eddie-vedders-melancholic-version-of-the-english-beats-save-it-for-later.html

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