Elliott Smith
Photo: Wendy Redfern/Redferns
Elliott Smith, a name synonymous with poignant melodies and raw lyrical honesty, carved a unique space in the indie music landscape. His journey began humbly, in a basement armed with just an acoustic guitar and a four-track recorder. This lo-fi genesis eventually blossomed into a more expansive sound, culminating in his final album, From A Basement On The Hill, recorded under the auspices of a major label. While his sonic palette evolved to include richer textures of keyboards and strings, the core of Elliott Smith Songs remained constant: a profound ability to transmute personal struggles with addiction and depression into breathtaking musical beauty. Born on August 6, 1969, Smith wrestled with these themes throughout his life, tragically passing away on October 21, 2003, at the age of 34. The intimate and deeply personal nature of Elliott Smith songs fosters a strong connection with listeners. Ranking his best work is a subjective and delicate task, as each fan often holds a unique and cherished selection of favorites. This exploration into the best Elliott Smith songs is an invitation to delve into his discography and perhaps discover, or rediscover, the tracks that resonate most deeply.
20: Either/Or
Originally intended as the title track for the seminal album Either/Or, this song, aptly named after Søren Kierkegaard’s philosophical work, ultimately found its home on New Moon, a treasure trove of mid-90s outtakes. “Either/Or” is more than just a discarded track; it stands as a testament to Smith’s songwriting prowess during this period and is arguably stronger than some songs that made the original album cut. Lyrically, it delves into themes of futility and frustration, grappling with the exasperation of engaging with someone entrenched in ignorance. Lines like “We’re all in the downpour you carry around for/Trashing a lifestyle you’ve never known” showcase Smith’s characteristic blend of poetic imagery and raw emotion, making it a compelling entry point into Elliott Smith songs.
19: Son Of Sam
From the album Figure 8, “Son Of Sam” marks a departure from the hushed intimacy of Smith’s earlier work, embracing a bolder, more power-pop infused sound. Figure 8 itself is considered by some to be his most challenging album, characterized by a denser, more layered production. “Son Of Sam” exemplifies this shift, showcasing Smith’s foray into electric guitars and a more assertive sonic landscape. Despite the stylistic evolution, his innate gift for crafting infectious melodies remains undiminished. This track proves that even amidst a louder, more cluttered sound, Smith’s songwriting brilliance shines through, offering a different facet of Elliott Smith songs.
Elliott Smith – Son Of Sam
18: True Love
“True Love,” a song unearthed on the Heaven Adores You soundtrack, presents a bittersweet irony in its title. Far from a breezy love ballad, it unveils a darker narrative beneath its delicate surface. A closer listen to lyrics such as “So I bought mine off the street” and “All I need is a safe place to bleed” reveals a stark reality far removed from romantic love. Instead, it hints at the throes of addiction, a recurring theme in Elliott Smith songs. Despite the somber subject matter, the song possesses an ethereal beauty, its melody as light and fragile as a balloon caught in a gentle breeze, highlighting Smith’s ability to find beauty even in darkness.
17: King’s Crossing
“King’s Crossing” is an intense and unsettling track that feels like a sonic manifestation of a nervous breakdown. It plunges listeners into the turbulent depths of Smith’s mind, where he confronts his escalating heroin addiction and the anxieties fueled by the music industry. The music mirrors this internal chaos, weaving together ghostly backing vocals, hypnotic piano chords, and dissonant, queasy guitar lines. This song stands as one of Smith’s most ambitious and disquieting works, offering a glimpse into the potential trajectory of From A Basement On The Hill had he been able to fully realize his vision. “King’s Crossing” is a powerful example of the emotional depth found in Elliott Smith songs.
16: Tomorrow Tomorrow
While Elliott Smith’s lyrical genius is widely acknowledged, “Tomorrow Tomorrow” serves as a potent reminder of his exceptional guitar skills. This song showcases arguably his most captivating and intricate guitar performance. Comparisons to Richard Thompson’s guitar virtuosity in “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” are not unwarranted. “Tomorrow Tomorrow” is the kind of song that leaves aspiring guitarists in awe and frustration, a testament to Smith’s mastery of the instrument and a standout instrumental piece within Elliott Smith songs.
