Brand New Game

Status

Elliott Smith Song

Alternate Titles/Versions

Brand New Day

Written By

Elliott Smith

Recording Sessions

Late June 1998 (Jackpot! Studios, Portland, OR - Strange Parallel) - unofficially circulating
October 1998 (Abbey Road Studios, London, England, UK - Place Pigalle Demos) - unofficially circulating
February 19th, 2002 (Audobahn Recording, Los Angeles, CA - Sessions with Chris Chandler) - uncirculating, “Brand New Day” version
January-October 2003 (New Monkey Studios, Los Angeles, CA - Sessions with Fritz Michaud) - uncirculating

Availability of Official Release

A 47-second clip of Elliott recording instrumental tracks for the Jackpot! version is featured in the documentary about Elliott entitled Strange Parallel. The documentary also features an 18-second clip of Elliott mixing the vocals and the instrumental tracks for this recording in the background during a brief interview with the demo’s engineer/producer, Larry Crane.

Lyrics

Jackpot! version (thanks to user “snowballinhell”):
saw you droppin’ the slots
saying i got a brand new game
running down the alley 
with an hour you bought 
from a man with no last name
so alone you forgot to feel
sorrow or shame
got a brand new game
got a brand new, brand new game
got a brand new game
got a brand new game
later on you’ll be sad
but say it’s only the rain
as you sit between an empty suit 
and somebody’s dad
on the back of the train
everything makes you mad
but not enough to complain
got a brand new game
got a brand new, brand new game
got a brand new game
got a brand new game
Abbey Road Studios version:
Saw you dropped in the slot
Saying I got a brand new game 
Running down the alley with an hour you bought
From a man with no last name
Like an idiot animal
Too stupid to shame
Got a brand new game
Got a brand new, brand new game
Got a brand new game
Got a brand new game
Ape men in a cave
Painting on the wall
Nothing’s going to keep 
Ambition’s menacing glances
And nothing’s that’s got it all
From gazing over to where hope sleeps
Artificially small
Like a beast too tame
Got a brand new game
Got a brand new, brand new game
Got a brand new game
Got a brand new game
No happiness allowed
Because one’s never enough, two is always a crowd
I’ve got a microscope and a slide
And a glass eye nature made
Everything’s impossible 
There’s nothing to do
But oppose this promenade
Push the point to oblivion
And keep turning the blade
Got a brand new game
Got a brand new, brand new game
Got a brand new game
Got a brand new game
Audio
Jackpot! Sessions/Strange Parallel Version:

 

Abbey Road Studios version:

 

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