Severed Hand
Summary
Severed Hand is Pearl Jam’s psychedelic sledgehammer—a grinding, heavy rocker that Eddie Vedder has openly acknowledged is about psychotropic drugs and expanded consciousness. Written in 2000 on the same night as “I Am Mine,” the song waited six years for release Wikipedia Album .
The song debuted not in a club or arena but on national television—Pearl Jam premiered both “Severed Hand” and “World Wide Suicide” on Saturday Night Live on April 15, 2006, their first SNL appearance since 1994 IMDB .
With 179 documented performances, “Severed Hand” ranks among the most-played songs from the Avocado album.
Key Details
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Album | Pearl Jam (2006) |
| Track Number | 4 |
| Release Date | May 2, 2006 |
| Duration | 4:30 |
| Writer | Eddie Vedder |
| Producer | Adam Kasper |
| Written | 2000 (same night as “I Am Mine”) |
| Live Debut | April 15, 2006, Saturday Night Live |
| Live Performances | 179 (per setlist.fm) |
Background & Inspiration
The Night of Two Songs
Eddie Vedder wrote “Severed Hand” on the same night he penned “I Am Mine”—the night before Pearl Jam’s first show on the US leg of their 2000 tour. The contrast couldn’t be starker: “I Am Mine” is introspective and gentle; “Severed Hand” is a bludgeoning assault More Than Ten .
The Shamanic Connection
According to fan accounts of radio interviews, Vedder participated in a hallucinogenic ritual with a shaman in South America Pearl Jam Community .
Stone Gossard’s Perspective
“That song is pretty intense in terms of the perspective of someone who says, ‘F*** it. I’m going to go lose my mind.’ It’s not necessarily embracing it, but everyone can relate to that feeling.”
— Stone Gossard PJ Community Gossard
Lyrics & Interpretation
The Ceremony
The song opens with what appears to be a transaction or initiation. A “big man”—possibly a shaman—administers something to the narrator and instructs him to “leave your lady on the cement floor.”
The Journey
The lyrics shift from transaction to trip—disorientation, ego dissolution, visions. The imagery becomes fragmentary, impressionistic, matching how psychedelic experiences actually feel.
The Title’s Meaning
“Severed Hand” suggests disconnection—from the body, from ordinary reality, from one’s familiar sense of self.
Composition & Arrangement
“Severed Hand” is one of the heaviest tracks in Pearl Jam’s catalog—a grinding, massive riff-driven assault.
Musical specifications:
- Key: E minor
- Tempo: Mid-tempo, grinding (~110 BPM)
- Time Signature: 4/4
- Duration: 4:30
Production & Recording
Studio: Studio X, Seattle, Washington Recording Period: November 2004 – February 2006 Producer: Adam Kasper Engineers: Sam Hofstedt, John Burton
Live Performances
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Live Debut | April 15, 2006, Saturday Night Live |
| Total Performances | 179 (per setlist.fm) |
| Most Recent | May 18, 2024, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas |
“Severed Hand” returned to setlists on September 2, 2023 at St. Paul after a 5+ year absence Setlist.fm .
Personnel
| Member | Role |
|---|---|
| Eddie Vedder | Lead vocals, rhythm guitar |
| Stone Gossard | Rhythm guitar |
| Mike McCready | Lead guitar |
| Jeff Ament | Bass |
| Matt Cameron | Drums |
| Boom Gaspar | Keyboards |
Production: Adam Kasper
Context
As track 4, “Severed Hand” deepens the album’s intensity before “Parachutes” provides acoustic relief.
Related Songs
- “Porch” (Ten): Similar funk-metal energy
- “Insignificance” (Binaural): Shares dark intensity
- “Blood” (Vs.): Another aggressive, boundary-pushing track
- “I Am Mine” (Riot Act): Written the same night but completely opposite in tone