Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town is the tenth track from the second studio album Vs. by Grunge band Pearl Jam released on October 19, 1993. The length of the song’s title was a reaction by the band to the fact that most of its songs featured one-word titles.
The song is often referred to simply as Elderly Woman or Small Town by the band and its fans. The song reached number 17 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. An acoustic version of the song can be found on the Go single. The song was included on Pearl Jam’s 2004 greatest hits album, rearview mirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003).
The song was used in promos for the final season of Rescue Me. Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town was first performed live at the band’s June 16, 1993 concert in Missoula, Montana, at the University of Montana-Missoula’s University Theatre.
Live performances of the song can be found on the Dissident/Live in Atlanta box set, the live album Live on Two Legs, various official bootlegs, the Live at the Gorge 05/06 box set, and the live album Live at Lollapalooza 2007. A performance of the song is also included on the DVD Live at the Showbox. The live version from Live on Two Legs reached number 21 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 26 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1998. In Canada, this version reached the top 30 on the Canadian Singles Chart.
Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town Lyrics
I seem to recognize your face
Haunting, familiar yet
I can’t seem to place it
Cannot find the candle of thought to light your name
Lifetimes are catching up with me
All these changes taking place
I wish I’d seen the place
But no one’s ever taken me
Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away
I swear, I recognize your breath
Memories like fingerprints are slowly raising
Me, you wouldn’t recall for I’m not my former
It’s hard when you’re stuck upon the shelf
I changed by not changing at all
Small town predicts my fate
Perhaps that’s what no one wants to see
I just want to scream hello
My God it’s been so long
Never dreamed you’d return
But now here you are and here I am
Hearts and thoughts they fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away
Hearts and thoughts they fade
Songwriters: Eddie Vedder, Jeff Ament, Mike Mccready, Stone Gossard, Dave Abbruzzese.
