I think all of you guys who just assume this is all about his drug addiction aren't looking at it quite right. That is part of it, but that's not what it's about. Actually, I think one of the major points of the song IS SAYING that that's not what he's all about. I see this as being a song written, like Faceman said to people pidgeonholing him into a stereotype. But I think maybe it's even specifically written to his stepfather, who like many members of his family, thought he was worthless for what he was doing. Between his depressing attitude, his drug addiction, and his lack of a real job (writing pop songs doesn't count for them). So when he says the line:
He�s in my ear
Wants me to live in denial
Says, "You�ve got to settle for something
Though it might not be really living
Anything is better than nothing
Anything is better than nothing"
It's not simply his addiction reasoning in for getting another fix. It's the side-walk boss, again. His stepfather, or the other people telling him what they think he's doing wrong. They see him as just living for nothing, because he's so depressed. They want him to "live in denial" of all the things that are making him unhappy. Though that might not be really living (AKA living in denial of everything shitty going on isn't really living, because you're lying to yourself), but hey you got to settle for something. As if they're telling him "Hey, look. I know you think the world sucks. But you can't keep letting yourself think that. It's better to pretend it's not true, and live at least a better life, than it is to remember everything that is terrible and live doing nothing with your life."
His answer to this is:
"This is how I spend my time
Lazying around, head hanging down
Stuck inside my imagination
Busy making something from nothing
Pictures of hope and depression""
He's saying, "look asshole. You have no idea. I'm stuck in my own mind, with all the things I hate about my life and the world, there's no getting away from that. But I'm not doing nothing. I'm trying to make something. I'm trying to make something that will show myself and everyone around me that there is still hope, even inside this terrible depression."
After that, he turns the phrase that was first uttered by the "side-walk boss" into his own. "Anything is better than nothing" no longer means living in denial, he's changed the meaning of the phrase and repeated it back to the original speaker, saying "At least I'm doing SOMETHING to try to change the horrible situation. I might not be some happy action man, but at least I'm doing what I can to make the world a better place, and make others happier."
This is what I have always loved about Elliott. He may appear on the surface like a "sad-sack," but most of his songs are not just complaining about the world, but guaranteeing himself and his listeners that it's only temporary, and that things WILL get better, because they HAVE to.
@futuremoth reading this 12 years later, and wow. Even though you could be wrong cause elliott didn't explain this song, very good chance that's what he was thinking when writing new monkey. Bravo on the attention to detail as well, love to see other people appreciate and talk about his music.
@futuremoth reading this 12 years later, and wow. Even though you could be wrong cause elliott didn't explain this song, very good chance that's what he was thinking when writing new monkey. Bravo on the attention to detail as well, love to see other people appreciate and talk about his music.
@futuremoth Another person from 12 years in the future here to say that I love this interpretation, and that it really resonates with me. Although many of his songs do reference drugs, and the drug references here are pretty heavy-handed, Smith did say himself that they are typically just part of a grander metaphor and not always literal- in my opinion they're typically both, as they are in this song. Similarly, it's usually all-too-easy to see Charlie in his songs' antagonists and adversaries, but underneath the surface one may find that the deeper meaning of a song might "click" for...
@futuremoth Another person from 12 years in the future here to say that I love this interpretation, and that it really resonates with me. Although many of his songs do reference drugs, and the drug references here are pretty heavy-handed, Smith did say himself that they are typically just part of a grander metaphor and not always literal- in my opinion they're typically both, as they are in this song. Similarly, it's usually all-too-easy to see Charlie in his songs' antagonists and adversaries, but underneath the surface one may find that the deeper meaning of a song might "click" for them by extrapolating said antagonists' characteristics onto society at large. Anyway, there's not much else to say that @futuremoth didn't hit on in their excellent interpretation of this song. I will add that on the west coast of the U.S., heroin is very commonly referred to as "black," which is shorthand for the prevailing variety of the drug east of the rockies, called "black tar," and I have zero doubt that Smith was aware of this double meaning within the opening verse. My buddy and I, both ex-addicts, used to cover this song and during the height of our respective addictions, we would derive much amusement from changing the lyrics to "I'm addicted to black/need a pat on the back."
This is how I spend my time
Lazying around, head hanging down
Stuck inside my imagination
Busy making something from nothing
Pictures of hope and depression""
This is how I spend my time
Lazying around, head hanging down
Stuck inside my imagination
Busy making something from nothing
Pictures of hope and depression""
He's saying, "look asshole. You have no idea. I'm stuck in my own mind, with all the things I hate about my life and the world, there's no getting away from that. But I'm not doing nothing. I'm trying to make something. I'm trying to make something that will show myself and everyone around me that there is still hope, even inside this terrible depression."...
He's saying, "look asshole. You have no idea. I'm stuck in my own mind, with all the things I hate about my life and the world, there's no getting away from that. But I'm not doing nothing. I'm trying to make something. I'm trying to make something that will show myself and everyone around me that there is still hope, even inside this terrible depression."
After that, he turns the phrase that was first uttered by the "side-walk boss" into his own. "Anything is better than nothing" no longer means living in denial, he's changed the meaning of the phrase and repeated it back to the original speaker, saying "At least I'm doing SOMETHING to try to change the horrible situation. I might not be some happy action man, but at least I'm doing what I can to make the world a better place, and make others happier."
