The Saga of Jeremy: Pearl Jam’s Song & Its Many Tragedies

Pearl Jam brought grunge to the masses, quality songs to the radio, and taboo stories to the forefront of people’s minds. The song Jeremy was the band’s third single, which debuted in 1992, and stayed in heavy rotation on MTV. The song is based on two true stories, one of which was about a troubled teen named Jeremy Wade Delle, who ended his life in front of his classmates in 1991.

Trevor Wilson / Pearl Jam / Eddie Vedder / Jeremy Delle, Pearl Jam.

Source: Getty Images

Lead singer Eddie Vedder was trying to send a message with this song, but thanks to video censorship, the full cut of the video (which still won awards) was never aired, and it caused confusion and controversy for years. But the song has gone on to have a much deeper and lasting legacy – one that no one would have expected.