Comes Then Goes

Summary

Comes Then Goes is a six-minute acoustic ballad that became Gigaton’s most mysterious track—widely believed to be Eddie Vedder’s tribute to Chris Cornell, but never confirmed and, for five years, never performed live.

Producer Josh Evans described its paradox: “Sonically, it’s simple, but emotionally, it is very complex” Variety .

Key Details

Attribute	Details
Album	Gigaton (2020)
Track Number	10
Duration	6:02
Writer	Eddie Vedder
Producers	Pearl Jam, Josh Evans
Live Debut	May 18, 2025 (partial, Pittsburgh)

The Chris Cornell Theory

Recording Halts

The Gigaton sessions began in January 2017. Four months later, Chris Cornell—Soundgarden frontman, Temple of the Dog collaborator, and Vedder’s friend since 1990—died by suicide at age 52. Recording stopped.

Josh Evans:

“He was a friend and a source of inspiration for everyone. It blew us away. It took a year to recover and process the mourning.”

— Josh Evans The Sky I Scrape

When they returned to the studio, Vedder brought “Comes Then Goes.” Matt Cameron’s reaction was immediate:

“We listened to a version Eddie recorded, we were so moved by the lyrics. It was a moment for me in this whole recording process when he first shared that song with us.”

— Matt Cameron Grammy.com

Cameron—drummer for both Pearl Jam and Soundgarden—was uniquely positioned to feel the song’s weight.

Never Confirmed, Never Denied

When asked directly if the song was about Cornell, Evans was careful:

“I don’t know specifically. But I’m sure there’s a bit of Chris in all Gigaton songs. Chris’s death had a huge impact on the band—and on me too. Eddie and Matt were very close to him. I think his death influenced elements of all the songs. How could it not?”

— Josh Evans The Sky I Scrape

Vedder has never publicly addressed the connection. The song doesn’t name its subject—which allows it to function as both specific elegy and universal meditation on loss.

Lyrics & Meaning

The title states a philosophy: things come, then they go. Joy, pain, people—nothing stays. Buddhist impermanence. Stoic acceptance. The observation that life is constant flow.

Unlike songs that rage against loss, this one sits with it. No bargaining, no anger—just quiet recognition that what arrived has now departed. The six-minute runtime doesn’t build toward catharsis. It breathes. The absence of climax mirrors grief itself: there’s no moment when it’s suddenly over.

Composition & Production

Musical specifications:

Key: C major
Tempo: ~70 BPM
Style: Acoustic ballad

The arrangement is sparse—acoustic guitar, bass, drums, occasional electric accents. Evans described it as “an acoustic ballad for a lost friend” Guerrilla Candy . The mix emphasizes intimacy: breath, the creak of guitar, small human sounds. Where other Gigaton tracks layer textures, this one lets silence work.

Evans had started as a studio assistant in 2004 and had also worked with Soundgarden. He understood the stakes.

Five Years of Silence

After Gigaton’s release, “Comes Then Goes” became the only studio song on an official Pearl Jam album never performed live. When touring resumed in 2022, other Gigaton tracks debuted. This one stayed off setlists.

That changed on May 18, 2025—the eighth anniversary of Cornell’s death. At the Pittsburgh tour finale, Vedder tacked lyrics from “Comes Then Goes” onto the end of “Wishlist.” It was the first time any element of the song had been performed publicly Alternative Nation .

The show was designed as a Cornell tribute. Before the concert, Temple of the Dog’s “All Night Thing” played over the speakers. The encore included “Hunger Strike”—the Cornell-Vedder duet Pearl Jam had only performed four times in eleven years. McCready wore a t-shirt urging Soundgarden’s Rock Hall induction. Cameron wore a portrait of his former bandmate Setlist.fm .

Personnel

Member	Role
Eddie Vedder	Vocals, guitar
Stone Gossard	Guitar
Mike McCready	Guitar
Jeff Ament	Bass
Matt Cameron	Drums

Production: Pearl Jam, Josh Evans

Context

Cornell and Vedder’s friendship began in 1990 when Vedder moved to Seattle. Cornell took the inexperienced singer under his wing. They collaborated on Temple of the Dog’s album that year; Vedder’s guest vocal on “Hunger Strike” launched his career. That Cornell helped create Vedder makes any tribute from Vedder to Cornell especially weighted.

At track 10, “Comes Then Goes” functions as Gigaton’s emotional nadir—the deepest point of loss before “Retrograde” and “River Cross” move toward resolution.

“Black” (Ten): Devastation through restraint
“Release” (Ten): Processing grief
“Just Breathe” (Backspacer): Mortality meditation
“Future Days” (Lightning Bolt): Late-career intimacy