Tomorrow Tomorrow
15: I Figured You Out
“I Figured You Out” occupies a unique position in Elliott Smith’s discography, akin to Radiohead’s “Lift”—a pop song deemed “too perfect” by its creator. Smith himself reportedly dismissed it as sounding like “the f__kin’ Eagles.” Despite his reservations, this track, eventually given to friend Mary Lou Lord and later officially released on the 20th-anniversary expanded edition of Either/Or, is a gem. “I Figured You Out” demonstrates Smith’s burgeoning ability to expand his sonic palette even within his lo-fi framework, hinting at the more polished sound that would emerge in his later Elliott Smith songs.
14: Sweet Adeline
“Sweet Adeline,” the opening track of XO, served as an immediate reassurance to fans concerned that Smith’s signing to DreamWorks Records might compromise his artistic integrity. Initially, it unfolds like classic Elliott Smith, reminiscent of his earlier, more intimate recordings, albeit with enhanced fidelity. Then, the chorus explodes, unleashing a wave of crashing drums and cascading pianos. “Sweet Adeline” effectively announced that Smith was still fundamentally himself, but now equipped with a broader sonic toolkit. It represented an evolution, not a departure, reassuring listeners that the essence of Elliott Smith songs remained intact, just amplified.
Sweet Adeline
13: Somebody That I Used to Know
“I had tender feelings that you made hard/But it’s your heart, not mine, that’s scarred,” these opening lines of “Somebody That I Used to Know” set the tone for a poignant, albeit not bitter, farewell to a past relationship (distinct from Gotye’s popular song of the same title). While Figure 8 was characterized by its sonic density, some of the most compelling Elliott Smith songs emerge from moments of stark simplicity. “Somebody That I Used to Know” is one such moment, stripping away the layers to reveal the core of Smith’s artistry: his voice and his guitar, carrying raw emotional weight.
12: Waltz #1
Legend has it that “Waltz #1” was born from an unusual creative spark: Elliott Smith listening to Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” for 18 consecutive hours while under the influence of mushrooms. Whether apocryphal or not, the result is undeniably magical, arguably Smith’s most exquisitely beautiful song. “Waltz #1” transcends conventional song structure and even gravity itself; it’s dreamlike, weightless, and intoxicating, like a sonic representation of an altered state of consciousness, solidifying its place among the most enchanting Elliott Smith songs.
Waltz #1
11: Can’t Make A Sound
Signing with a major label and gaining access to studio resources empowered Elliott Smith to realize sonic ambitions previously out of reach in his basement recordings. “Can’t Make A Sound” stands as a prime example. This dizzying, Beatles-esque pop song builds upon its acoustic foundation, escalating to a thrilling climax punctuated by strings and a searing electric guitar solo. While comparisons to The Beatles’ “A Day In The Life” might be aspirational, “Can’t Make A Sound” comes remarkably close to that level of sonic innovation and complexity, showcasing the expanded possibilities within Elliott Smith songs.
10: Condor Ave
“Condor Ave” is less a traditional song and more a miniature short story set to music, showcasing Smith’s narrative songwriting prowess. It’s one of his most vividly rendered narratives, painting a scene of domestic discord and tragic consequences. The lyrics depict a heated argument culminating in the girlfriend driving off in anger, only to be involved in a fatal accident. The raw emotion and stark imagery are particularly striking considering Smith reportedly wrote this song at just 17 years old, hinting at the prodigious talent that would only deepen and mature in his later Elliott Smith songs.
Elliott Smith – Condor Ave. (from Roman Candle)
9: Ballad Of Big Nothing
“Ballad Of Big Nothing” possesses a deceptive quality. While its upbeat chorus (“You can do what you want to whenever you want to”) and punchy instrumentation might initially suggest optimism, the song’s core is far from happy. Had Smith written it later in his career, it might have been adorned with strings and a guitar solo, reflecting his evolving production sensibilities. However, in its original form, “Ballad Of Big Nothing” demonstrates how much he could achieve with seemingly minimal elements, a hallmark of many of the best Elliott Smith songs.
8: Roman Candle
The title track of Roman Candle sets the album’s tone: quieter yet more abrasive than anything Smith had recorded with his band Heatmiser. The raw emotion is palpable, particularly in the chorus where threats like “I want to hurt him/I want to give him pain” are directed at his stepfather, who Smith claimed was abusive during his childhood. Listening to Smith’s voice in “Roman Candle,” one can hear a barely suppressed rage trembling beneath the surface, making it a raw and emotionally charged entry in Elliott Smith songs.
