Elliott Smith - Either/Or

[Elliott Smith Lyrics]

1. Speed Trials
2. Alameda
3. Ballad of Big Nothing
4. Between the Bars
5. Pictures of Me
6. No Name No. 5
7. Rose Parade
8. Punch and Judy
9. Angeles
10. Cupid's Trick
11. 2:45 am
12. Say Yes

[Elliott Smith Lyrics]

Speed Trials

He's pleased to meet you underneath the horse,
In the cathedral with the glass stained black.
Singing sweet high notes that echo back,
To destroy their master.
May be a long time ‘til you get the call-up,
But it's sure as fate and hard as your luck.
No-one'll know where you are.
It's just a brief smile crossing your face.
Running speed trials still standing in place.
When the socket's not a shock enough.
You little child, what makes you think you're tough?
When all the people you think you're above,
They all know what's the matter.
You're such a pinball yeah you know it's true.
There's always something you come back running to.
To follow the path of no resistance.
It's just a brief smile crossing your face.
Running speed trials standing in place.
It's just a brief smile crossing your face.
Running speed trials all over the place.

[Elliott Smith Lyrics]

Alameda

You walk down Alameda shuffling your deck of trick cards over everyone.
Like some precious only son,
Face down, bow to the champion.
You walk down Alameda looking at the cracks in the sidewalk.
Thinking about your friends.
How you maintain all them in a constant state of suspense.
For your own protection over their affection.
Nobody broke your heart.
You broke your own ‘cos you can't finish what you start.
Walk down Alameda brushing off the nightmare you wish,
Could plague me when I'm awake.
And now you see your first mistake was thinking that you could relate.
For one or two minutes she liked you.
But the fix is in.
You're all pretension.
I never pay attention.
Nobody broke your heart.
You broke your own ‘cos you can't finish what you start.
Nobody broke your heart.
You broke your own ‘cos you can't finish what you start.
Nobody broke your heart.
You broke your own ‘cos you can't finish what you start.
Nobody broke your heart.
If you're alone it must be you that wants to be apart.

[Elliott Smith Lyrics]

Ballad of Big Nothing

Throwing candy out to the crowd.
Dragging down the main.
The helpless little thing with the dirty mouth who's always got something to say.
You're sitting at home now waiting for your brother to call.
I saw him down at the alley,
Having had enough of it all.
Said you can do what you want to whenever you want to.
You can do what you want to there's no-one to stop you.
All spit and spite you're up all night and down every day.
A tired man with only hours to go just waiting to be taken away.
Getting in to the back of a car for candy from some stranger.
Watching the parade with pinpoint eyes full of smoldering anger.
You can do what you want to whenever you want to.
You can do what you want to there's no-one to stop you.
Now you can do what you want to whenever you want to.
Do what you want to whenever you want to.
Do what you want to whenever you want to, though it doesn't mean a thing.
Big nothing.

[Elliott Smith Lyrics]

Between the Bars

Drink up, baby, stay up all night.
With the things you could do, you won't but you might.
The potential you'll be, that you'll never see.
The promises you'll only make.
Drink up with me now and forget all about the pressure of days.
Do what I say and I'll make you okay and drive them away,
The images stuck in your head.
People you've been before that you don't want around anymore.
That push and shove and won't bend to your will.
I'll keep them still.
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.
Keep you apart deep in my heart separate from the rest,
Where I like you the best.
And keep the things you forgot.
The people you've been before that you don't want around anymore.
That push and shove and won't bend to your will.
I'll keep them still.

[Elliott Smith Lyrics]

Pictures of Me

Start, stop, and start.
Stupid acting smart.
Flirting with the flicks
You say it's just for kicks.
You'll be the victim of your own dirty tricks.
You got yourself to tease and displease.
Doors swinging wide.
You walked in to hide.
Looking at your feet.
Failure's complete.
Saw you and me on the Coin-Op TV,
Frozen in fear every time we appear.
I'm not surprised at all and really, why should I be?
See nothing wrong.
See nothing wrong.
So sick and tired of all these pictures of me.
Completely wrong.
Totally wrong.
Go walking by.
Here come another guy.
Jailer who sells personal hells.
Who'd like to see me down on my fucking knees.
Everybody's dying just to get the disease.
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
I'm not surprised at all and really, why should I be?
See nothing wrong.
See nothing wrong.
So sick and tired of all these pictures of me.
Completely wrong.
Totally wrong.
I'm not surprised at all and really, why should I be?
See nothing wrong.
See nothing wrong.
So sick and tired of all these pictures of me.
Oh, everybody's dying just to get the disease.
Everybody's dying just to get the disease.
Everybody's dying just to get the disease.

