"Life Wasted" is the second single from Pearl Jam's eighth studio album, Pearl Jam. The song features lyrics written by frontman Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard. The band played this song when they appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman in May 2006 in support of Pearl Jam. The song peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. On Pearl Jam, "Life Wasted" is reprised as a modified version on the album's tenth track, "Wasted Reprise". The main guitar riff for the song is similar to the one featured in "Rockaway Beach" by the Ramones, and seems to stem from an improv song from Pearl Jam's performance in Charlotte, North Carolina on August 4, 2000.
A 7" single for "Life Wasted" was released in the UK on August 28, 2006. The b-side is "Come Back" from June 27, 2006 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The single was also made available as a download from the UK iTunes Store.
Live performances of "Life Wasted" can be found on the Live at the Gorge 05/06 box set. A performance of the song is also included on the DVD Immagine In Cornice.
"Life Wasted" is featured in Guitar Hero II for the Xbox 360.
