For Tom Schilling, Pearl Jam isn’t just a band—it’s the soundtrack to some of the most memorable parts of his life. From discovering the gritty sound of grunge to playing guitar in his bedroom, Tom’s connection to the song “Corduroy” is full of little moments that a lot of us who grew up in the ’90s can probably relate to.

Tom had just gotten home from a game—maybe baseball or soccer—and flipped on MTV. That’s when he saw the video for “Alive” for the first time. Up until that point, his music world was full of hair bands and more polished rock. But Pearl Jam hit different. It felt raw, honest, and totally new. He remembers just staring at the screen, thinking, “What is this?”

From there, it was a deep dive into Seattle’s grunge scene—Nirvana, Soundgarden, and especially Pearl Jam. As a guitar player, Tom loved the challenge of figuring out the songs by ear. Back then, there were no YouTube tutorials or easy tabs online. You’d just pop the CD into your stereo and play it over and over until you figured it out.

He remembers going to the mall on release day to buy Vitalogy, the album “Corduroy” is on. CDs weren’t cheap, and you had to beg your parents for cash if you didn’t have any. But that CD—and all the others—were treasures. He’d sit and read the little booklet inside, hoping the lyrics were printed, just to better understand the songs.

“Corduroy” became one of Tom’s all-time favorites. So much so that when it came time for his high school graduation, he pulled a lyric from the song and included it in his speech. He laughs now, because he had the lyric a little wrong, but the message still landed. It was the line, “Everything has chains, absolutely nothing’s changed,” which to him captured the bittersweet moment of leaving high school and stepping into the next phase of life. It felt like everything was shifting—and also not at all.

For a little context: Pearl Jam released Vitalogy in 1994. It was their third album and followed their massive successes with Ten and Vs. The band was deep in the grunge movement by then, but they were also trying to push back against the fame that came with it. “Corduroy” in particular was Eddie Vedder’s reaction to fame and the way the world tried to package and sell everything—like the corduroy jacket he bought for $12 that later showed up replicated and sold for hundreds.

The song has some standout lines that really hit home for Tom, like “I don’t want to take what you can give / I would rather starve than eat your bread,” and “Can’t buy what I want because it’s free.” There’s a defiance to it, a desire to stay grounded even when the world wants you to sell out.

Tom remembers going to a Pearl Jam concert not long after high school—getting the cheap lawn seats with a group of friends. Most of them liked the band, though maybe not quite as much as he did. The next night, he talked his younger brother into going back with him, this time with actual seats under the amphitheater roof. Looking back, he thinks he probably influenced his brother’s music taste a bit. That show, and others like it, are still some of his favorite memories.

He never joined a band, though he played casually with friends at parties and in college. Later on, he even started writing and recording his own songs with a friend who ended up on the radio. And just recently, he started teaching guitar and beginner music lessons, bringing it all full circle.

“Corduroy” isn’t a song Tom's wife or daughter necessarily love—he jokes that they just make faces when he brings up Pearl Jam—but that doesn’t stop him from putting it on and feeling everything come rushing back.

If you were ever the kid who sat in your room trying to figure out a song by ear, or who made a speech quoting lyrics that meant something big to you at the time, Tom’s story probably feels familiar. Whether you’ve got an old CD binder under your bed or a favorite flannel you can’t part with, you’ll get why this song still sticks with him.

And if it’s been a while since you listened to “Corduroy,” maybe now’s the time to throw it on again. Just don’t be surprised if a few memories come flooding back.

Corduroy (the song)

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