Status
Elliott Smith Song
Written By
Elliott Smith
Recording Sessions
March - July 1996 (The Shop, Humboldt County, CA - Primary Either/Or Sessions) - several musical and vocal takes recorded at this session of which two are officially released and others are unofficially circulating
Availability of Official Release
New Moon
Either/Or: Expanded Edition
Lyrics
Here come the sidewalk boss again, telling me how I can’t cave in,
That I’m a study in black, need a pat on the back.
I look up and smile-a picture of dissatisfaction that he can only see as a junkie.
Though I might be straight as an arrow,
He’s busy shaking hands with my monkey, busy shaking hands with my monkey.
But I go in my car straight to the bar where my sweetie pours the beer
For the millions of fans ignoring the bands.
He’s in my ear, wants me to live in denial-he says, “You gotta settle for something-
Though it might not be really living-
Anything is better than nothing, anything is better than nothing.”
No half-dead action man gonna move in and take my place.
I’ll be pumping out the product-just a total waste.
Look at your hands unoccupied-look at the lengths you’ll go to hide-
You’re under the veil, pretending to fail.
You gotta whole lot of empty time left to go-now you’ve gotta fill it with something.
I know what you could do-don’t you know anything is better than nothing?
No half-dead action man gonna move in and take my place.
I’ll be pumping out the product-just a total waste.
I’m here with my cup, afraid to look up-this is how I spend my time-
Lazing around, head hanging down-stuck inside my imagination,
Busy making something from nothing-pictures of hope (and depression).
Anything is better than nothing, anything is better than nothing,
Anything is better than nothing, anything is better than nothing.
First known live performance
No known live performances.
Note
In 2003, Elliott accessed the masters to this recording and remixed the song, making one visible change - the removal of the lyric “and depression” after the line “pictures of hope”.
Audio