Album: From A Basement On The Hill (2004)

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• The king's crossing was the main attraction
  Dominoes are falling in a chain reaction
  The scraping subject ruled by fear told me
  Whiskey works better than beer
  
  The judge is on vinyl, decisions are final
  And nobody gets a reprieve
  And every wave is tidal if you hang around
  You're going to get wet
  
  I can't prepare for death any more than I already have
  All you can do now is watch the shells
  The game looks easy that's why it sells
  Frustrated fireworks inside your head
  
  Are going to stand and deliver talk instead
  The method acting that pays my bills
  Keeps the fat man feeding in Beverly hills
  I got a heavy metal mouth that hurls obscenity
  
  And I get my check from the trash treasury
  'Cause I took my own insides out
  It don't matter 'cause I had no sex life
  All I want to do now is inject my ex wife
  
  I've seen the movie and I know what happens
  It's a Christmas time
  And the needles on the tree
  A skinny Santa is bringing something to me
  
  His voice is overwhelming, but his speech is slurred
  And I only understand every other word
  "Open your parachute and grab your gun
  Falling down like an omen, a setting sun
  
  Read the part and we turn out fine
  It's a hell of a role if you can keep it alive
  But I don't care if I fuck up
  I'm going on a date with a rich white lady
  
  Ain't life great?
  Give me one good reason not to do it (because we love you)
  This is a place where time reverses
  Dead men talk to all the pretty nurses
  
  Instruments shine on a silver tray
  Don't let me be carried away
  Don't let me be carried away
  Don't let me be carried away Writer/s: Steven Paul Smith
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 9

• Badfish1172 from NycElliott Smith
  
  I don't know why people insist that Elliott was a smack addict anytime before 2000. It's been carefully documented from several different sources that people that knew him personally confirmed he didn't get into the heavy drugs until he was well into his chaotic rise to fame. He was a very heavy drinker and I'm sure he dabbled in everything here and there, but Elliott himself has said that the majority of his songs are indeed not biographical but rather about his observations of the people around him. During the late 90s, Portland was filled with heroin addicts nodding out all over the street. Many of his songs that have references to drug use, specifically heroin are about these individuals he saw. Again facts. At least four or five of his close friends adamantly said Elliott was not addicted to heroin before his meteoric catapult to world fame. In fact, that was the point in his life, right around the time he moved cross country to Brooklyn is when his delicate soul cracked under the pressure. Come on people. Just because his lyrics describe drug use doesn't confirm that it is his drug use. Stop being so literal and let's give this musical genius the ultimate respect he deserves. Elliott was a multidimensional, uniquely talented, once in a century singer-songwriter. The lyrics in his music are so profound, so cerebral at times they have dual, even triple meanings, applying to the obvious, the abstract and the sublime. Appreciate it. Way more than just the common biographical songwriters
• Chonginstrong from The North.Elliott was a smack addict long before 1999, have you listened to his lyrics? It's all in there, his whole life, depression and addiction social anxiety, his lyrics was his life, because he took his own insides out, and gave them to us in beautiful songs, reason why it left him empty and destroyed, a beautiful tortured soul.
• Patrick C. from Norfolk, VaThe song was first played live, with lyrics nearly identical to the album version, on October 14, 1999 at Satyricon in Portland, OR. I have the audio recording. You can find the set list on the sweetadeline website. I have no idea why Jamie or Chris would claim I'm wrong when they've clearly done no research, while I specifically researched the first known live recordings of every Elliott Smith song while helping out on the creation of the posthumous NEW MOON album.
• Chris from Dallas, TxI'm !00% sure Patrick C. is wrong. If this supposedly predated his heroin addiction then he had a very intimate knowledge of being a heroin addict. For one thing, saying "inject my ex-wife" is a common phrase among ex-junkies (I am one myself). The phrase "A rich white lady" also refers to heroin. In my opinion, saying "give me one good reason not to do it" would be in reference to a relapse and not suicide. Elliott was unfortunately a heroin addict among other drugs, and alot of the songs from "A Basement on the Hill" were about addiction...Listen to "A Fond Farewell", if you've ever been a heroin addict , this song will speak to you.
• Crazyj from London, United KingdomThe song is very specifically about shooting up, so if it wasn't about heroin it was about crack. "Its christmas time and the needles on the tree, a skinny santa is bringing something to me. His voice is overwhelmind, his speech is slurred, i can only understand everyother word..."
• Jamie Bhoohe from Canada, OnPatrick C, I doubt that he first played the CD version on 14 October 1999, since it wasn't recorded on any of the albums before,then or the albums after that day, it was released on basement on a hill after he died, which means he recorded it near the end of his life, and there is an alternate version of kings crossing that was played live, but it had different lyrics chords etc. also, he was in the studio working recording that song the year he died within. anyway, I really like his music and philosophy. RIP Elliott Smith.
• Patrick from Raleigh, NcWhen he performed this song live, after he sings the line "Give me one good reason not to do it". His sister and girlfriend who were in the audience would yell out "Because We Love you". I believe this is also on the recorded version of the song, audible, but it is low in the mix.
• Patrick C. from Norfolk, VaBoth Mark's songfact and Isabel's comment are incorrect. The song was first played live on October 14, 1999 (predating Elliott's heroin addiction). The lyrics on the studio version are nearly identical to that version.
• Isabel from Miami, Flthe lines "Give me one good reason not to do it" is said to be a threat of suicide, and ive heard that the day after he recorded this song was when he killed himself.
  
  i still love this song.

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