Pearl Jam – Mankind

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You'll be going out with radio, going out with disco, going out like bacchanal.
I'll be going out with telephone, going out alone, to the radar zone.

It's all just inadvertent imitation. And I don't mean mine.
It's all across this nation.
If it's just inadvertent simulation. A pattern in all mankind.
What's got the whole world faking it?

I'll be playing with my magazine, using up my Listerine, like Ovaltine.
And you'll be dipping in your battleship, for the latest tip, for the latest dream.

It's all just inadvertent imitation. And I don't mean mine.
It's all across this nation.
If it's just inadvertent simulation. A pattern in all mankind.
What's got the whole world faking it?
If it's just inadvertent imitation. A pattern in all mankind.
What's got the whole world faking it?
What's got the whole world faking... (x4)
What's got the whole world faking it? Yeah.

Send "Mankind" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by Trent

Track duration: 03:29


Mankind song meanings
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14 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:i love kurts interpretation
    Flag pearljamkicks@55on October 08, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i conquer
    Flag smmers75on April 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this song was never supposed to be considered good. Infact calling this song a hit is exactly what pearl jam wanted to achieve with this while at the same time not wanting to profit from it. Its a cynical song about pop music and their mindless lyrics and mainstream sound. I rarely listen to this song because its simply not real rock, but it gives me a good laugh at times and makes me appreciate the rest of PJ's songs more. Its so easy to hear the difference you see?
    Flag CCDevlinon April 20, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I dont really understand how this song is mocking stone temple pilots, in some ways i kinda understand it tho. The stp's first 2 albums were gd and then they just drifted of into the average.
    Flag longliveconradon April 14, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:amazing that this was stone's next song after dont gimme no lip. that song was catchy but not exactly deep...
    Flag layne1012on January 04, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Seemingly this song is mocking Stone Temple Pilots, im a fan of both bands but Pearl Jam are way up there in a class of there own.
    Flag Unknown Ledgendon October 30, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:kurdttbo i think that the bit about the masturbation is even heavier than what youve suggested as the word battleship always reminds me of the red hot chili peppers song battleship this song was going to be called blow job park but then wasnt allowed and jack irons is on in this song it makes pretty good sense to me.

    ill see if i can find anything else out about tis song i havent looked into it yet
    Flag i love JFon August 02, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Think about what this song would have sounded like if Eddie had sung it..... it would have been a hit ..... a smash hit.... but placing stone at the mic made everything awkward on purpose to show that the public fears change..... I think that putting Stone on the mic was genious because stone does not have Eddie's voice that everyone loves.... he has his own while talented but unknown voice... that was cool....
    Flag N0 C0DE 79on May 11, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Think about what this song would have sounded like if Eddie had sung it..... it would have been a hit ..... a smash hit.... but placing stone at the mic made everything awkward on purpose to show that the public fears change..... I think that putting Stone on the mic was genious because stone does not have Eddie's voice that everyone loves.... he has his own while talented but unknown voice... that was cool....
    Flag N0 C0DE 79on May 11, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:fxcknelson definatly nailed this one.... this song was written to be catchy....it makes me think of bands out today like Good charlotte, Simple plan, or bowling for soup that purposely make songs to be catchy and to drag their audiences in to buying their CDs ......... Kurdt Tbo also has a pretty neat interpretation..... interesting and cool....
    Flag N0 C0DE 79on May 09, 2005   Link

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