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Confidence Artist Lyrics
Sweet nod of the passing hour
Makeup is starting to crack
People talk behind my back
And I don't like that
See the man of the moment
Whose trying to get himself in my shot
Telling everyone he's not confidence artist
There's so many people
There's so many people
There's so many people
Who got to settle the score
Look a little bit closer now
See if the side you can take
The suspense has got to break
And it will someday
Still life in a darkened room
Will be fluttered with light
And it might make you uptight
But you won't die from exposure
There's so many people
There's so many people
There's so many people
Who got to settle the score
There's so many people
Too many people, no, no, no
I'm just enchanted now
Some other time
If you're seeing something
That you're not suppose to see
You'll be charged a penalty
And you'll pay forever
I've been night and day
Building sets on a lawn
In a land that time forgot
Captured here in my camera
There's so many people
There's so many people
There's so many people
Who got to settle the score
There's so many people
Too many people, no, no, no
I'm too enchanted now
Some other time
Some other time
Makeup is starting to crack
People talk behind my back
And I don't like that
See the man of the moment
Whose trying to get himself in my shot
Telling everyone he's not confidence artist
There's so many people
There's so many people
Who got to settle the score
See if the side you can take
The suspense has got to break
And it will someday
Will be fluttered with light
And it might make you uptight
But you won't die from exposure
There's so many people
There's so many people
Who got to settle the score
There's so many people
Too many people, no, no, no
I'm just enchanted now
Some other time
That you're not suppose to see
You'll be charged a penalty
And you'll pay forever
Building sets on a lawn
In a land that time forgot
Captured here in my camera
There's so many people
There's so many people
Who got to settle the score
There's so many people
Too many people, no, no, no
Some other time
Some other time
Song Info
Submitted by
tronistroy On May 30, 2006
More Elliott Smith
Between the Bars
Needle in the Hay
King's Crossing
Twilight (Somebody's Baby)
A Fond Farewell
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i was pretty sure that this song was called "Confidence Artist". at least, that's what elliott smith b-sides called it.
there's so many people too many people no no no, i'm too enchanted now some other time
i find these lines very surreal, like when you're walking through a boistrous crowd, but you feel more like a quiet observer, not part of it. that's when this song starts playing in my head.
very much an example of existentialism. like the Stranger by Camus.
i keep saying that(camus+existentialism) about Elliott Smith songs.....especially this and rose parade.....glad to see someone else sees it too, except my version of camus is called the Outsider..........i think this works better for elliott smith. nice to know im not alone in seeing this.....................RIP
very cool... i dig them both, glad to see i'm the the only one who is reminded of Camus by Elliott Smith.
you're right... this song, Rose Parade, and also for me Stained Glass Eyes.
anyone know where to find this?
I think this is about his experience singing at the Oscars in front of "so many people" and he wants to even the score with them, because he knows they couldn't care less about him and what he does. But he's too enchanted and overwhelmed by the whole thing.
This song is amazing. Its about other people trying to be like him to some extent and try to steal his fame. But he knows thats not going to happen. Well since hes Elliott Smith of course. "Theres so many people" would be the media and its influence on him.
agrees
i don't really think that elliott is the type of person who would care about people taking fame away from him. i mean he didn't even want to play the show at the '97 academy awards but they were going to have someone else play "miss misery" if he didn't. i think it is about people copying him or making an a mimicry and mockery of him
If you're seeing something That you're not suppose to see You'll be charged a penalty And you'll pay forever