Who You Are (Pearl Jam song)

1996 single by Pearl Jam

"Who You Are" is a song by American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co written by drummer Jack Irons and guitarist Stone Gossard, "Who You Are" was released on July 30, 1996, as the first single from the band's fourth studio album, No Code (1996). The song topped the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and the Canadian Alternative 30 chart. It also peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, number two on the UK Rock Chart, and reached the top 10 in Australia, Canada, Norway, and Finland—where the song reached number two and became the band's highest charting single. The song was included on Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album, Rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991–2003). On Pearl Jam's greatest hits album, "Who You Are" has a slight lyric change. Instead of "circumstance, clapping hands", it's "avalanche, falling fast".

"Who You Are" features lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music co written by drummer Jack Irons and guitarist Stone Gossard. The polyrhythmic drum pattern for the song was inspired by a Max Roach drum solo that Irons heard at a drum shop when he was eight years old. Vedder played an electric sitar on the song, giving it an Eastern influenced sound. Regarding the song, Vedder said, "We realized that we had an opportunity to experiment."

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref(s). (Reference(s))United StatesJuly 30, 1996Contemporary hit radio, CD, cassetteEpicUnited KingdomAugust 5, 19967 inch vinyl, CD, cassetteJapanAugust 28, 1996CDSony