By Nora Onanian, Web Services Coordinator
Elton John and Eddie Vedder encourage putting trust in life despite its uncertainties with their lively and uplifting collaborative track, “E-Ticket.” The song appears on Elton John’s recently released album The Lockdown Sessions.
DIVING INTO THE SOUND AND MEANING OF “E-TICKET”
Led in by bouncy piano, energetic guitar and drumming from Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters, the instrumentation sets the song in motion. While Vedder sings the majority of the lyrics with vocal accents from Elton John, their voices come together for each chorus, full of emotion and passion. “E-Ticket” is the most classically rock of the album’s tracklisting and certainly offers a spot of jubilance.
The lyrics, which the legendary English musician and Pearl Jam frontman co-wrote with producer Andrew Wyatt, offer a fitting message for the unpredictable and challenging times the world is facing. They compare life to an E-Ticket. Just as the intangible nature of an E-Ticket can at first bring uncertainty, the purpose of life is not always clear, but there is reason and reward. Vedder encourages this sentiment in the lyrics “you gotta figure it’s an e-ticket ride. Yeah, why else stand in line?”
HOW THE COLLABORATION CAME ABOUT
On a page of Elton John’s website dedicated to the stories behind each of The Lockdown Sessions’ 17 tracks, he shares how “E-Ticket” came about. The two got to know each other when John was performing in Hawaii, where Vedder has a home.
“Eddie Vedder is one of the nicest people I know,” Elton John writes. “I love his music and Pearl Jam are brilliant, and he's a big fan, so when he left me a note in my dressing room one day saying how much he'd like it if I wrote some music to his lyrics, I jumped at the opportunity.”
Vedder is one of many artists Elton John collaborated with for his Lockdown Sessions. Other talents featured include Stevie Wonder, Gorillaz, Brandi Carlile, Ed Sheeran, Miley Cyrus, and Lil Nas X. A clear range of genres, Elton John shared that the record “took [him] out of [his] comfort zone,” but that was all part of the message. ''This album is all about the capacity for music to bring people together to form new friendships and connections,” he said.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR EDDIE VEDDER AND ELTON JOHN?
Elton John began working on The Lockdown Sessions when touring for Farewell Yellow Brick Road, which was supposed to be his final world tour, was put on pause. The plans have since resumed, with the first stop scheduled on May 27, 2022 in Frankfurt, Germany. And later, a local show at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro on July 28.
This is the first time the two musical icons have collaborated, but it is already confirmed that it won’t be the last. Another joint track will appear on Vedder’s forthcoming album Earthling. Earthling, out February 22, will be Vedder’s first solo record since 2011 when he released Ukulele Songs. Lead single “Long Way” gives a taste of the commanding rock and roll sound that is likely to come.
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