Sometimes rumors are better than the actual truth when it comes to music news. In fact, speculation is often more entertaining than certainty when it comes to the “he said, she said” aspect of analyzing leaked songs in the age of the Internet. Take Pearl Jam for example.
For over a week, fans have torched the blogosphere with speculation about the origin a four-minute folk tune that leaked on Monkeywrench Records’ website on June 9th. Most fans had speculated that the song was an outtake from Riot Act, but they were oh so wrong. For better, or worse, we finally know where the hell the song actually belongs.
It turns out that “Better Days” is actually an Eddie Vedder solo track he composed for Julia Roberts’ upcoming romantic-comedy, Eat Pray Love. The film documents the true story of one woman’s mid-life crisis and co-stars James Franco. It is set for release on August 13th via Sony Pictures, and the soundtrack drops on July 20th. Vedder is no stranger to movie soundtracks, but that hasn’t stopped fans from chiming in on his contribution.
The reaction to the official news has been mixed on the band’s message boards with some fan’s calling the song “beautiful and inspiring,” while others question Vedder’s artistic credibility. Whether you like the song or not, it’s fun to read reactions from die-hard fans who are coming to the realization that they were wrong about the song all along.
Fans who haven’t already downloaded, blogged, and re-blogged “Better Days” can show their appreciation by dropping a buck into Eddie Vedder’s hypothetical tip jar on June 22nd when the single hits the iTunes store.
Before you go and reorganize your iTunes library, check out the trailer for Eat Pray Love below, or catch the band on it’s tour of the European fesival circuit. Tickets are available on Pearl Jam’s website.
Pearl Jam 2010 Tour Dates:
06/22 – Dublin, IE @ The O2
06/23 – Belfast, UK @ Odyssey Arena
06/25 – London, UK @ Hard Rock Calling
06/27 – Nijmegen, NL @ Goffertpark
06/30 – Berlin, DE @ Wuhlheide Stadium
07/01 – Gdynia, PL @ Heineken Open’er Festival
07/03 – Arras, FR @ Arras Main Square
07/04 – Werchter, BE @ Rock Werchter Festival
07/06 – Venice, IT @ Heineken Jammin’ Festival
07/09 – Bilbao, ES @ Bilbao BBK Live
07/10 – Oeiras, PT @ Optimus Alive Festival
