I Am Mine

"I Am Mine" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Written by vocalist Eddie Vedder, "I Am Mine" was released on October 8, 2002 as the first single from the band's seventh studio album, Riot Act (2002). The song peaked at number six on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003).

"I Am Mine"
Single by Pearl Jam
from the album Riot Act
B-side"Down"
ReleasedOctober 8, 2002
RecordedFebruary 2002 at Studio X, Seattle, Washington
GenreFolk rock[1]
Length3:35
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Eddie Vedder
Producer(s)Adam Kasper, Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam singles chronology
"Light Years"
(2000)		 "I Am Mine"
(2002)		 "Save You"
(2003)
Music video
"I Am Mine" on YouTube
Audio sample
  • file
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Origin and recording

"I Am Mine" was written by vocalist Eddie Vedder in a hotel room near Virginia Beach, Virginia before the band's first show after the Roskilde tragedy in 2000.[2] Vedder said that he wrote the song to "reassure myself that this is going to be all right."[3]

Composition

Drummer Matt Cameron on "I Am Mine":

It seems like it has all the elements this band is known for: strong lyrics, strong hook, and a good sense of melody. It wasn't a really tough decision to have that be the starting point for the record.[4]

Lyrics

The lyrics for "I Am Mine" tackle existential matters. At the band's April 8, 2003 show in New Orleans, Louisiana at the UNO Lakefront Arena, Vedder stated, "This song is about what's inside you. You own it, and you have the freedom for it to come out. It's allowed to come out."[3] At the band's July 8, 2003 show in New York City at Madison Square Garden, Vedder stated, "This song’s about personal safety, and the feeling of being secure, and even free."[5]

Release and reception

"I Am Mine" was released as a single in 2002 in various versions with the previously unreleased B-sides "Down" and "Undone", both of which can also be found on the compilation album, Lost Dogs (2003), the latter as an alternate version. "I Am Mine" was the most successful song from Riot Act on the American rock charts. The song peaked at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100, number seven on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and number six on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Outside the United States, the single was released commercially in Australia, Austria, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. In Canada, the song reached the top ten on the Canadian Singles Chart. "I Am Mine" reached the top 30 in the UK and peaked at number 12 on the Australian Singles Chart where it was also certified gold. "I Am Mine" reached the top 60 in Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, the top 50 in New Zealand, the top 40 in Ireland, the top 30 in Sweden, and was a top ten success in Italy and Norway. It was a moderate top 20 success in Finland.

Music video

The music video for "I Am Mine" was directed by James Frost.[6] The video was filmed at Seattle, Washington's Chop Suey club in September 2002.[7] The video consists of a filmed live performance of the band rather than a conceptual video. It was one of five videos shot at the club to promote Riot Act (including "Save You", "Love Boat Captain", "Thumbing My Way", and "1/2 Full"). Up to that point, the band had not made any music videos since 1998's "Do the Evolution". The video was released in October 2002.[8]

Live performances

"I Am Mine" was first performed live at Neil Young's 2001 Bridge School Benefit.[9] The band played this song when it appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman in November 2002 in support of Riot Act. Live performances of "I Am Mine" can be found on various official bootlegs and the Live at the Gorge 05/06 box set. Performances of the song are also included on the DVDs Live at the Showbox and Live at the Garden.

Cover versions

On June 12, 2014 Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo performed an acoustic rendition of the song on the MLB Network program, "Intentional Talk" when interviewers Kevin Millar and Chris Rose inquired about his music hobby.

Track listing

All songs written by Eddie Vedder, except where noted:

CD (US, Austria, and Canada) and 7" Vinyl (US, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, and UK)
  1. "I Am Mine" – 3:35
  2. "Down" (Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Vedder) – 3:17
CD (Australia and Europe)
  1. "I Am Mine" – 3:35
  2. "Down" (Gossard, McCready, Vedder) – 3:17
  3. "Bu$hleaguer" (Gossard, Vedder) – 3:57
  4. "Undone" – 3:08
CD (UK)
  1. "I Am Mine" – 3:35
  2. "Bu$hleaguer" (Gossard, Vedder) – 3:57
  3. "Undone" – 3:08

Charts and certifications

References
  1. "New Pearl Jam takes on minimalism, Bush". Yale Daily News. November 15, 2002. Retrieved May 31, 2020. But the real standout here is “I am Mine,” a swirling folk-rock epic that is easily Pearl Jam’s best song in years.
  2. Cohen, Jonathan. "The 'Pearls' of Pearl Jam". Billboard. April 14, 2006.
  3. Fricke, David (May 29, 2003). "Eddie Vedder's Combat Rock". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 19, 2004. Retrieved March 19, 2004.
  4. Cohen, Jonathan. ""Inciting a 'Riot': Pearl Jam's New Album"". Archived from the original on October 30, 2002. Retrieved April 8, 2017.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link). Billboard. November 2002.
  5. Live at the Garden. Pearl Jam. Video. Epic, 2003.
  6. Mills, Fred. "Yield Not". Seattle Weekly. November 6, 2002.
  7. Pearl Jam: 2002 Concert Chronology. fivehorizons.com.
  8. "Pearl Jam music videos". Music Video Database. Retrieved February 22, 2008.
  9. "Pearl Jam Songs: "I Am Mine"" Archived May 21, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. pearljam.com.
  10. "Australian-charts.com – Pearl Jam – I Am Mine". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  11. "Pearl Jam Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  12. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 20 no. 47. November 16, 2002. p. 11. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  13. "Pearl Jam: I Am Mine" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  14. "Offiziellecharts.de – Pearl Jam – I Am Mine". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  15. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Pearl Jam". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  16. "Italiancharts.com – Pearl Jam – I Am Mine". Top Digital Download. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  17. "Dutchcharts.nl – Pearl Jam – I Am Mine" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  18. "Charts.nz – Pearl Jam – I Am Mine". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  19. "Norwegiancharts.com – Pearl Jam – I Am Mine". VG-lista. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  20. "Polish Singles Chart".
  21. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 20 no. 48. November 23, 2002. p. 13. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  22. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  23. "Spanishcharts.com – Pearl Jam – I Am Mine" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  24. "Swedishcharts.com – Pearl Jam – I Am Mine". Singles Top 100. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  25. "Swisscharts.com – Pearl Jam – I Am Mine". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  26. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  27. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  28. "Pearl Jam Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  29. "Pearl Jam Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  30. "Pearl Jam Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  31. "Pearl Jam Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  32. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
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