Dissident is a song by Pearl Jam, released as the fourth single from Vs. on May 16, 1994. It was written by band members Eddie Vedder, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Dave Abbruzzese. Dissident appearing as the fifth track on their second studio album, Vs. (1993).
According to Vedder, Dissident is about a woman who secretly shelters a refugee but eventually turns him in to the authorities because she cannot support him any longer, leading her to feel guilty about her decision.
The song peaked at number three on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and in Denmark, number two in Norway, and number seven in Finland and Ireland. “Dissident (Part 2)” was also released as a single, reaching number two in the Netherlands and number 19 in France, and two live singles found success in Denmark and Norway.
The song was included on Pearl Jam’s 2004 greatest hits album, rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003). Pearl Jam lead vocalist Eddie Vedder said about the song Dissident:
In “Dissident,” I’m actually talking about a woman who takes in someone who’s being sought after by the authorities for political reasons. He’s on the run, and she offers him a refuge. But she just can’t handle the responsibility. She turns him in, then she has to live with the guilt and the realization that she’s betrayed the one thing that gave her life meaning. It made her life difficult. It made her life hell. But it gave her a reason to be. But she couldn’t hold on. She folded. That’s the tragedy of the song.
Tracklist:
- Dissident
- Release (live), Rearviewmirror (live), Even Flow (live)
Live tracks recorded on April 3, 1994, at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia.
Pearl Jam
Eddie Vedder: vocals; rhythm guitar on “Rearviewmirror” and “Elderly Woman”
Jeff Ament: bass guitar; upright bass
Stone Gossard: rhythm guitar
Mike McCready: lead guitar
Dave Abbruzzese: drums