I think all of you guys who just assume this is all about his drug addiction aren't looking at it quite right. That is part of it, but that's not what it's about. Actually, I think one of the major points of the song IS SAYING that that's not what he's all about. I see this as being a song written, like Faceman said to people pidgeonholing him into a stereotype. But I think maybe it's even specifically written to his stepfather, who like many members of his family, thought he was worthless for what he was doing. Between his depressing attitude, his drug addiction, and his lack of a real job (writing pop songs doesn't count for them). So when he says the line: He�s in my ear Wants me to live in denial Says, "You�ve got to settle for something Though it might not be really living Anything is better than nothing Anything is better than nothing"
It's not simply his addiction reasoning in for getting another fix. It's the side-walk boss, again. His stepfather, or the other people telling him what they think he's doing wrong. They see him as just living for nothing, because he's so depressed. They want him to "live in denial" of all the things that are making him unhappy. Though that might not be really living (AKA living in denial of everything shitty going on isn't really living, because you're lying to yourself), but hey you got to settle for something. As if they're telling him "Hey, look. I know you think the world sucks. But you can't keep letting yourself think that. It's better to pretend it's not true, and live at least a better life, than it is to remember everything that is terrible and live doing nothing with your life."
His answer to this is:
"This is how I spend my time Lazying around, head hanging down Stuck inside my imagination Busy making something from nothing Pictures of hope and depression""
He's saying, "look asshole. You have no idea. I'm stuck in my own mind, with all the things I hate about my life and the world, there's no getting away from that. But I'm not doing nothing. I'm trying to make something. I'm trying to make something that will show myself and everyone around me that there is still hope, even inside this terrible depression."
After that, he turns the phrase that was first uttered by the "side-walk boss" into his own. "Anything is better than nothing" no longer means living in denial, he's changed the meaning of the phrase and repeated it back to the original speaker, saying "At least I'm doing SOMETHING to try to change the horrible situation. I might not be some happy action man, but at least I'm doing what I can to make the world a better place, and make others happier."
This is what I have always loved about Elliott. He may appear on the surface like a "sad-sack," but most of his songs are not just complaining about the world, but guaranteeing himself and his listeners that it's only temporary, and that things WILL get better, because they HAVE to.
@futuremoth reading this 12 years later, and wow. Even though you could be wrong cause elliott didn't explain this song, very good chance that's what he was thinking when writing new monkey. Bravo on the attention to detail as well, love to see other people appreciate and talk about his music.
@futuremoth reading this 12 years later, and wow. Even though you could be wrong cause elliott didn't explain this song, very good chance that's what he was thinking when writing new monkey. Bravo on the attention to detail as well, love to see other people appreciate and talk about his music.
@futuremoth Another person from 12 years in the future here to say that I love this interpretation, and that it really resonates with me. Although many of his songs do reference drugs, and the drug references here are pretty heavy-handed, Smith did say himself that they are typically just part of a grander metaphor and not always literal- in my opinion they're typically both, as they are in this song. Similarly, it's usually all-too-easy to see Charlie in his songs' antagonists and adversaries, but underneath the surface one may find that the deeper meaning of a song might "click" for...
@futuremoth Another person from 12 years in the future here to say that I love this interpretation, and that it really resonates with me. Although many of his songs do reference drugs, and the drug references here are pretty heavy-handed, Smith did say himself that they are typically just part of a grander metaphor and not always literal- in my opinion they're typically both, as they are in this song. Similarly, it's usually all-too-easy to see Charlie in his songs' antagonists and adversaries, but underneath the surface one may find that the deeper meaning of a song might "click" for them by extrapolating said antagonists' characteristics onto society at large. Anyway, there's not much else to say that @futuremoth didn't hit on in their excellent interpretation of this song. I will add that on the west coast of the U.S., heroin is very commonly referred to as "black," which is shorthand for the prevailing variety of the drug east of the rockies, called "black tar," and I have zero doubt that Smith was aware of this double meaning within the opening verse. My buddy and I, both ex-addicts, used to cover this song and during the height of our respective addictions, we would derive much amusement from changing the lyrics to "I'm addicted to black/need a pat on the back."
@futuremoth you've said it all there:
@futuremoth you've said it all there:
This is how I spend my time Lazying around, head hanging down Stuck inside my imagination Busy making something from nothing Pictures of hope and depression""
This is how I spend my time Lazying around, head hanging down Stuck inside my imagination Busy making something from nothing Pictures of hope and depression""
He's saying, "look asshole. You have no idea. I'm stuck in my own mind, with all the things I hate about my life and the world, there's no getting away from that. But I'm not doing nothing. I'm trying to make something. I'm trying to make something that will show myself and everyone around me that there is still hope, even inside this terrible depression."...
He's saying, "look asshole. You have no idea. I'm stuck in my own mind, with all the things I hate about my life and the world, there's no getting away from that. But I'm not doing nothing. I'm trying to make something. I'm trying to make something that will show myself and everyone around me that there is still hope, even inside this terrible depression."
After that, he turns the phrase that was first uttered by the "side-walk boss" into his own. "Anything is better than nothing" no longer means living in denial, he's changed the meaning of the phrase and repeated it back to the original speaker, saying "At least I'm doing SOMETHING to try to change the horrible situation. I might not be some happy action man, but at least I'm doing what I can to make the world a better place, and make others happier."