Off He Goes

"The song "Off He Goes" is really about me being a shit friend. I'll show up and everything's great and then all of the sudden I'm outta there ...", Eddie Vedder.

I've read an article in Rolling Stone where Eddie said "Off He Goes" is about a friend of his leaving town, and they grew apart. His friend came back, and because of their "growing apart," they just couldn't converse like old times. They just couldn't hit it off like best friends can. Anyway, he leaves town again, possibly redoing the process.

The song could be about anyone who has struggled with social anxiety at one time or another. A lot of us have some pretty dark secrets that burden us to the point of constant distraction.

I can't believe how many people miss that this song is obviously about Eddie himself. "It's like his thoughts are too big for his size "--Ed's a little guy with some big opinions and ideas. Basically, he writing about himself from the perspective of an old friend who has seen him get famous and struggle with who he is.

edd said live on stage that this song is about an asshole maybee about someone whom you care about and they just use you when they want to have somewhere to go but never realy care about youre feelings

To me, it means "the loss" of my best friend. He didn't die, but moved away, and we've gradually lost touch. As far as Eddie goes, the real Eddie, he is talking about himself. I saw a consert once where he said: "This next song is about having an asshole for a friend", and then pointed at himself.

I'd say this song is deffinitly about Layne Staley of alice in chains and how due to his addiction to drugs he seemed to come and go from the music scene quite frequently.

the lyrics all fit perfectly to him too:

Know a man His face seemed pulled and tense Like he's ridin' on a motorbike In the strongest winds So I approach with tact Suggest that he should relax But he's movin' much too fast

• Layne had grown skinny and tense looking after years of drug abuse, and Eddie and others would try and get him clean and to "relax" but he was into the drugs way to deep to be saved

Said he'll see me on the flip side On this trip he's taken for a ride He's been takin' too much on There he goes with his perfectly unkept clothes There he goes

• He's been taking on too much of the heroin and forced alice to stop touring while he dissapeared for a little while... plus the unkept clothes and flip side remark (traditional grunge wear and slang)

He's yet to come back But I seen his picture It doesn't look the same up on the rack We go way back I wonder 'bout his insides It's like his thoughts are too big for his size

• He is saying that its been a while since he's seen and heard from Layne but it hits him harder than it does fans of his because he sees Layne as a friend unlike the fans who just see him on a cd rack and don't really know how bad its gotten... but him and Eddie go way back (to the days of mookie baylock opening for alice)

And now I rub my eyes, for he has returned Seems my preconceptions are what should have been burned For he still smiles... And he's still strong Nothing changed but the surroundin' bullshit That has grown

• Everyone thought Layne was pretty much finished but he seemed to return a few times, for the Alice unplugged show and for Mad Season with Mike from PJ... the "bullshit that has grown" is the media constantly referring to layne as a hopeless junkie

And now he's home and we're laughin' Like we did, my same old, same old friend Until a quarter to ten I saw the strain creep in He seems distracted and I know just what is going to happen next

Before his first step, he's off again

• even though Layne is back for now they know that it wont be too long before he's off again

this theory kind of makes sence because the song came out around '97 i think and the last time most people saw Layne was in '96 after the unplugged.

ITS ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES WITH NEIL YOUNG GOD DAMN!!

If you go near the bottom of this page... thrasherswheat.org/jammin/pj.htm It makes reference to the song being about Neil Young. It seems pretty clear to me. Neil is constantly changing direction and going off on his own way at a moments notice. If you read "Shakey" an unauthorized biography of Neil Young you would get to know that this song fits him to a tee.

I'm a huge Pearl Jam fan and whenever this song comes up in discousion I have heard over and over again that the song is about Uncle Neil...Neil Young.