Elliott Smith Album

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

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 because 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 because you can't finish what you start
Nobody broke your heart
You broke your own because you can't finish what you start
Nobody broke your heart
You broke your own because you can't finish what you start
Nobody broke your heart

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

Drink up, baby, stay up all night
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

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 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 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 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

Got bitten fingernails and a head full of the past
And everybody's gone at last
A sweet sweet smile that's fading fast
Cause 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
Because I'm not going anywhere
Obviously
Got a broken heart and your name on my cast
And everybody's gone at last

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
Because 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?

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

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
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

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, cane 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

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've 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

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