The Last Hour

possibly the most haunting song from elliott's final, subsequently posthumous release. the lyrical content points toward the end of a relationship, but i can't help but be reminded of his suicide with recurring lines like "make it over" (yes, i know it's an ongoing argument whether or not it was actually a suicide. i believe it was) the line "don't keep my around" suggests that someone else is making the choice as whether to end it - possibly a relationship he feels trapped in, but can't gather enough will power to end. he thinks of all the things he sacrificed in order to prolong this dying relationship, and has basically given up on trying to fix the situation. one of elliott's greatest. i'll miss him.

this song brings tears to my eyes...really is a beautiful song but so heartbreaking

At first the chord progression was what got me with this song but the lyrics are just as beauitiful. "Make it over" - could mean a few things - such as "make it end" or "come over"...How does he mend together those smooth chord changes over such thoughtful lyrics..?

One of the saddest, sweetest songs ever. I love it. I think he was playing this one for years. I remember footage from 96 he played this. Anyway, I just think it's about messing everything up, being at the end of his rope. Everything is tragic and bad. He's giving up and giving in to all his mistakes and missteps and is just completely defeated.

My favourite line is "I've been thinking of the things that I missed...Situations that I passed up for this". It's a dreadfully sad lyrics. It reminds me of somneone thinking about all the beautiful and wonderful things in life that so many people get to experience, but instead he threw all that away for things like drugs. I myself squandered my entire twenties on drugs, and this lyric always chokes me up. I feel like I destroyed my social skills. I'm clean now, but can't seem to enjoy things or meet people. I feel like I gave up so many wonderful things for a stupid drug.

We got one life... That's what this song makes me realize. You can't take back your mistakes. It's just a sad song. Anyway I'm rambling.

At first, I thought he was talking about someone who has ruined his life as well as their own. But now I think he is talking to himself. He messed up badly. The army/that you mowed to the ground" is all of the people around him that he hurt in the process. He was selfish, and only ever gave a damn about his own opinion. If he cuts all of the people who care about him out of his life, it won't matter if he messes up again because he'll only be hurting himself. Instead of trying to make amends, he's given up and decided he'll "be staying down/where no one else gonna give [him] grief." His "staying down" kind of sounds like suicide, if you ask me.

"i'm through trying now it's a big relief i'll be staying down where no one else gonna give me grief "

chilling lines.

Even though the song could very well be about a relationship you cannot fail to notice those very lines could easily be related to suicide. :( rip elliott

ok I definitely meant to write that on little one, not last hour. I'm retarded

I can't stop lkistening to this! This song is poetically brilliant- SImple & so Complex. A swan song perhaps, at peace at last with whatever was haunting him- Rest In Peace Elliott Smith

I love this song. Especially the end where it sounds like two people singing. R.I.P. Elliott.....

I want to clarify one of the lines: "one way love I took for ours"

I'm not sure who these lyrics are directed towards but it seems like he is talking about an unrequited relationship that only he cares about.

"i'm through trying now it's a big relief i'll be staying down where no one else gonna give me grief "

those four lines suggest that he is going to give up on all relationships. If you think about it, it could also be a reference to suicide. I know that not all songs are about suicide but this song is one of the few that imply it.