Exactly one year after premiering the song live at the Ohana Festival in Dana Point, CA, on August 27, 2016, Eddie Vedder took “Out of Sand” to the Roadhouse stage in Twin Peaks, WA. Despite David Lynch meeting and interviewing the singer in 2009 for a David Lynch Foundation event, music supervisor, Dean Hurley, revealed to KEXP that it was really Laura Dern who brought Pearl Jam’s leading man into the world of Twin Peaks as Edward Louis Severson (yes, that’s Vedder’s birth name).
Honestly, I think one of the unsung heroes bringing him into the fold was Laura Dern, actually. [Eddie] and Laura are really good friends … and I think Laura was planting that seed in David’s mind.
Lyrics like “Now it’s gone, gone / And I am who I am / Who I was I will never be again” seem to allude to Part 16’s Dale Cooper and Audrey Horne story lines, but Vedder was unaware of any specifics when writing the song and just based it on a vague phone conversation with Dean Hurley:
[Eddie Vedder] was asking me about the show and I didn’t know what to say. I mentioned a few abstract themes from the show to him, but after just mentioning those few items, he was just like, “Sounds like we’re throwing darts at the wall.” He’s an amazing darts player because the first dart he threw, David listened to it and said, “It’s great, it’s going into the Roadhouse like that, I love the song.”
It oddly does unknowingly touch on some feeling and vibe of the show in terms of the lyrics and overall abstract theme of it all.
The song will be on the Twin Peaks (Music from the Limited Event Series) soundtrack out September 8, 2017, which you can pre-order it via Amazon.
Edward Louis Severson – Out Of Sand
Dean Hurley talks Eddie Vedder and Audrey’s Dance to DJ Morgan on KEXP
First live performance of Out of Sand (August 27, 2016)
David Lynch interviews Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder – Out of Sand (lyrics)
Can’t climb to heaven on the cross
One liar’s promise drained the blood from my heart
Came a message in the dark
Offered the hand of a disembodied man
While I still had the chance
Now it’s gone, gone
And I am who I am
Who I was I will never be again
Running out of sand
I stare at my reflection to the bone
Blurred eyes look back at me
Full of blame and sympathy
So, so close
Right roads not taken, the future’s forsaken
Dropped like a fossil or stone
Now it’s gone, gone
And I am who I am
Who I was I will never come again
Running out of sand
A drunk octopus wants to fight
Fearful of dreams, there’ll be no sleep tonight
Fine at dinner, dead by dessert
Victim or witness, we’re gonna get hurt
A fragile existence with echoes of wrath
I can’t stop the bleeding nor the tears from thine eye
There’s another us around somewhere with much better lives
With God as our witness but he won’t testify
Oh now it’s gone, gone
And I am who I am
Who I could’ve been I’ll never have the chance
Running out of sand
Running out of sand
Running out of sand
Hat tip to PearlJamOnline.it for the handwritten lyrics.
Fire walk with 
Never heard the song before, but i was truly emotional touched by Eddie’s performance in the Road House. Thnx to Laura ‘Diane’ Dern for introducing it to all of us TP fans.
Thank you. I was looking for someone to blame. Booo Laura Dern, booo! Worst song ever by worst artist ever. In the best show ever.
Thank you Laura.
Love Eddie, love Pearl Jam, love the song.
Hard to believe that he didn’t know any specifics, especially when hearing the line “offered the hand of a disembodied man”. I was sure this would have to be a reference to Major Briggs and his appearance in The Return.
Pieter, there’s a typo in the lyrics you posted, third chorus. You wrote ” Who I was I’ll never have the chance” but it should be “who I could’ve been I’ll never have the chance”.
Thanks for the correction!
Worst song ever by worst artist ever. In the worst show ever. This show is a train wreak. I don’t understand how anyone finds this worthy of anything. Thank goodness for the FFwd button on my DVR. If only I could look away from this wreak I’d be able to find the erase button
lol
lol
Never heard Dean’s voice, he’s very pleasant to listen to, very informative! Interesting that’s Johnny Jewel’s keyboard, but it’s fitting to hear he’s a gear head
Vedder’s horrible performance was almost as cringe-worthy as Dern’s “love scene” with Richard / Cooper. James Hurley did a better job.
Really enjoyed all of the musical performances in The Return. One line in the final verse is off here. It should read “echoes of worth” rather than “wrath”. Like the Rebekah Del Rio performance, this one captures a kind of sadness and regret that you come to know with age.
Tried to post earlier but nothing came up so hope theres no duplicates!
Great Song!! I love this song and it really hits where it hurts! Makes me cry, thanks for the moving moment and thanks to Laura Dern and David Lynch for bringing this song to light. What a beautiful sentiment. As for the folks posting negative comments, I don’t get it, but to each his own. But for me, this is a genius song with perfect lyrics and great melodies. And pain in it. It truly breaks my heart in the best way. Thank you. And I believe its “echoes of worth” not “wrath”.