Help Help

Album: Riot Act (2002)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Help Help" is one of the few tracks in the Pearl Jam catalog written by bass player Jeff Ament - music and lyrics. Much of the album deals with the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Here, Ament makes a case for empathy as Eddie Vedder sings:

    The man they call my enemy, I've seen his eyes
    He looks just like me


    "I think love's a real big theme on this record," Ament told Uncut soon after the album was released. "It might not be the love of a girl, but all that love encompasses. This is a time of war we're in now. It's not a clearly fought war. But there are a lot of things that need to be restated."
  • In a 2023 Songfacts interview with Jeff Ament, he talked about how this song transformed after he brought it to the band. "The demo that I did for it was a little bit more rock – a little bit more Zeppelin-y," he said. "And then when the band got a hold of it, it just got a little bit more 'art project-y.' It's a cool track when I listen to it now. It sounds kind of psychedelic and almost like Jane's Addiction."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Dino Cazares of Fear Factory

Dino Cazares of Fear FactorySongwriter Interviews

The guitarist/songwriter explains how he came up with his signature sound, and deconstructs some classic Fear Factory songs.

Michael W. Smith

Michael W. SmithSongwriter Interviews

Smith breaks down some of his worship tracks as well as his mainstream hits, including "I Will Be Here For You" and "A Place In This World."

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

TV Theme Songs

TV Theme SongsFact or Fiction

Was a Beatles song a TV theme? And who came up with those Fresh Prince and Sopranos songs?

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.