WATCH: Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder Delivers Stunning Cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “My City Of Ruins”

Eddie Vedder covered a Bruce Springsteen classic recently, and he did an incredible job. The performance took place during a sold-out Pearl Jam concert in Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena on Friday night. Fans of the Boss might recognize the song as “My City Of Ruins” from the 2002 record The Rising.

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Vedder didn’t personally address the fact that the cover took place on the same day that President Donald Trump condemned Springsteen’s on-stage criticisms of his administration’s policies. Though, there’s a chance that the cover was intentional.

Politics aside, Vedder has the kind of voice that fits that classic rock sound that Springsteen is known for. After Vedder completed the gorgeous rendition of the song, the crowd can be heard changing “Bruce!”

The History of Bruce Springsteen’s “My City Of Ruins”

Eddie Vedder’s cover of “My City Of Ruins” was lovely, but you really cannot beat the Bruce Springsteen original. Released back in 2002 as part of Springsteen’s later-career album The Rising, “My City Of Ruins” was originally written as an elegy of sorts for Asbury Park in New Jersey. Specifically, Springsteen penned the tune as an ode to the resort town that he grew up near, and how he watched it deteriorate through the years. Today, the town is still neglected.

The song is a call for hope and rebirth, and it was appropriate for Springsteen to perform the song in front of a live audience during the America: A Tribute To Heroes telethon that took place around 10 days after the New York City attacks.

However, the song took on a significantly different meaning after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. It was an apt closer to the record.

Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time that Eddie Vedder has covered this powerful song. Back in 2009, Vedder performed the track at the Kennedy Center Honors as part of a grand tribute to Bruce Springsteen, who received the prestigious honor that year.

Later, Vedder released his version of the song on iTunes to raise money for earthquake disaster aid in Haiti. That version ended up making it to the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

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