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Either​/​Or

by Elliott Smith

/
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1.
Speed Trials 03:01
he's pleased to meet you underneath the horse in the cathedral with the glass stained black singing sweet high notes that echo back to destroy their master may be a long time til you get the call-up but it's sure as fate and hard as your luck no-one'll know where you are it's just a brief smile crossing your face running speed trials still standing in place when the socket's not a shock enough you little child what makes you think you're tough? when all the people you think you're above they all know what's the matter you're such a pinball yeah you know it's true there's always something you go back running to to follow the path of no resistance it's just a brief smile crossing your face running speed trials standing in place it's just a brief smile crossing your face running speed trials all over the place
2.
Alameda 03:43
you walk down alameda shuffling your deck of trick cards over everyone like some precious only son face down, bow to the champion you walk down alameda looking at the cracks in the sidewalk thinking about your friends how you maintain all them in a constant state of suspense for your own protection over their affection nobody broke your heart you broke your own 'cos you can't finish what you start walk down alameda brushing off the nightmare you wish could plague me when I'm awake so now you see your first mistake was thinking that you could relate for one or two minutes she liked you but the fix is in you're all pretension I never pay attention nobody broke your heart you broke your own 'cos you can't finish what you start nobody broke your heart you broke your own 'cos you can't finish what you start nobody broke your heart you broke your own 'cos you can't finish what you start nobody broke your heart if you're alone it must be you that wants to be apart
3.
throwing candy out to the crowd dragging down the main the helpless little thing with the dirty mouth who's always got something to say you're sitting around at home now waiting for your brother to call I saw him down in the alley having had enough of it all said you can do what you want to whenever you want to you can do what you want to there's no-one to stop you all spit and spite you're up all night and down every day a tired man with only hours to go just waiting to be taken away getting in to the back of a car for candy from some stranger watching the parade with pinpoint eyes full of smoldering anger you can do what you want to whenever you want to you can do what you want to there's no-one to stop you now you can do what you want to whenever you want to do what you want to whenever you want to do what you want to whenever you want to though it doesn't mean a thing, big nothing
4.
drink up, baby, stay up all night with the things you could do, you won't but you might the potential you'll be that you'll never see the promises you'll only make drink up with me now and forget all about the pressure of days do what I say and I'll make you okay and drive them away the images stuck in your head people you've been before that you don't want around anymore that push and shove and won't bend to your will I'll keep them still drink up, baby, look at the stars I'll kiss you again between the bars where I'm seeing you there with your hands in the air waiting to finally be caught drink up one more time and I'll make you mine keep you apart deep in my heart separate from the rest where I like you the best and keep the things you forgot the people you've been before that you don't want around anymore that push and shove and won't bend to your will I'll keep them still
5.
start stop and start stupid acting smart flirting with the flicks you say it's just for kicks you'll be the victim of your own dirty tricks you got yourself to tease and displease doors swinging wide you walked in to hide looking at your feet failure's complete saw you and me on the coin-op tv frozen in fear every time we appear I'm not surprised at all and really, why should I be? see nothing wrong see nothing wrong so sick and tired of all these pictures of me completely wrong totally wrong go walking by here come another guy jailer who sells personal hells who'd like to see me down on my fucking knees everybody's dying just to get the disease hey hey hey hey I'm not surprised at all and really, why should I be? see nothing wrong see nothing wrong so sick and tired of all these pictures of me completely wrong totally wrong I'm not surprised at all and really, why should I be? see nothing wrong see nothing wrong so sick and tired of all these pictures of me oh everybody's dying just to get the disease everybody's dying just to get the disease everybody's dying just to get the disease
6.
got bitten fingernails and a head full of the past and everybody's gone at last a sweet sweet smile that's fading fast 'cos everybody's gone at last and you don't get upset about it no not anymore there's nothing wrong that wasn't wrong before had a second alone with a chance let pass and everybody's gone at last well I hope you're not waiting waiting around for me 'cos I'm not going anywhere obviously got a broken heart and your name on my cast and everybody's gone at last everybody's gone at last
