Pick of the Week: Eddie Vedder “Save it for Later”

By Avieana Rivera, Music Coordinator

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder’s cover of “Save It For Later” is a perfect rendition of a classic ’80s hit. First heard in season 3 of FX’s The Bear, this song gives new life to an old favorite. 

A CLASSIC ’80S HIT

“Save It For Later” was originally released in 1982 by the Beat, a British band (known in the U.S and Canada as The English Beat) who dabbles in a bit of everything. The original version is a classic ’80s hit, featuring a saxophone solo, lots of electric guitar and a beat that makes you want to move. The personality of the lead singer shines right through, and gives the song a life of its own. 

The original video features the Beat playing the song in a club-like setting. At the start of the song, everyone is just standing around in their own respective corners, reading and rolling their eyes at the band. At one point, someone even puts in earplugs. As the song progresses, the band jumps into the crowd and begins pulling people onto the dance floor. Their energy is infectious, much like the catchy melody of the song they’re performing. 

The clubbers slowly begin to put down their books and give into their desires. They connect with each other, until eventually everyone joins in, and the dance floor erupts with energy, and groovy eighties dance moves.  At the very end of the video, after the song has stopped, even the decorative skeleton is still dancing. This is exactly how this song feels, a burst of good energy. 

VEDDER’S DIALED DOWN APPROACH 

Though this song has been covered many times, Vedder does something special. He managed to strip the song down without taking away from it’s personality and unique sound. 

Vedder starts the song with only an acoustic guitar strumming the familiar melody. Slowly, he builds it up as he begins to sing. Unlike the original version, his vocals are always on the forefront, giving the lyrics a front row seat. This adds to the integrity of the song, as the melodies are almost completely unchanged from the original. 

He nods again to the original by keeping in the saxophone solo. It’s calmer, and fits in seamlessly with the sound he created. This song continues to build until the very end, when it fades out just as quickly as it first began. This cover is the perfect example of breathing new life into an old favorite. 

AS HEARD IN SEASON 3 OF THE BEAR

(Note: Very slight spoilers ahead; If The Bear is on your watchlist, tread lightly!) 

Vedder’s cover was made popular largely because of its appearance in the newly released third season of FX’s The Bear, a show that follows Carmen Berzatto, a talented chef, as he moves home to Chicago to take over his brother’s restaurant after his passing. In the recently released third season, he launches a new and improved restaurant, turning his brother’s old sandwich shop, The Beef, into a high profile restaurant, The Bear. 

The show uses three different versions of “Save It For Later” at different times throughout the season to indicate different emotions within the characters. Vedder’s version was recorded specifically for the show, and showcases the calmer side of things, when the city is first waking up and people are getting started in their early morning jobs. It showcases the hard work that goes into the city of Chicago— from the bakeries preparing their treats, to The Chicago Tribune printing the morning paper, to our friends at The Bear making sure every ingredient is prepped to perfection. This song and its accompanying scene highlights the beauty of the city, something that is integral to the show, and one of the things viewers connect with most.  

WHAT’S NEXT FOR EDDIE VEDDER? 

Eddie Vedder is still rocking out with Pearl Jam and will be making some stops right here in Boston this September! Catch the band at Fenway Park on September 15th and 17th. In the meantime, they just released their 12th studio album Dark Matter, which is definitely worth a listen. 

Every Monday, our music staff brings you a new Pick of The Week, detailing some of our favorite songs. Check out our previous Picks of the Week here, and make sure to tune in to WERS 88.9FM!