Sirens

Summary

Sirens was the second single from Lightning Bolt—a sweeping, nearly six-minute ballad about the fear of losing someone you love, set against imagery of emergency vehicles in the night. Mike McCready wrote the music after attending Roger Waters’s The Wall Live tour in 2011, wanting something with “a Pink Floyd type feel.” Producer Brendan O’Brien called it “one of the best songs they’ve ever written” Billboard .

Key Details

Attribute	Details
Album	Lightning Bolt (2013)
Track Number	4
Release Date	September 18, 2013 (single)
Duration	5:41
Writers	Mike McCready (music), Eddie Vedder (lyrics)
Producer	Brendan O’Brien
Video Director	Danny Clinch
Chart Performance	#12 Rock Airplay, 13,000 first-week downloads

Background & Inspiration

McCready’s inspiration came from Roger Waters’s The Wall Live tour:

“I wanted to write something that would have a Pink Floyd type feel.”

— Mike McCready Billboard

The song didn’t find its final form until Vedder added lyrics in a Los Angeles hotel room, triggered by actual police sirens late at night:

“I didn’t know it was going to turn into a dark, ominous, beautiful ballad until I heard Ed’s lyrics. He stayed up all night and wrote them in California. I heard them the night that he put them on there and they just brought me to tears. This is Ed at his best in my mind.”

— Mike McCready Billboard

Lyrics & Meaning

The sirens are ambulances and fire trucks—sounds that trigger anxiety about loss. The narrator lies awake at night, contemplating how quickly life can change. Vedder explained his approach:

“It sounds so pedestrian and ridiculous but death is everywhere. I just can’t seem to get around it. So I think part of it is not getting around it, it’s getting through it. Songs end up being mantras that you end up playing for yourself.”

— Eddie Vedder Rolling Stone

At a 2016 Fenway Park performance, Vedder elaborated:

“You start thinking about how precious life is… it just makes me think that we need to protect each other, it’s like we are all alone in this together.”

— Eddie Vedder Setlist.fm

Composition & Production

McCready’s Pink Floyd-inspired music builds gradually over nearly six minutes, starting sparse and adding layers.

Musical specifications:

Key: D major
Tempo: ~85 BPM
Duration: 5:41

Studios: Henson Recording Studios (Los Angeles), Studio X (Seattle) Recording Period: Early 2012, March 2013 Additional Musicians: Ann Marie Calhoun (violin), Boom Gaspar (keyboards)

Music Video

Danny Clinch directed the video, shooting in a nearly pitch-black studio with only a few spotlights:

“This performance piece was shot in a nearly pitch black studio, with only a few spotlights used to light the band. The result makes it seem like the group is lit by moonlight.”

— Noisecreep Noisecreep

At the 4:10 mark, McCready and Vedder share a look as the solo winds down—a moment of connection between collaborators who’ve worked together for decades.

Live Performances

Metric	Data
Debut	October 11, 2013, Pittsburgh
Total Performances	75
Typical Placement	Quieter portion of shows

The song maintains the studio arrangement’s gradual build in concert. McCready’s restraint translates live; the eventual solo release feels earned.

Personnel

Member	Role
Eddie Vedder	Vocals
Stone Gossard	Guitar
Mike McCready	Guitar (composition)
Jeff Ament	Bass
Matt Cameron	Drums
Ann Marie Calhoun	Violin
Boom Gaspar	Keyboards

Production: Brendan O’Brien

Context

Following three harder tracks (“Getaway,” “Mind Your Manners,” “My Father’s Son”), “Sirens” provides emotional depth at track 4. Its placement gives the album room to breathe.

“Black” (Ten): Classic Pearl Jam ballad template
“Just Breathe” (Backspacer): Previous mortality-aware love song
“Future Days” (same album): Companion piece sharing a key line