7.
Rose Parade 03:28
they asked me to come down and watch the parade and to march down the street like the duracell bunny with a wink and a wave from the cavalcade throwing out candy that looks like money to people passing by that all seem to be going the other way said won't you follow me down to the rose parade? tripped over a dog in a choke-chain collar people were shouting and pushing and saying and when I traded a smoke for a food stamp dollar a ridiculous marching band started playing and got me singing along with some half-hearted victory song won't you follow me down to the rose parade? won't you follow me down to the rose parade? won't you follow me down to the rose parade? the trumpet has obviously been drinking 'cos he's fucking up even the simplest lines I'd say it's a sight that's quite worth seeing it's just that everyone's interest is stronger than mine and when they clean the street I'll be the only shit that's left behind won't you follow me down to the rose parade? won't you follow me down to the rose parade? won't you follow me down to the rose parade?
8.
a wallflower punch talks to judy in a crowded corner where anybody can listen in but they don't read page to page or speak easy now they're gonna go say the words in the wrong order again they walk in a circle through all the sidewalks scenes they used to be a part of one time now everybody just stares and whispers driving around up and down division street I used to like it here it just burns me out to remember can't you ever treat anyone nice? I think I'm gonna make the same mistake twice they draw the curtain wait for a call pretty lucky if they get any kind of response at all can't you ever treat anyone nice? I think I'm gonna make the same mistake twice I'm gonna make the same mistake twice
9.
Angeles 02:56
someone's always coming around here trailing some new kill says I seen your picture on a hundred dollar bill and what's a game of chance to you, to him is one of real skill so glad to meet you angeles picking up the ticket shows there's money to be made go on and lose the gamble that's the history of the trade you add up all the cards left to play to zero and sign up with evil angeles don't start me trying now 'cos I'm all over it angeles I could make you satisfied in everything you do all your 'secret wishes' could right now be coming true and be forever with my poison arms around you no-one's gonna fool around with us no-one's gonna fool around with us so glad to meet you angeles
10.
11.
2:45 A.M. 03:18
I'm going out sleepwalking where mute memories start talking the boss that couldn't help but hurt you and the pretty thing he made desert you I'm going out now like a baby a naïve unsatisfiable baby grabbing onto whatever's around for the soaring high or the crushing down with hidden cracks that don't show but that constantly just grow I'm looking for the man that attacked me while everybody was laughing at me you beat it in me that part of you but I'm gonna to split us back in two tired of living in a cloud if you're gonna say shit now you'll do it out loud it's 2:45 in the morning and I'm putting myself on warning for waking up in an unknown place with a recollection that's half erased looking for somebody's arms to wave away past harms I'm walking out on center circle the both of you can just fade to black I'm walking out on center circle been pushed away and I'll never go back
12.
Say Yes 02:19
I'm in love with the world through the eyes of a girl who's still around the morning after we broke up a month ago and I grew up I didn't know I'd be around the morning after it's always been wait and see a happy day and then you pay and feel like shit the morning after but now I feel changed around and instead falling down I'm standing up the morning after situations get fucked up and turned around sooner or later and I could be another fool or an exception to the rule you tell me the morning after crooked spin can't come to rest I'm damaged bad at best she'll decide what she wants I'll probably be the last to know no-one says until it shows and you see how it is they want you or they don't say yes

about

The highly acclaimed Either/Or, the third album from Elliott Smith and his last written and recorded in Portland, OR, broke through to a larger international audience. With richer instrumentation and songs that push past the boundaries of his previous releases, Either/Or presents Smith at his most dichotomous. Through its dozen tracks, the album oscillates between harmony and dissonance, sentiment and cynicism, culminating in a record that is unmistakably and unabashedly “Elliott Smith”. The final chapter of his first period as a solo artist, Either/Or remains a cornerstone of folk/pop melancholia with aftershocks felt to this day.

credits

released February 25, 1997

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all rights reserved

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