# Elliott Smith

Elliott Smith (August 6, 1969 – October 21, 2003) was an American songwriter and musician.

## Quotes

* I think the music business will eventually crush me, but I [smiles]... I'm ready.
** in Strange Parallel (1998).
* [when asked about cigarettes] I don't recommend them... but I smoke them.
** seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N33SPjRvgpQ
* I don't intend to write depressing songs and I'd probably rather write happy ones
** in Spongey Monkey #3.
* Here's a song I made up while I was watching Xena the Warrior Princess with the sound off. It's a fact. I had a secret crush on Xena. It was a secret to me too. I wouldn't admit it. She's pretty fuckin' tough. She has a good yell... she kills the stupid gladiators with the log-trap. Release the log-trap! She releases the log-trap and they all get... crushed. They'd all wanna be with her if they could, but unfortunately they're not on her side. It's a lot better with the sound off. Really, it is. And the song didn't have anything to do with Xena... but... I was about half a bottle through Jameson's... if that makes any sense.
** before playing "Between the Bars" at a concert in 1996. http://www.archive.org/details/esmith2006-09-25..flacf.
* There's some records that sell millions of copies, that it's really unclear if anybody liked it who was making it, y'know?
** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_XNghTKvq8.

## Lyrics
### Roman Candle (1994)

* I'm a roman candle My head is full of flames I want to hurt him I want to give him pain And make him feel this pretty burn.
** Roman Candle.
* Church bells and now I'm awake And I guess it must be some kind of holiday I can't seem to join in the celebration But I'll go to the service And I'll go to pray And I'll sing the praises of my maker's name Like I was as good as she made me...
** Last Call.

### Elliott Smith (1995)

* Your hand on his arm, the hay stack charm around your neck, strung out and thin, calling some friend trying to cash some check, he's acting dumb, that's what you've come to expect. * I can't beat myself I can't beat myself And I don't want to talk. I'm taking the cure so I can be quiet Whenever I want. So leave me alone You ought to be proud that I'm getting good marks.
** Needle in the Hay.
* You turned white, like a saint But I'm tired of dancing on a pot of gold... ...Flecked paint.
** The Biggest Lie.
* I'm a junkyard full of false starts And I don't need your permission To bury my love under this bare light bulb. The moon is a sickle cell It'll kill you in time.
** Coming Up Roses.
* I'm looking at a hand full of broken plans And I'm tired of playing it down You just want her to do anything to you There ain't nothing you won't allow You wake up in the middle of the night From a dream you won't remember flashing on like a cop's light You say she's waiting and I know what for The white lady loves you more
** The White Lady Loves You More.

### Either/Or (1997)

* Drink up, baby, look at the stars I'll kiss you again Between the bars Where I'm seeing you there With your hands in the air Waiting to finally be caught Drink up one more time and I'll make you mine...
** Between the Bars.
* I could make you satisfied in everything you do, All your secret wishes could right now be coming true And be forever with my poisoned arms Around you. No one's gonna fool around with us.
** Angeles.
* I'm going out now like a baby A naïve unsatisfiable baby Grabbing onto whatever's around For the soaring high or the crushing down With hidden cracks that don't show, but that constantly just grow.
** 2:45.
* Crooked spin can't come to rest, I'm damaged bad at best.
** Say Yes.
* I'm in love with the world, Through the eyes of a girl, Who's still around the morning after.
** Say Yes.

### XO (1998)

* It's a picture perfect evening And I'm staring down the sun Fully loaded, deaf, and dumb And done waiting for sedation to disconnect my head Or any situation where I'm better off than dead
** Sweet Adeline.
* They took your life apart And called your failures art They were wrong, though They won't know 'Til tomorrow
** Tomorrow Tomorrow.
* She appears composed So she is, I suppose Who can really tell? She shows no emotion at all Stares into space like a dead china doll
** Waltz #2 (XO).
* London Bridge is safe and sound No matter what you keep repeating Nothing's gonna drag me down To a death that's not worth cheating
** Baby Britain.
* The first time I saw you I knew it would never last I'm not half what I wish I was I'm so angry I don't think it'll ever pass And I was bad news for you just because I never meant to hurt you
** Pitseleh.
* I waited for a bus To separate the both of us And take me off far away from you 'Cause my feelings never change a bit I always feel like shit I don't know why; I guess that I "just do"
** I Didn't Understand.

