How Eddie Vedder Almost Gave Away One of Pearl Jam’s Biggest Songs

When Pearl Jam was working on demos for their Vs album, producer Brendan O’Brien was especially enthusiastic about a song called “Better Man.”  He thought it was a surefire hit.  But the band didn’t see it that way. 

In fact, Eddie Vedder—he wrote the song—didn’t want to record it at all.  Instead, he wanted to give it to Greenpeace so they could use it on an upcoming charity album.  He already had the idea that the Pretenders were going to do it with Chrissie Hynde singing it on her own. 

So O’Brien did was he was told.  He did the session with the Pretenders—but he kinda sabotaged it.  The song didn’t work and the Pretenders decided not to use it. 

“Better Man” went back to Pearl Jam and—well, it kinda worked out well, didn’t it?