Sleeping By Myself
Summary
Sleeping By Myself originated on Eddie Vedder’s 2011 solo album Ukulele Songs as a spare, intimate piece about betrayal and solitude. On Lightning Bolt, the full band transforms it—what was melancholic and vulnerable gains a “jaunty bounce” with full rock arrangement. The same words take on different meaning when delivered with band propulsion: loneliness becomes defiance, or at least resilience.
Vedder spoke to NPR about his relationship with the ukulele and how it shaped songs like this one:
“It is a happy sound, and by using it to process some emotions that were less than joyful, it somehow balanced it out to where it didn’t sound like suicide music.”
— Eddie Vedder NPR
The instrument’s inherent brightness counterbalanced dark lyrics about deception in relationships. When Pearl Jam added drums, bass, and electric guitars, that balance shifted again—the song transformed from confession to anthem.
Key Details
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Album | Lightning Bolt (2013) |
| Track Number | 10 |
| Release Date | October 15, 2013 |
| Duration | 3:02 |
| Writer | Eddie Vedder |
| Producer | Brendan O’Brien |
| Label | Monkeywrench/Republic |
| Original Version | Ukulele Songs (2011) |
| Solo Debut | 2011 (Ukulele Songs tour) |
| Full-Band Debut | November 21, 2013, Viejas Arena, San Diego, CA |
| Live Performances | 28 (per setlist.fm, both versions) |
Background & Inspiration
The Ukulele Period
Vedder picked up the ukulele in a Hawaiian convenience store in the mid-1990s as a traveling companion and songwriting tool. By 2011, he had accumulated enough ukulele-based material for a full solo album. He explained the instrument’s appeal:
“If it weren’t for the ukulele I would have been by myself. The songs were just written for my own benefit.”
— Eddie Vedder NPR
The ukulele provided companionship during solitary periods—a small, portable instrument that could capture ideas wherever he found himself. “Sleeping By Myself” emerged from this practice.
From Solo to Band
The solo version appeared on Ukulele Songs (May 31, 2011), two years before Lightning Bolt. When Pearl Jam recorded their version, they faced a creative question: how do you transform something intimate into something communal?
The answer involved adding energy without losing emotional core. The band version maintains a brief ukulele section—Vedder plays the instrument during a breakdown—connecting to the original while embracing the full-band context.
Betrayal and Solitude
The lyrics address deception in a relationship. The protagonist discovers there was “someone else” and decides to leave. The title’s matter-of-fact statement—sleeping by myself—becomes both consequence and resolution.
Lyrics & Interpretation
The Discovery
The song’s narrative centers on discovering a partner’s infidelity and choosing solitude over continued deception. The title states the result plainly: the narrator now sleeps alone.
Framing Matters
What makes the two versions so different isn’t the words—they’re identical—but the framing. On ukulele, “sleeping by myself” sounds like a wound. With full band, it sounds like a decision. The same phrase becomes victimhood or agency depending on arrangement.
Adaptation Over Despair
The Lightning Bolt version suggests resilience. The narrator isn’t wallowing—they’re moving forward, choosing solitude over compromise. The “jaunty bounce” critics noted transforms lament into declaration.
Key Themes
- Betrayal: Discovering a partner’s deception
- Choice: Deciding to leave rather than accept
- Solitude: Being alone as consequence and liberation
- Resilience: Finding strength through forward motion
Composition & Arrangement
Two Versions Compared
| Element | Ukulele Songs (2011) | Lightning Bolt (2013) |
|---|---|---|
| Instrumentation | Ukulele, voice | Full band + ukulele section |
| Tempo | Slower, contemplative | Upbeat (~130 BPM) |
| Mood | Melancholic, vulnerable | Defiant, resilient |
| Duration | 2:46 | 3:02 |
Full-Band Transformation
Musical specifications:
- Key: G major
- Tempo: Upbeat (~130 BPM)
- Time Signature: 4/4
- Duration: 3:02
Matt Cameron’s drums drive the arrangement forward. Jeff Ament’s bass provides foundation. Stone Gossard and Mike McCready’s guitars fill space the ukulele left empty. But the song doesn’t lose intimacy entirely—the ukulele breakdown provides a window back to the original.
The Ukulele Section
Rather than abandoning the song’s origins, Pearl Jam incorporated them. Vedder plays ukulele during a mid-song breakdown, creating a sonic bridge between versions. This moment acknowledges the song’s history while embracing its transformation.
