Post Malone Repaints Pearl Jam’s ‘Last Kiss’ as a Towering Acoustic Anthem
Last week, Post Malone shared a live video of him performing a soaring acoustic version of "Last Kiss," the 1961 Wayne Cochran song best known for the cover version released in 1999 by Pearl Jam. Over two decades later, it remains Pearl Jam's highest-charting hit.
As the grunge legend goes, Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder convinced the rock band to record "Last Kiss" after he found a 7" record of the original single at a Seattle antique store. The version played by Posty seems to be indebted to the Pearl Jam take rather than the original, right down to the muted guitar strums that close each verse.
As far as Post Malone's appeal is concerned — the rock-minded hip-hop artist often flexes his country crooner muscles — the Pearl Jam cover makes perfect sense. Especially as an acoustic centerpiece that provides an emotional anchor mid-set. After all, it undoubtedly anchored Pearl Jam's popularity after their five-album run in the '90s.
"Last Kiss" is an archetypical example of the "teenage tragedy" narrative that captured Americans' imaginations post-war. The tune tells the tale of a teen driver who loses his partner in a car accident. Cochran, known in the '60s for his flamboyant outfits and white pompadour, originated "Last Kiss" in 1961. He re-recorded it in 1963. In addition to Pearl Jam and Posty, myriad other artists have adapted it. Cochran died in 2017.
Below, listen to part of Post Malone's live cover of "Last Kiss," followed by the Pearl Jam version and Cochran's original recording.