Pearl Jam: Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town Meaning

Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town Lyrics

I seem to recognize your face.
Haunting, familiar yet
I can't seem to place it.
Can not find the candle of thought
to light your name.
Lifetimes are catching up with me.
All these changes taking place,
I wish I'd seen the place,
but no...

1. none

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   Jul 27th 2020 !⃝

   I suppose Eddie Vedder knows best what these lyrics mean. My understanding is framed in a completely different phase of life. I am a 60 year old woman, caring for her 90 year old father. An old person, losing all meaning. A life, formerly of substance, now shadows. Losing memory of persons from the past. Losing all things that gave meaning...losing memories....losing self.....
2. anonymous

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   Dec 9th 2019 !⃝

   This song is not meant to be understood by all. It has a meaning that only a few understand. It’s not about Love, it’s about be held captive in a two dimension world, one in which we do not belong. Where your hearts and thoughts fade away. It’s been many lifetimes, we are still being held captive. The old lady in the counter are the familiar faces we see throughout our lives, we swear we seen them before, with a haunting familiar feeling.
3. anonymous

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   Oct 8th 2011 !⃝

   In the Pearl Jam Biography, Vedder explained the meaning of this song:
   "It's kind of about a lady, and she's getting on in years, and she's stuck in this small town. Small towns fascinate me: You either struggle like hell to get out, to some people want to stay 'cause then they're the big fish in the small pond, and then others just kind of get stuck there. So here she is working in this little place, and then an old flame comes in, and he's probably driving a nice car and looking kind of sharp - not a fancy car, but he's moved on. And then she sees him, and at first she doesn't even remember who he is, and then she realizes who it is. She's just too embarrassed to say 'hello.'"

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