Plainclothes Man Lyrics

Lyric discussion by holesinthinair 

Cover art for Plainclothes Man lyrics by Heatmiser

It's about a breakup with heroin, guys. Isn't that obvious?

You're everybody's second home Always trying to get me alone An easy way to lose it all Always there when all else fails Over by the west side rails

Pretty clear.

But I don't really need that now I never really did anyhow I only really needed alcohol Something that'd treat me okay And wouldn't say the things you'd say

There are a bunch of songs by Elliott that talk about this theme. One of them is even called "Talking to Mary." Mary isn't a real person. Mary is heroin.

Please turn out the light I get a sick confusion headache Trying to figure out who's right

Hangover.

Dreaming on the silver strand Waking up to plainclothes man You little bastard, little boy in blue Someone's gonna get to you And fuck up everything you do

Little boy in blue is another term for heroin. He mentions it in 'Pretty Mary K' (Mary K is heroin)

He's so unhappy inside He's serious with everyone And he thinks he'll win you with his angry kiss Acting like he has no needs Wanting you to watch him bleed

Wanting you to watch him bleed: shooting up.

Made for each other bet you pay me any mind Just goes to show my continual decline They say that I'll recover my love of her once in a while But I don't know I don't think so

Everyone says he's going to relapse, but he's angry now and says no (all the more tragic because we know Elliott's will doesn't win)

There's something that I'll tell you now Now that no one else is around The sort of lesson that I learned from you Not quite the way you planned But I know you'll understand Someone takes a photograph A picture while their sweetheart laughs A perfect moment in a flash of light Counting back from three till one That's exactly what you've done

When he takes a hit, there's a very brief moment of perfection. Once it's over it's back to business as usual, and everything else seems subdued:

And I'm so Unsurprised I remember, I remember why I dream in black and white Goes to show my continual decline They say that I'll recover My love of her Once in a while But I don't know I don't think so I don't think so

Isn't that obvious? Opinion are not facts, one. And two, Elliott didn't have a harmful addiction with heroin at this time. He def. used here and there, but his breakup didn't come until 2003.

@holesinthinair i’ve never heard of heroin being referred to as a little boy and blue but people were to use the slang “boy” for H and “girl “ for coke justtt a fun fact

@holesinthinair Ive always think ppl who only can relate Elliott's lyrics with dope stuff are kind of solw-brained...

Like if drugaddict songs were the top meaning of Elliott's lyrics when they're not specific about that stuff.

He once stated he wrote about complex emotions, bieng "dependence" only one of them, dependence also said it wasn't only about drugs. Human beings can be harmful dependent on many stuff not only drugs.