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Just Breathe (Pearl Jam song)

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"Just Breathe"
Single by Pearl Jam
from the album Backspacer
B-side"Got Some"
ReleasedOctober 31, 2009
Recorded2009
GenreFolk rock
Length3:34
LabelMonkeywrench
Songwriter(s)Eddie Vedder
Producer(s)Brendan O'Brien
Pearl Jam singles chronology
"The Fixer"
(2009) 		"Got Some" / "Just Breathe"
(2009) 		"Amongst the Waves"
(2010)
Music video
"Just Breathe" on YouTube

"Just Breathe" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. It was released on October 31, 2009 as the second single from the band's ninth studio albumBackspacer (2009). The song was triggered by a chord from "Tuolumne", an instrumental from Eddie Vedder's soundtrack for the 2007 film Into the Wild.[1]

The song spent 13 weeks at number one on Billboard''s Adult Alternative Airplay chart; in 2021, it was named the 14th-most successful song in the chart's history.[2][3] It also peaked at number six on the Alternative Airplay chart, becoming the band's highest-charting second single since "Wishlist" in 1998.[4] In Europe, the song was a top ten hit in Portugal and a top 20 hit in the Netherlands.

Background

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The first chord of the song comes from "Tuolumne", an instrumental from Eddie Vedder's soundtrack for the 2007 film Into the Wild. What became the chorus for "Just Breathe" was originally intended by Vedder as the song's bridge, but was changed because producer Brendan O'Brien preferred it that way.[5]

On January 22, 2014, "Just Breathe" was certified platinum in digital sales by the RIAA.[6] It is the band's first platinum-certified song.

The song has been featured in several TV shows and movies, including Kodachrome, Castle, One Tree Hill, Brothers & Sisters, Life as We Know It, The Blacklist, The Night Shift and iZombie in addition to the documentaries Buck and Gleason.

Track listing

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All lyrics written by Eddie Vedder.

CD (UK), 7" vinyl single, and digital download (UK)
  1. "Got Some" (music: Jeff Ament) – 3:01
  2. "Just Breathe" (music: Vedder) – 3:34
Digital download (Australia)
  1. "Got Some" – 3:03
  2. "Just Breathe" – 3:36
  3. "Just Breathe" (Live at Austin City Limits video) – 3:52

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (2009–2010) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[7] 30
Canada Rock (Billboard)[8] 1
Croatia (ARC Top 100)[9] 80
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10] 14
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] 18
Portugal (AFP)[12] 9
US Billboard Hot 100[13] 78
US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[14] 20
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[15] 5

Year-end charts

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Chart (2010) Position
Canadian Hot 100[16] 95

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[17] Platinum 60,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[18] Gold 15,000‡
United States (RIAA)[19] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Covers

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Willie Nelson released his version of the song on the 2012 album Heroes, as well as a promotional single.

Jennifer Warnes released her version of the song on the 2018 album Another Time, Another Place.[20]

Miley Cyrus released a version of the song on YouTube in 2020, as part of the MTV Unplugged Presents Miley Cyrus Backyard Sessions.[21]

Dave Matthews covered the song solo on September 2, 2023, as part of the encore of Dave Matthews Band's show at the Gorge Amphitheater, in tribute to Jimmy Buffett and other friends who “breathed their last this week”. He continued to play the song during the band's 2023 fall tour and into their 2024 summer tour.[22]

References

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  1. ^ Pearl Jam: The 'Backspacer' Q&As
  2. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (February 18, 2021). "Dave Matthews Band & The Wallflowers' 'One Headlight' Top Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Charts". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  3. ^ "Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  4. ^ "Pearl Jam Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  5. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (September 8, 2009). "Pearl Jam: The 'Backspacer' Q&As". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  6. ^ RIAA Gold and Platinum Database Search Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Pearl Jam Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  8. ^ "Pearl Jam Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  9. ^ "Croatian Airplay Radio Chart Top 100". Retrieved January 18, 2010.
  10. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 2, 2010" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  11. ^ "Pearl Jam – Just Breathe" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  12. ^ "Pearl Jam – Just Breathe". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  13. ^ "Pearl Jam Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  14. ^ "Pearl Jam Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  15. ^ "Pearl Jam Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  16. ^ "Charts Year End: Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
  17. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Pearl Jam – Just Breathe" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  18. ^ "Italian single certifications – Pearl Jam – Just Breathe" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  19. ^ "American single certifications – Pearl Jam – Just Breathe". Recording Industry Association of America.
  20. ^ Graff, Gary (March 1, 2018). "Jennifer Warnes Covers Pearl Jam, Talks NFL 'Dirty Dancing' Super Bowl Ad". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  21. ^ Kaufman, Gil (October 22, 2020). "Watch Miley Cyrus Throw Some Country Soul on Pearl Jam's 'Just Breathe'". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  22. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (September 3, 2023). "Dave Matthews Band Salutes Jimmy Buffett, Pearl Jam At The Gorge". SPIN. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
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