Elliott Smith – Roman Candle (from Roman Candle)
7: Miss Misery
“Miss Misery” holds the distinction of being Elliott Smith’s most widely recognized song, and deservedly so. It exists in two notable versions: the stripped-down, melancholic early take featured on New Moon, and the more polished, fuller rendition that gained fame through the film Good Will Hunting. The latter’s Academy Award nomination thrust a reluctant Smith into the spotlight. Yet, “Miss Misery” serves as an ideal bridge between the lo-fi intimacy of his early work and the more expansive sound of his later albums, making it a pivotal track among Elliott Smith songs.
6: Pretty (Ugly Before)
“Pretty (Ugly Before)” can be deceptively interpreted at face value. The melody itself is undeniably beautiful, ranking among the most gorgeous tunes Smith ever composed. Lyrics like “There is no nighttime/It’s only a passing phase” could be misconstrued as an optimistic acknowledgment of the transient nature of hardship. However, a deeper understanding suggests the song delves into the darker territory of drug use, offering a temporary escape from troubles, a fleeting “nighttime” that disappears when the high fades. This duality of beauty and darkness is a defining characteristic of Elliott Smith songs.
Pretty (Ugly Before)
5: Needle In The Hay
Famously and powerfully used in a suicide attempt scene in Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums, “Needle In The Hay” explores a slower, more insidious form of self-destruction: heroin addiction. This song stands as one of Smith’s bleakest and most minimalist compositions. His determined guitar strumming, like a writer relentlessly pressing pen to paper, and his strained, almost whispered vocals, create an intensely intimate and unsettling atmosphere. “Needle In The Hay” demonstrates Smith’s unparalleled ability to burrow under your skin with minimal instrumentation and maximum emotional impact, making it a starkly beautiful example of Elliott Smith songs.
4: Say Yes
“Say Yes,” along with two other tracks on this list, gained wider recognition through their inclusion in Good Will Hunting. However, “Say Yes” distinguishes itself as an unadulterated pop gem—one of the sunniest songs in Elliott Smith’s catalog, even though it’s fundamentally a breakup song. Lines like “Situations get f__ked up and turned around sooner or later” reveal a sense of resilience. Instead of succumbing to despair, “Say Yes” embodies a commitment to moving forward, making it an unexpectedly uplifting entry among Elliott Smith songs.
Say Yes (Live At Yo Yo A Go Go Festival/1997)
3: Angeles
While “Say Yes” provides a hopeful closing to Either/Or, “Angeles” serves as a poignant farewell to the initial phase of Elliott Smith’s career. The combination of softly sung vocals and intricate fingerpicked acoustic guitar had become his signature style. While he would continue to create songs in this vein throughout his life, “Angeles” feels like a culmination, a peak of this particular style within Elliott Smith songs. Adding to its sense of closure are the lyrics, interpreted by some as an imagined dialogue between Smith and a dubious music industry figure. Fittingly, Either/Or‘s follow-up marked Smith’s signing to a major label and his move from Portland to Los Angeles, marking a significant shift in his career trajectory.
2: Between The Bars
“Between The Bars” exemplifies Elliott Smith’s songwriting genius through its masterful ambiguity. It sounds like a love song, and in a twisted sense, it is—a love song sung from alcohol to an alcoholic. The “bars” in the title are multifaceted, referring not only to taverns but also to the metaphorical barriers that drinking erects between Smith and “the things you could do, you won’t but you might.” The song also represents a barrier between the songwriter and his past, a numbing agent against trauma. With lyrics that are simultaneously comforting and controlling (“Drink up one more time and I’ll make you mine/Keep you apart, deep in my heart”), “Between The Bars” stands as one of the most devastatingly beautiful and complex Elliott Smith songs.
Between the Bars
1: Waltz #2 (XO)
Either/Or’s title hinted at a dichotomy in Smith’s artistry: the lo-fi singer-songwriter versus the composer of lush, orchestrated pop. “Waltz #2 (XO),” topping this list of best Elliott Smith songs, brilliantly demonstrates that he could be both simultaneously. Its deceptively light and gorgeous melody belies the lyrical weight it carries. The “kiss and hug” in the title are a poignant reference to Smith’s mother, whose relationship with her son was fractured by her marriage to his abusive stepfather. “I’m never going to know you now,” he laments in the chorus, only to counter with an even more heart-wrenching promise: “But I’m going to love you anyhow.” “Waltz #2 (XO)” encapsulates the complex beauty and emotional depth that define Elliott Smith songs at their finest.
Buy or stream Elliott Smith: Expanded 25th Anniversary Edition.