Production & Recording
Henson Sessions
Studios: Henson Recording Studios (Los Angeles) Recording Period: Early 2012, March 2013 Producer: Brendan O’Brien
O’Brien faced the challenge of producing a song that already existed in beloved form. His approach: don’t fight the original, but don’t simply replicate it either. The full-band version justifies its existence through transformation rather than improvement.
Balancing Act
The production maintains the song’s essential simplicity while adding power. The mix keeps Vedder’s vocal central—the emotional through-line connecting both versions. The band provides energy without overwhelming the confession at the song’s heart.
Critical Reception & Legacy
Transformation Praised
Critics noted how the full-band arrangement changed the song’s emotional character. The “jaunty bounce” transformed melancholy into something approaching defiance—same words, different meaning.
Solo vs. Band Debate
Fan discussions often debate which version is superior. Partisans of the Ukulele Songs original argue the intimacy is essential. Defenders of the Lightning Bolt version appreciate the energy and communal feeling.
Legacy:
- Demonstrated how arrangement shapes meaning
- Connected Vedder’s solo work to Pearl Jam
- Became playable in both solo and full-band contexts
- Showed the song’s durability across interpretations
- Sparked ongoing fan debate about definitive version
Live Performances
Statistics
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Vedder Solo Debut | 2011 (Ukulele Songs tour) |
| Pearl Jam Full-Band Debut | November 21, 2013, Viejas Arena, San Diego, CA |
| Total Performances | 28 (per setlist.fm, both versions) |
| Most Recent | September 18, 2022, Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO |
Flexibility
The song works in multiple live contexts. Vedder performs it solo with ukulele during acoustic moments or solo tours. Pearl Jam performs the full-band version during regular shows. This flexibility—rare for songs that exist in both forms—demonstrates the material’s strength.
Dennis Rodman Moment
At a 2018 Wrigley Field show, Dennis Rodman brought Eddie his ukulele during the encore, leading to a memorable solo performance. The unexpected moment captured the song’s ability to appear in any context.
St. Louis 2022
The September 2022 St. Louis performance was listed as a “tour debut” for that run, showing the song continues to appear after years between performances. It’s not a setlist staple but hasn’t been forgotten.
Personnel & Credits
Pearl Jam
| Member | Role |
|---|---|
| Eddie Vedder | Vocals, guitar, ukulele |
| Stone Gossard | Guitar |
| Mike McCready | Guitar |
| Jeff Ament | Bass |
| Matt Cameron | Drums |
Production Team
| Role | Personnel |
|---|---|
| Producer | Brendan O’Brien |
| Mixer | Brendan O’Brien |
| Mastering | Bob Ludwig |
Fan Theories & Trivia
Which Version Is “Real”?
The existence of two versions raises questions about authenticity. Is the ukulele version the “real” song because it came first? Or does the band version represent the song’s potential realized? Fans argue both positions.
Vedder’s Ukulele Journey
“Sleeping By Myself” connects to Vedder’s long ukulele exploration, which began with “Soon Forget” on Binaural (2000). The instrument allowed him to write differently—smaller, more intimate songs that might not emerge on guitar.
Trivia
- Originally from Ukulele Songs (2011)
- Full-band version adds “jaunty bounce”
- Contains ukulele section connecting to original
- Dennis Rodman delivered ukulele at 2018 Wrigley show
- Vedder: “If it weren’t for the ukulele I would have been by myself”
- Both versions performed regularly
Fan Discussions
Active topics on r/pearljam and Pearl Jam Community forums include:
- Which version is superior (solo vs. full band)
- How the arrangement changes the emotional meaning
- The song’s place in Vedder’s solo vs. PJ work
- Whether other solo songs should get band treatment
- The ukulele’s role in Vedder’s songwriting
Comparative Analysis
Within Pearl Jam’s Catalog
“Sleeping By Myself” represents a rare instance of a Vedder solo song becoming a Pearl Jam track.
- “Just Breathe” (Backspacer): Into the Wild influence on PJ
- “Hard Sun” (Into the Wild): Solo work crossing over
- “Society” (Into the Wild): Vedder solo material
- “Future Days” (same album): Another intimate love-related track
Two Versions Phenomenon
The existence of both versions—and their continued performance—demonstrates how arrangement shapes meaning. The same words sung over ukulele versus full band create different emotional experiences: vulnerability versus resilience, wound versus decision.
Album Context
At track 10, “Sleeping By Myself” provides accessibility and singalong potential before the album’s final movements. Coming after the atmospheric “Pendulum,” it re-energizes the album while maintaining emotional depth.