Retrograde
Summary
Retrograde features Mike McCready’s sole writing credit on Gigaton—and he plays keyboards on the track as well as guitar. The song applies the concept of backward motion to climate change and humanity’s regression in addressing it.
Producer Josh Evans described Vedder’s vocal delivery:
“When Ed gets into it, it almost feels like him flying off a cliff, and the world falls out underneath him.”
— Josh Evans Grammy.com
The song’s animated music video, directed by Josh Wakely, depicts climate destruction flooding cities worldwide and features climate activist Greta Thunberg as a fortune teller.
Key Details
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Album | Gigaton (2020) |
| Track Number | 11 |
| Duration | 5:22 |
| Writers | Eddie Vedder (lyrics), Mike McCready (music) |
| Producers | Pearl Jam, Josh Evans |
| Video Director | Josh Wakely |
| Live Debut | September 26, 2021, Ohana Festival |
| Live Performances | 5 (per setlist.fm) |
Background & Inspiration
Thirty Tracks of Guitar Ideas
Producer Josh Evans described the extensive creative process:
“Being Mike’s song, they tried it all kinds of different ways: with acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and 12-string. When it came time to mix, I had literally 30 tracks of different guitar ideas and ways they could go.”
— Josh Evans Variety
Evans navigated through those layers to build toward the climactic outro, wanting to “make it soar with big guitars, delayed keyboards, Mellotron and bass drum.”
McCready contributes keyboards alongside his guitar work. Stone Gossard and former producer Brendan O’Brien also played keyboards on the track Wikipedia .
Lyrics & Meaning
The astronomical term “retrograde” describes apparent backward motion—when planets seem to reverse direction from Earth’s perspective. The song applies this to human behavior: taking backward steps on climate, on progress, on consciousness.
Critics perceived “messages of warning and hope” connecting to “the emotional roller-coaster ride that humanity is going through along with our changing planet” Space.com .
Composition & Production
Musical specifications:
- Key: F# minor
- Tempo: ~95 BPM
- Duration: 5:22
At over five minutes, the song has room for development. It builds gradually, with textures accumulating until the “flying off a cliff” moment Evans described.
Studios: Litho (Seattle), various locations Recording Period: 2017-2019
Music Video
Director Josh Wakely’s animated video depicts floods raging through cities—the Eiffel Tower, the Space Needle overwhelmed by water.
“Something Pearl Jam has done so extraordinarily well for 30 years is to speak truth to power and fire warning shots… this one kept me up at night.”
— Josh Wakely Rock Cellar
Toward the video’s end, Greta Thunberg is revealed as the fortune teller—the one who’s been warning all along.
Live Performances
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Live Debut | September 26, 2021, Ohana Festival |
| Total Performances | 5 |
| Most Recent | July 8, 2022, London |
One of Gigaton’s rarest live tracks. It hasn’t been performed since the 2022 touring cycle.
Personnel
| Member | Role |
|---|---|
| Eddie Vedder | Vocals |
| Stone Gossard | Guitar, keyboards |
| Mike McCready | Guitar, keyboards (songwriter) |
| Jeff Ament | Bass |
| Matt Cameron | Drums |
| Brendan O’Brien | Keyboards |
Production: Pearl Jam, Josh Evans
Context
At track 11, “Retrograde” provides transition from grief toward the album’s closing peace. After “Comes Then Goes” hit bottom, this song begins the ascent toward the resolution of “River Cross.”
Related Songs
- “Sirens” (Lightning Bolt): McCready composition with mortality themes
- “Long Road” (Merkin Ball): McCready’s melodic sense
- “Do the Evolution” (Yield): Broader environmental critique