"Self Pollution Radio" was the pirate radio broadcast hosted by Ed Vedder from his basement, back in 1995. Many friends performed during the 4-hour-plus program: Mudhoney, Mad Season, Fastbacks and Soundgarden.

During their blazing set, Pearl Jam played songs off their most recent album 'Vitalogy' (released in stores just a few weeks before) and an interesting 'off-the- air': a rendition of Jim Caroll's cover 'Catholic Boy' with Ed Vedder on vocals, different from the studio version of the song published on 'The Basketball Diaries' soundtrack and recorded by Pearl Jam with Carroll himself.

Performed by Pearl Jam
Recorded in Seattle during Self Pollution Broadcast, 01.08.1995

MP3

CATHOLIC BOY

Words and Music by Jim Carroll

I was born in a pool, they made my mother stand
And I spat on that surgeon and his trembling hand
When I felt the light I was worse than bored
I stole the doctor's scalpel and I slit the cord

I was a Catholic boy
I was redeemed through pain
Not through joy

I was two months early, they put me under glass
I screamed and cursed at children when their nurses passed
I was convicted of theft as I slipped from the womb
They led me straight from my mother to a cell in the Tombs

I was a Catholic boy
I was redeemed through pain
Not through joy

They starved me for weeks, they thought they'd teach me fear
I fed on cellmates' dreams, it gave me fine ideas
When they cut me loose, the time had served me well
I made allies in heaven, I made comrades in hell

I was a Catholic child
The blood ran red
The blood ran wild

I make angels dance and drop to their knees
When I enter a church the feet of statues bleed
I understand the fate of all my enemies
Just like Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane

I watched the sweetest psalm stolen by our choir
I dreamed of martyrs' bones hanging from a wire
I make a contribution, I get absolution
I make a resolution to purify my soul

I'm a Catholic boy
Redeemed through pain
Not through joy

And they can't touch me now
I got every sacrament behind me
I got baptism, I got penance
I got communion, I got extreme unction
Man, I've got confirmation

I was a Catholic boy
Redeemed through pain
And not through joy

And now I'm a Catholic man
I put my tongue to the rail whenever I can

JIM CARROLL