If the 1990s had an official soundtrack, Ten by Pearl Jam would be one of its defining anthems. The album, released on August 27, 1991, launched the band into grunge superstardom, producing era-defining hits like “Alive,” “Even Flow,” and “Jeremy.” But beyond its platinum status and radio dominance, Ten has a rich and wild history that makes it even more legendary. Here are five little-known facts that will make you hear this album in a whole new way.
1. Eddie Vedder Wrote the Lyrics for Three Songs in One Night—While Surfing
When Eddie Vedder first heard the demo tape that Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament were passing around, he was working as a gas station attendant in San Diego. He took the tape, went for a surf, and in one night, wrote the lyrics for what would become Alive, Once, and Footsteps. That tape, now known as the Momma-Son trilogy, was Vedder’s golden ticket to Seattle and Pearl Jam. Who knew that one night of waves and words would change rock history forever?
2. Even Flow Took Over 50 Takes to Record
If Even Flow sounds like it has an effortless groove, the reality was anything but. Drummer Dave Krusen struggled to lock in the beat, and producer Rick Parashar made the band record it over and over—by some estimates, between 50 and 70 times! By the end of it, the band was completely exhausted and frustrated with the process. Even to this day, guitarist Mike McCready isn’t satisfied with the final take. Let that sink in the next time you crank it up.
3. The Mixing of Ten Left the Band Unhappy
While Ten was a massive success, Pearl Jam wasn’t thrilled with how it sounded. The album was heavily reverbed and polished to the point that it almost sounded more like a classic rock record than a raw grunge album. Years later, bassist Jeff Ament admitted, “I’d love to remix Ten. Just pull some of the reverb off it.” In 2009, the band finally got their wish, releasing a remixed version by producer Brendan O’Brien that stripped away the gloss and let the raw energy shine through.
4. The Hidden Track Master/Slave Bookends the Album
You might not realize it, but Ten technically opens and closes with the same track. Master/Slave, an eerie, atmospheric instrumental, plays before the first song, Once, and returns after the album’s closer, Release. Bassist Jeff Ament came up with the hypnotic bassline, and it was producer Rick Parashar who fleshed it out into the haunting piece that ties the entire album together. It’s a subtle touch, but it adds a sense of full-circle storytelling to the record.
5. Jeremy Was Inspired by a Real Tragedy
Pearl Jam’s Jeremy is one of the most haunting songs of the 1990s, and its origins are even more unsettling. The lyrics were inspired by a real-life tragedy—Jeremy Wade Delle, a high school student from Texas, who tragically took his own life in front of his classmates. Eddie Vedder read about the incident in a newspaper and felt compelled to tell the story in a way that captured both its horror and heartbreak. The song’s unforgettable music video won multiple MTV Video Music Awards, but its stark imagery led to it being banned by some networks.
Nearly 33 years after its release, Ten remains a landmark album in rock history, shaping a generation and defining an era. Whether you’re blasting Alive in the car or reflecting on Black, these hidden details add even more depth to one of the greatest albums of all time. So go ahead—give it another spin, and hear it like it’s 1991 all over again.
