Spin the Black Circle

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"Spin the Black Circle"
"Spin the Black Circle" cover
Single by Pearl Jam
from the album Vitalogy
B-side(s) "Tremor Christ"
Released 1994
Format CD single, Cassette, Vinyl
Recorded January - February 1994 at Bad Animals Studio, Seattle, Washington
Genre Grunge
Length 2:48
Label Epic
Writer(s) Dave Abbruzzese, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder
Producer(s) Brendan O'Brien, Pearl Jam
Chart positions
  • # 3 Australian Singles Chart
  • # 6 Irish Singles Chart
  • # 10 UK Singles Chart
  • # 11 US Modern Rock Tracks
  • # 16 US Mainstream Rock Tracks
  • # 92 German Singles Chart
Pearl Jam singles chronology
"Dissident"
(1994)
"Spin the Black Circle"
(1994)
"Immortality"
(1995)
Vitalogy track listing
"Last Exit"
(Track 1)
"Spin the Black Circle"
(Track 2)
"Not For You"
(Track 3)

"Spin the Black Circle" is a song on Pearl Jam's third album, Vitalogy. The song begins with one guitar playing fast power chords, and then the second guitar kicks in and vocalist Eddie Vedder begins singing, or, more accurately, screaming or growling through the rest of the song. The main guitar riff for the song is reminiscent of the one for Hüsker Dü's "Beyond The Threshold" from their album Zen Arcade.

"Spin the Black Circle" won a 1996 Grammy award for Best Hard Rock Performance, the only Grammy which Pearl Jam have ever won. The song was included on Pearl Jam's greatest hits album, Rearviewmirror: Greatest Hits 1991-2003.

Contents

According to Eddie, the track is about his and the band's love for vinyl records. At the July 1, 2003 show in Bristow, Virginia, Ed proclamied "This song is about old records, old records, anyone remember old records?"[1]

Some people have come up with an alternate interpretation of the song's meaning. Many lyrics in the song would also work as references to drug abuse, and some believe it is about addiction.

Compact Disc Single (US, Holland, Europe, Australia, Canada, UK, and Austria)

  1. "Spin the Black Circle" (Abbruzzese, Ament, Gossard, McCready, Vedder) – 2:48
  2. "Tremor Christ" (Abbruzzese, Ament, Gossard, McCready, Vedder) – 4:10

7" Vinyl Single (Holland and US)

  1. "Spin the Black Circle" (Abbruzzese, Ament, Gossard, McCready, Vedder) – 2:48
  2. "Tremor Christ" (Abbruzzese, Ament, Gossard, McCready, Vedder) – 4:10

Cassette Single (UK and Australia)

  1. "Spin the Black Circle" (Abbruzzese, Ament, Gossard, McCready, Vedder) – 2:48
  2. "Tremor Christ" (Abbruzzese, Ament, Gossard, McCready, Vedder) – 4:10

Pearl Jam
Jeff Ament | Stone Gossard | Mike McCready | Eddie Vedder | Matt Cameron
Boom Gaspar | Dave Krusen | Matt Chamberlain | Dave Abbruzzese | Jack Irons
Discography
Albums: Ten | Vs. | Vitalogy | No Code | Yield | Binaural | Riot Act | Pearl Jam
Live Albums and Compilations: Live on Two Legs | Official Bootlegs | Lost Dogs | Live at Benaroya Hall | Rearviewmirror: Greatest Hits 1991-2003 | Live in NYC 12/31/92 | Live at Easy Street
Videos: Single Video Theory | Touring Band 2000 | Live at the Showbox | Live at the Garden
Singles: "Alive" | "Even Flow" | "Jeremy" | "Oceans" | "Go" | "Animal" | "Daughter" | "Dissident" | "Spin the Black Circle" | "Immortality" | "Not For You" | Merkin Ball | "Who You Are" | "Off He Goes" | "Hail, Hail" | "Given to Fly" | "Wishlist" | "Last Kiss" | "Nothing As It Seems" | "Light Years" | "I Am Mine" | "Save You" | "Love Boat Captain" | "Man of the Hour" | "World Wide Suicide" | "Life Wasted"
Related content
Articles: Green River | Grunge music | Mother Love Bone | Bad Radio | Temple of the Dog | Soundgarden | Singles | Brad | Mad Season | Neil Young | Three Fish | Wellwater Conspiracy
Categories: Grunge musicians | Pearl Jam | Pearl Jam Albums | Pearl Jam Official Bootlegs | Pearl Jam Songs | Pearl Jam Tours
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