Songwriter Elliott Smith Dead at 34 (Suicide)

fox ^ | 10-22-03

[Belial]

It's kind of priggish to say that bands that experimented with bringing intricate melodies into modern music failed, too.

Fair enough. That said, everyone knows prog rock was crap! ;)

Seriously though, nothing wrong with intricate melodies. Songs about unicorns, a moog for every mood, music in time signatures that make a six-legged calf look graceful...

Radiohead is a good example of progressive music that isn't crap. They have two good songs in 10/8 and two good songs with passages in 7/8, and you would barely know it, because the playing and melodies are organic to the music.

[whattajoke]

Gee, maybe he was mentally ill. Your lack of compassion is bewildering.

[bc2]

I just heard about this, myself. How tragic. Another great singer/songwriter gone before their time. Nick Drake, Shannon Hoon, Jeff Buckley, and Elliot Smith. And others we haven't mentioned.

first the mic then a half cigarette
singing Cathy's clown
that's the man she's married to now
that's the girl that he takes around town
she appears composed, so she is, I suppose
who can really tell
she shows no emotion at all
stares into space like a dead china doll

I'm never gonna know you now
but I'm gonna love you anyhow

now she's done and they're calling someone
such a familiar name
I'm so glad that my memories remote
'cause I'm doing just fine hour to hour, note to note
here it is the revenge to the tune
you're no good
you're no good, you're no good, you're no good
can't you tell that it's well understood

I'm never gonna know you now
but I'm gonna love you anyhow
I'm here today and expected to stayon and on and on
I'm tired, I'm tired

looking out on the substitute scene
still going strong
XO, mom, it's ok, it's alright, nothing's wrong
tell Mr. Man with impossible plans to just leave me alone
in the place where I make no mistakes
in the place where I have what it takes

I'm never gonna know you now
but I'm gonna love you anyhow
I'm never gonna know you now
but I'm gonna love you anyhow
I'm never gonna know you now
but I'm gonna love you anyhow

-Elliot Smith
"Waltz #2 (XO)"

[new cruelty]

wouldn't 10/8 just be 5/4?

[cajungirl]

What says it is the alcoholism. But if you want to be provincial and assume all singers and psychiatrists have suicidal children, I guess you will. Suicides happen in all social strata, all races, all ethnic groups and are not particularly common among singer's or psychiatrist's children.

[Belial]

wouldn't 10/8 just be 5/4?

They are mathematically identical. The difference is fairly academic and emphasizes whether the quarter or eigth note is the basis of the measure.

[tdadams]

That's an odd way to commit suicide.

Well, Elliot Smith was probably so anti-gun that he was concerned about what message it might send if he killed himself with a gun.

[new cruelty]

Thanks. It has been a while since I have played music. I've played in 5/4 and 7/8 but never 10/8.

[Egon]

...two good songs in 10/8 and two good songs with passages in 7/8...

I've always been kinda fascinated whenever a group manages to pull that off. Chicago's got a couple of songs that incorporate some 5/4 measures in them-- kinda makes you wake up and take notice.

[Skooz]

STOPIT! STOPIT!

[Belial]

Yeah, it's a cool trick. Honestly, I do need to be more open-minded about 70s music...many interesting things were going on.

[Willie Green]

Nah, Bob looks like death warmed over.

Kinda reminds me of Slim Pickens.

[tdadams]

With that tag line, you've just jinxed your team.

[Skooz]

Naaa....I've had this tag line since August (except for the 7-0 part).

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Sorry. It's just that I assumed that he was like other Hollywood types. I didn't take into account any possible mental illness.

[Old Professer]

I never heard of him either - and if this is what it took to allow me to become educated then I would say that he probably did the right thing.

[Hildy]

LOL..what is Spiderman doing in your picture. Aerobics? I can't stop giggling?

[new cruelty]

lol.. I know. I can't either. ok... I have to give that little signature icon thingy a rest.

[expatpat]

But, if he'd used a gun, that would be another argument the anti-gunners could use for their agenda!

[expatpat]

Not really -- think of 3/4 time (Waltz) and 6/8 time (jigs). The first has 3 beats, the second has two beats, with a triplet of eighth-notes to each beat.