I interpreted the song in several ways, but mainly as a description of what was happening to Elliott Smith during this time with his growing solo career and the tantalizing carrot that the music industry was dangling in front of him.
"Let me put you in the play
Down all the days
Cast for your time
A sucker in the line (The seduction of being a player in the world stage?)
To be told you're so fine"
(Industry people encouraging him to leave Heatmiser behind and follow his own rising star?)
"Well, some folks cannot be satisfied
And they just want somebody to ride"
(His bandmates curbing his own musical ideas/creative development?)
(The insatiability of the music "business"?)
"And you're the one they want (Singling out Elliott for his solo material/career?)
To have and have
And never have not (Once the industry possesses you they will never release their hold?)
(Oh!) So take what you expect
And put it in reverse
See which one of us
Reassembles first"
("To his bandmates? Expect to get famous together? I'm leaving you and see who makes out better?)
"They're taking you to/in pieces" (Splitting up the band)
"(Get out! Get lucky! Get out)" (Leave the band and strike out on your own?)
Of course I could be wrong about this interpretation but it's just one of my takes of it. The song's theme of enticement also reminds me a lot of Smith's song "Angeles"
Musically this song really pumps me up, and I get so many different vibes from it, among them a need to escape, to rise above expectations.
I interpreted the song in several ways, but mainly as a description of what was happening to Elliott Smith during this time with his growing solo career and the tantalizing carrot that the music industry was dangling in front of him.
"Let me put you in the play Down all the days Cast for your time A sucker in the line (The seduction of being a player in the world stage?) To be told you're so fine" (Industry people encouraging him to leave Heatmiser behind and follow his own rising star?)
"Well, some folks cannot be satisfied And they just want somebody to ride" (His bandmates curbing his own musical ideas/creative development?) (The insatiability of the music "business"?)
"And you're the one they want (Singling out Elliott for his solo material/career?) To have and have And never have not (Once the industry possesses you they will never release their hold?) (Oh!) So take what you expect And put it in reverse See which one of us Reassembles first" ("To his bandmates? Expect to get famous together? I'm leaving you and see who makes out better?)
"They're taking you to/in pieces" (Splitting up the band) "(Get out! Get lucky! Get out)" (Leave the band and strike out on your own?)
Of course I could be wrong about this interpretation but it's just one of my takes of it. The song's theme of enticement also reminds me a lot of Smith's song "Angeles"
Musically this song really pumps me up, and I get so many different vibes from it, among them a need to escape, to rise above expectations.