"Lost Dogs" is a two-disc compilation album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 11, 2003, through Epic Records. The album is a collection of B-sides, unreleased rarities, and other tracks that had not been included on the band's previous albums. It debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200 and sold 89,500 copies in its first week. The album has since been certified gold by the RIAA.
The collection includes songs that were previously available as B-sides to singles, as well as some unreleased tracks. Several songs on Lost Dogs differ from their original versions, including "Alone," "U," "Wash," and "Dirty Frank." One of the highlights of the album is the hidden track "4/20/02," which is a tribute to Alice in Chains frontman Layne Staley, who passed away in 2002. The track was written by Pearl Jam's lead vocalist Eddie Vedder upon hearing the news of Staley's death. The song features only Vedder singing and playing the guitar in a ukulele-inspired tuning. It was not included on the band's album Riot Act because the band felt they had enough material at the time, and Vedder did not want the tribute to feel exploitative.
Although Lost Dogs includes a wide variety of tracks, there were some notable omissions from the album, including "Angel" (a track originally from the 1993 fan club Christmas single) and other fan club rarities. Also missing are songs like "I Got Id" and "Long Road" from the Merkin Ball EP, and "Leatherman" from the "Given to Fly" single. The track "Bee Girl" is a tribute to Heather DeLoach, the woman who famously appeared in the bee costume in Blind Melon's music video for "No Rain."
Lost Dogs serves as a comprehensive collection for Pearl Jam fans, capturing a wide array of the band's work outside of their major studio albums. It offers a look at the band’s creative process and includes songs that have been part of their legacy but did not make it onto their core releases.