[Elliott Smith Lyrics]

No Name No.5

Got bitten fingernails and a head full of the past,
And everybody's gone at last.
A sweet, sweet smile that's fading fast,
’Cos everybody's gone at last.
And you don't get upset about it.
No, not anymore.
There's nothing wrong,
That wasn't wrong before.
Had a second alone with a chance let pass,
And everybody's gone at last.
Well I hope you're not waiting,
Waiting around for me.
’Cos I'm not going anywhere,
Obviously.
Got a broken heart and your name on my cast,
And everybody's gone at last.
Everybody's gone at last.

[Elliott Smith Lyrics]

Rose Parade

They asked me to come down and watch the parade.
And to march down the street like the Duracell bunny.
With a wink and a wave from the cavalcade.
Throwing out candy that looks like money,
To people passing by that all seem to be going the other way.
Said won’t you follow me down to the rose parade?
Tripped over a dog in a choke-chain collar.
People were shouting, and pushing, and saying.
And when I traded a smoke for a food stamp dollar,
A ridiculous marching band started playing,
And got me singing along with some half-hearted victory song.
Won’t you follow me down to the rose parade?
Won’t you follow me down to the rose parade?
Won’t you follow me down to the rose parade?
The trumpet has obviously been drinking,
’Cos he’s fucking up even the simplest lines.
I’d say it’s a sight that’s quite worth seeing,
It’s just that everyone’s interest is stronger than mine.
And when they clean the street I’ll be the only shit that’s left behind.
Won’t you follow me down to the rose parade?
Won’t you follow me down to the rose parade?
Won’t you follow me down to the rose parade?

[Elliott Smith Lyrics]

Punch and Judy

A wallflower punch talks to Judy,
In a crowded corner where anybody can listen in.
But they don't read page to page, or speak easy.
Now they're gonna go say the words,
In the wrong order again.
They walk in a circle,
Through all the sidewalk scenes they used to be apart of one time.
Now everybody just stares and whispers.
Driving around up and down Division Street.
I used to like it here.
It just bums me out to remember.
Can't you ever treat anyone nice?
I think I'm gonna make the same mistake twice.
They draw the curtain.
Wait for a call.
Pretty lucky if they get any kind of response at all.
Can't you ever treat anyone nice?
I think I'm gonna make the same mistake twice.
I'm gonna make the same mistake twice.

[Elliott Smith Lyrics]

Angeles

Someone's always coming around here, trailing some new kill.
Says I seen your picture on a hundred dollar bill.
And what's a game of chance to you, to him is one of real skill.
So glad to meet you,
Angeles.
Picking up the ticket shows there's money to be made.
Go on and lose the gamble that's the history of the trade.
That you add up all the cards left to play to zero,
And sign up with evil.
Angeles.
Don't start me trying now,
’Cos I'm all over it.
Angeles.
I could make you satisfied in everything you do.
All your 'secret wishes' could right now be coming true.
And be forever with my poison arms around you.
No-one's gonna fool around with us.
No-one's gonna fool around with us.
So glad to meet you,
Angeles.

[Elliott Smith Lyrics]

Cupid’s Trick.

She's shaking down.
I'm absent and numb from shock.
Reaching around for the hands of the clock.
Should’ve lied.
Lit me up, it's my lie.
Should've lit me up, it's my lie.
Should've lit me up, it's my lie.
Should've lit me up.
Cupid's trick comes-
Down to shake and deal.
The stupid kick that makes me real.
Should’ve lied.
Lit me up, it's my lie.
Should've lit me up, it's my lie.
Should've lit me up, it's my lie.
Should've lit me up.
She's shaking down,
It's never over and done.
So, kick me, cave me-
Then I'll know
Why
Lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up, it's my lie
Should've lit me up

[Elliott Smith Lyrics]

2:45 am

I'm going out sleepwalking,
Where mute memories start talking.
The boss that couldn't help but hurt you,
And the pretty thing he made desert you.
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.
I'm looking for the man that attacked me,
While everybody was laughing at me.
You beat it in me that part of you,
But I'm gonna split us back in two.
Tired of living in a cloud.
If you're gonna say shit now you'll do it out loud.
It's 2:45 in the morning,
And I'm putting myself on warning.
For waking up in an unknown place,
With a recollection you half erased.
Looking for somebody's arms to-
Wave away past harms.
I’m walking out on center circle.
The both of you can just fade to black.
I'm walking out on center circle.
Been pushed away and I'll never go back.

[Elliott Smith Lyrics]

Say Yes

I'm in love with the world, through the eyes of a girl,
Who's still around the morning after.
We broke up a month ago, and I grew up, I didn't know-
I'd be around the morning after.
It's always been wait and see.
A happy day, and then you pay,
And feel like shit the morning after.
But now I feel changed around, and instead falling down.
I'm standing up the morning after.
Situations get fucked up, and turned around sooner or later.
And I could be another fool, or an exception to the rule.
You tell me the morning after.
Crooked spin, can't come to rest.
I'm damaged bad at best.
She'll decide what she wants.
I'll probably be the last to know.
No-one says until it shows, and you see how it is.
They want you or they don't.
Say yes.
I'm in love with the world, through the eyes of a girl,
Who's still around the morning after.