“Brother the Cloud” by Eddie Vedder

The lyrics of Eddie Vedder’s “Brother the Cloud” are super metaphorical. But, as established from the onset, it is blatantly obvious that the thesis sentiment features the vocalist lamenting for his deceased brother. And the fact that said individual is departed is what the titular symbolism points to, i.e. Eddie beholding “his image in the clouds”.

Perhaps the simplest way of describing what’s going on here is as the vocalist longing for his brother to return. Moreover, as the song progresses, it is implied that said individual may not be his blood sibling but rather a soul brother, if you will. This is an association which in the grand scheme of things can prove even closer than a blood relative.

But of course, longing for a lost loved one isn’t going to bring the person back from the grave. So eventually, i.e. in the outro, Eddie’s emotional pain turns into empathy – for lack of a better word. That is to say that he wishes if the addressee, who reads like another of his friends, were to pass away prematurely himself, to greet Vedder’s brother in the clouds. 

And that’s because if the situation were reversed and if Eddie was rather the first one to go, then he would do the same in regards to one of the addressee’s dead loved ones, i.e. greeting that dead person on the addressee’s behalf.

Sadness turns to Rage

Then the main emotion rather turns into rage, where the vocalist is apparently cursing his friend for passing away. We can say that he is damning the whole concept of friendship due to the inherent potential to suffer such pain if a close associate dies. 

And in that regard it can be said he’s coming off a bit like a child, i.e. someone who is not mature enough to handle the passing of a loved one. But more apparently, this is a statement of emotional vulnerability on the part of the singer, as he has no qualms in displaying the devastation and anger associated with his brother’s death. 

Or put differently, whereas most bereavement songs may be more euphemistic than this one, there is usually a certain degree of bitterness that goes along with deeming a loved one has died before his or her time. And that appears to be part of the singer’s gripe, i.e. his brother leaving too soon for his acceptance.

Eddie Vedder and “Brother the Cloud”

Eddie Vedder is a renowned singer. He made a name for himself as the lead vocalist of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Pearl Jam, whom he has been down with since 1990. 

Vedder also began dropping tracks of his own in 2007. And “Brother the Cloud”, which was released on 14 January 2022, is actually the third single from his fourth studio album, which is entitled “Earthling”.

This track was produced and co-written by Watt, one of the top behind-the-scenes’ musicians of the day. And the other co-writers are Eddie Vedder alongside Josh Klinghoffer and Chad Smith, both of whom are affiliated with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.