### Figure 8 (2000)

* Bored in a role, but he can't stop Standing up to sit back down, and lose the one thing found. Spinning the world like a toy top 'till there's a ghost in every town.
** Can't Make A Sound.
* Everything here is free Everything but you and me This painting never dries Stupidity tries
** Stupidity tries.
* What I used to be will pass away, and then you'll see That all I want now is happiness for you and me.
** Happiness.
* The first true love that folded at the slightest touch, brought down like an old hotel, people digging through the rubble for things they can resell.
** Junk Bond Trader.

### From a Basement on the Hill (posthumous, 2004)

* This is the place you end up when you lose the chase, Where you're dragged against your will from a basement on a hill, And all anybody knows, is you're not like them, So they kick you in the head...and send you back to bed.
** Memory Lane.
* I'm comfortable apart, it's all written on my chart And I take what's given me, most cooperatively I do what people say and lie in bed all day Absolutely horrified, I hope you're satisfied
** Memory Lane.
* So I wait for confirmation That you're never gonna use your starting gun.
** Coast to Coast.
* I met a girl, snowball in hell she was hard and as cracked as the liberty bell.
** Don't Go Down.
* I see you're leaving me and taking up with the enemy the cold comfort of the in between a little less than a human being a little less than a happy high a little less than a suicide the only things that you really tried.
** Fond Farewell.
* Veins full of disappearing ink Vomitting in the kitchen sink.
** Fond Farewell.
* The scraping subjects, ruled by fear, they told me whiskey works better than beer.
** King's Crossing.
* This is the place where time reverses. Dead men talk to all the pretty nurses. Instruments shine on a silver tray Don't let me get carried away.
** King's Crossing.
* Gimme one good reason not to do it (because we love you), so do it.
** King's Crossing.
* Because your candle burns too bright well, I almost forgot it was twilight. Even if I think that you are right, well, I'm tired of being down, I got no fight. You're wonderful, and it's beautiful, but I'm already somebody's baby. And if i went with you, I'd disappoint you, too.
** Twilight.
* Haven't laughed this hard in a long time I better stop now before I start crying Go off to sleep in the sunshine I don't want to see the day when its dying.
** Twilight.
* You don't deserve to be lonely, but those drugs you got won't make you feel better. Pretty soon you'll find it's the only little part of your life you're keeping together.
** Twilight.
* My mama told me 'baby stay clean there's no in between.' but all you ladies and you gentlemen, between is all you've ever seen or been.
** A Distorted Reality Is Now A Necessity To Be Free.
* You disappoint me, all you people raking in on the world. The devil's script sells you the heart of a blackbird.
** A Distorted Reality Is Now A Necessity To Be Free.
* Shine on me, baby cause it's raining in my heart.
** A Distorted Reality Is Now A Necessity To Be Free.

### New Moon (posthumous, 2007)

* And though you'd rather see me gone then to see there come the day, I'll be waiting for you anyway
** Miss Misery (Early version).
* Next door, the TV's flashing blue frames on the wall. It's a comedy from the seventies with a lead no one recalls. He vanished into oblivion it's easy to do and I cried a sea when you talked to me the day you said we were through. But it's all right, some enchanted night I'll be with you
** Miss Misery (Early version).
* I'd say you make the perfect angel in the snow all crushed out on the way you are, I'd better stop before it goes too far.
** Angel in the Snow.
* Don't you know that I love you? sometimes I feel like only a cold still life only a frozen still life that fell down here to lay beside you.
** Angel in the Snow.
* Your arsenal of excuses you never told her when you walked out on the savannah shoulder with your veins all full of beer thinking 'well at least now everything is clear'
** Georgia, Georgia.
* Here come your pride and joy The comic little drunk you call your boy, Making everybody smile
** All Cleaned Out.
* I'm sorry you seem so stung, and I'm sorry you feel you have to hold your tongue when you're so pretty and smart
** All Cleaned Out.
* Wearing clothes that clash Wondering 'is this treasure, is this trash?' Still trying to decide
** All Cleaned Out.
* The clock moved a quarter of a turn, the time it took a cigarette to burn
** Going Nowhere.
* Elliott: "Do you want to hear a happy or a sad song?" Crowd: "Happy!" Elliott: "Old or new?" Crowd: "Old!" Elliott: "Happy and old, that's a strange choice."