Status

Elliott Smith song

Written By

Elliott Smith

Recording Sessions

May 2001 - Spring 2002 (Satellite Park Studios, Malibu, CA - McConnell Sessions)
January-October 2003 (New Monkey Studios, Los Angeles, CA and Smith Residence, Los Angeles, CA - Sessions with Fritz Michaud)

Availability of Official Release

Pretty (Ugly Before) 7” (May 2001 - Spring 2002 recording) 
From a Basement on the Hill (January-October 2003 recording)

Lyrics

7” version:

i’m floating in a black balloon
i must make it through this afternoon
shame shifting shadow down drifting
way out of town
and all you ladies and you gentleman
unhappy where you could have been
drive people like you drive a car
till you don’t know where you are
you don’t impress me
I’m sorry that you’re chained to the ground
but no big brother is gonna bring me down now
rim’s rolling now with all his might
rain drops falling through a starry night
sunrise on a choppy crusade
waving back at you not me
you don’t impress me
you can’t be satisfied anyhow
and now big brother is gonna bring me back down

From a Basement on the Hill version:

i’m floating in a black balloon
o.d. on easter afternoon
my mama told me baby stay clean
there’s no in between
and all you ladies and you gentlemen
between is all you’ve ever seen or been
fit poorly and arrange the sight
doll it up in virgin white

you disappoint me
you people rakin’ in on the world
the devil’s script sells
you the heart of a blackbird

shine on me baby cause it’s rainin’ in my heart

sun is rising on a chopping glare
rain dropping acid blotter in the air
a distorted reality’s now a neccessity to be free

so disappointing
so first i put it all down to luck
god knows why my country don’t give a fuck

fuck

shine on me baby cause it’s rainin’ in my heart
shine on me baby cause it’s rainin’ in my heart

Unknown version (from From a Basement on the Hill liner notes) (transcribed by snowballinhell aka ghost):

i’m floating in a black balloon
a long shadow in the afternoon
my mama told me baby stay clean
there’s no in between
but all you ladies and you gentlemen
(in) between’s the only place i been
the fat cat in his armani suit
the skinny kid too shot to shoot
you disappoint me
you take the world the way that it is
the devil’s done here
(all the success and failure are both his
good and bad here are both his
all the workings are his
all that works here is his
your distinctions are his)
the wind’s blowing now with all it’s might
raindrops falling through a starry night
a distorted reality’s become necessity too/now’s a necessity to be free
you dissappoint me
you’ve given up on hope for a change
god knows why my
thoughts of death are deranged
way of life is deranged..

Unknown version (from partial lyric sheet provided by William Todd Schultz):

I’m floating in a black balloon
(crossed out: in your brightness of wasted afternoons)
the OD on Easter afternoon
and my mama told me baby stay clean there’s (no inbetween?)
but all you “ladies,” and you “gentlemen”
between’s all you’ve ever seen or been
I fit poorly (crossed out: in my prada white)…
(crossed out: didn’t have a ???)
dolled up in virgin white
you disappoint me
you people (crossed out: taking lots) raking in on the (world?)
the devil’s (crossed out: ???) script sells
you the heart of a blackbird
(arrow points down)

From a Basement on the Hill version: