Songfacts®: There are two prominent theories regarding the title of this song: 1) The name "Yellow Ledbetter" derives from an old tongue twister in which you try to say "yellow better, red better" as fast as you can. Just a few times repeated, the words become jumbled and you get "yellow ledbetter." They used it as the name of the song because
Pearl Jam live op Pinkpop 1992:1. ~ 00:00 ~ Even Flow (Cuts In)2. ~ 01:28 ~ Why Go3. ~ 05:25 ~ Jeremy4. ~ 11:01 ~ Alive5. ~ 16:24 ~ Black6. ~ 21:42 ~ Leash7. 143.2K Pearl Jam's Music and Activism; 107.2K The Porch; 227 Vitalogy; 32.4K Given To Fly (live) 3.4K Words and MusicCommunication; 37.4K Flea Market; 37.4K Lost Dogs; 58.3K Not Pearl Jam's Music; 10.6K Musicians and Gearheads; 28.8K Other Music; 17.8K Poetry, Prose, Music & Art; 1.1K The Art Wall; 56.4K Non-Pearl Jam Discussion; 22.1K A Pickin' on the boy. Seemed a harmless little fuck. Oh, but we unleashed a lion. Gnashed his teeth. And bit the recess lady's breast. How could I forget. He hit me with a surprise left. My jaw left hurtin. Oh, dropped wide open.