Someday Eddie Vedder and the Cubs will go all the way and it will be magical

Ed’s never made his love for the Cubbies a secret. Now he’s gone and penned a song especially for them with lyrics that go something like:

We are not fairweather, but foulweather fans
Like brothers in arms, in the suites and the stands
There’s magic in the ivy and the old scoreboard
The same one I stared at as a kid keeping score
In a world full of greed, we could never want more

His unjaded joy for the sport that I love is heartening, and this song makes me happy. Here’s a live version; there is talk of him releasing it (a studio version?) on vinyl as a 45 single, and it’s currently burning up the radiowaves around Chicago.

STREAM: Someday We’ll Go All The Way – Eddie Vedder
(file removed, you can now buy it over here)

Like The Hold Steady’s effort to bolster the Twins, or even the slightly less prominent Rockies anthem, Vedder’s effort is a noble contribution to my favorite sport. Now can someone rad could just please, please make a song for the Giants that will pull them up by, oh, 12 or 13 games? Thank you.

[song and story via Hire Jim Essian. thanks!]

Eddie Vedder does karaoke at the Best Western in Mesa, Arizona

I hate singing those songs like “Where The Streets Have No Name” for karaoke — those long musical intros will kill ya. What do I do with myself for those 45 seconds? I’ll make awkward conversation with the audience, and shuffle my feet. Maybe let out a “whooo!” of anticipation before the lyrics begin.

He also sang “Yellow S(C)ubmarine” (gotta love the guy in the audience trying to sing “Hunger Strike”), and duetted with a girl for “I Got You Babe.” Vedder is in Arizona for the 2009 Cubs Fantasy Camp.

He loves the Cubbies.

[via]

Just indulge me for one sec – a few more Vedder items (and some music)

Okay, while every one is busy talking about that other new famous baby and the pics on the internet (even my SISTER sent me the links this morning; it’s like the Baby Jesus all over again, except there were no cameras then) — here’s one I’ll bet you missed altogether.

Yep, that’s Ed Vedder throwing out the first pitch at a recent Cubs game with daughter Olivia Vedder, 2. Pretty dang cute, I must say. Okay, wait, what is this, Hello! Magazine? Here’s some music. Apologies:

June 3, 2006 PJ Show
Continental Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey

No Surrender (Springsteen cover) – Ed Vedder, solo, pre-show
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite covers EVER that they do.

It Makes No Difference – My Morning Jacket & Ed Vedder
Ed then stays out for the first song of the MMJ set. Nice.

I should have pointed this out before, but didja know that Pearl Jam is selling all of the shows from their current tour on their website, practically immediately following the actual performance? Replacing the discs and discs and discs for sale of tours past, now you just download it and it’s that simple. Very cool & egalitarian, and forward-thinking of them in terms of harnessing the power of the internet to reach the fans.

One other neat feature of their site is that they log every single song Pearl Jam has done/performed/recorded in a searchable database. And you thought I just KNEW that the last time they played Leash was 4/11/94.

Holding in my hands…

My Pearl Jam fanclub single for 2006 finally arrived in the mail just now, and I have to say that I literally jumped up and clicked my heels together in joy on the walk back inside. Because I am a dork.

I think the cover art is some of the best yet and made me get a little flutter somewhere in my gut. As previously mentioned, the tunes this year are the Who cover “Love Reign O’er Me” (which gives me even more chills with the pure vinyl audio sound) and the Neil Young cover “Rocking In The Free World,” with U2 from Melbourne last year.

Love Reign O’er Me – Pearl Jam
Rockin’ In The Free World (Neil Young cover) – Pearl Jam w/ U2

This gives me pause to also mention two Pearl-Jam-related items I’ve been sitting on:
** Vedder will induct R.E.M. into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame on March 12 (link)

** Ed is the ultimate Cubs fanboy (more pics here). Cara saw these and affectionately referred to Vedder as “tiny mofo.” I think she means that as a term of endearment.