The Tragic Story of Elliott Smith

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[MarySpender]

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[vinesauce]

One of my favorite songwriters ever. People sometimes say his music is depressing, but I can listen in almost any mood and not feel like it's bringing me down in any way. A true loss that he wasn't with us for longer.

[charmicarmicat]

Not only was he an incredible songwriter, but he was a *ridiculously* talented guitar player, and very underrated at that. Once you try to learn some of these songs, it becomes quickly apparent just how skilled he was.

[duncanmacphee]

I was lucky (and old) enough to see Elliott live a number of times. As aspiring musicians, my friend and I gazed in awe at Elliott's ridiculous talent and his ability to play highly complex guitar runs and chords with ease. I still regard him as one of the greatest songwriters of all-time, and it's a crime that he's still not getting the credit he deserves (Phoebe Bridgers for one owes him a beer or two!)

[Beetmonster]

I spent 6 dark years in rainy Portland addicted to heroin in the 2000s. Elliott Smith was the soundtrack to my life at the time. He got me through some very tough times. Luckily, my best friend had a record player, so we got to listen to his music at its best. I felt a connection to Elliott's music & lyrics on a soul level, unlike any other musician. Sadly, my best friend opted to end his life, and he passed while listening to Elliott. I eventually escaped Portland and am now 10 years clean. I still love Elliott's music and mourn his passing.

[radercalisthenics]

Thanks for this. I met him a couple of times back in the Heatmiser days. He was just such a nice guy and was genuinely thankful when people came out to the shows.

[trianglesfalling]

I really can’t see how one could compare Elliott to Nick Drake - they seem oceans apart to me. I love them both. To me Elliott is operating in a more Beatle inspired vibe and Nick was more influenced by jazz and British folk. They’re both great.

[djobiwan]

I was fortunate to see Elliott play in his high school band in 1986. I did not really know him although we had many mutual friends. His guitar skills blew me away and the songs were complex and catchy. I saw his rise through Heatmiser and solo work and was in awe of his songwriting acumen and his ability to make me feel emotion through his music. He will forever be one of my most admired artists and I hope he knew the depth of connection that his fans felt for him and his songs.

[andrewnicon]

When people talk about Elliott Smith, it always has a level of admiration and reverence than nearly any artist. People who like him always absolutely love him, there really isn't anybody comparable in style or substance. He encourages a certain level of passion from people that you hold quietly instead of scream from the rooftop.

[RhinoRuns]

This is a beautiful tribute. Thank you for bringing this to us.

[Just_Me_TG]

Hey Mary, just wanted to let you know that you are one of the very few creators which videos I play regardless of the topic they cover. The storytelling is always of the highest quality. I basically enjoy just listening to you and I know you always share something valuable. Keep it up! All the best!

[lagerlad]

There was a vinyl record store in Santa Monica called Penny Lane. They were playing Elliott’s “Either/Or” on the speakers and right when it ended Elliott walked in. The manager said “Hey Elliott, we were just playing Either/Or.” Elliott replied “It’s okay. I’ve heard it enough.” This was during the lead up to the Oscars.

[AnthonyBowman]

"I'm in love with the world
Through the eyes of a girl
Who's still around the morning after"

To me, the opening lines of "Say Yes" are easily in the top 5 all time best song openings ever.

[johndogwater]

From a Basement on a Hill is heartbreaking, it gives us a little glimpse of where he was going and it's so rich and beautiful.

[thelandofsun]

Elliott is the most underrated artist of his generation- what a talent. Such a challenging guitar player and a phenomenal lyricist -
Thanks for this video / yes he eclipses many many artists / sometimes I feel he is like all four Beatles - plus George Martin - in one /
Id love if Rick Beato or other music appreciation channels start analyzing his work - - his body of work is encyclopedic- heck his posthumous work eclipses most songwriters ! 😅

[dls]

From a Basement on the Hill I think is one of the best albums I've heard recording/mixing wise. Listening to it over headphones especially, doesn't get much better than that. Such a great guitarist and lyricist

[dougbooth]

Discovered Elliott Smith a bit late, when the Figure 8 album came out. I read a glowing review and immediately went to buy the CD. It wasn't long after that, I went to buy his entire back catalog, including the Heatmiser albums. I still remember the morning that I found out he had died. I was making breakfast, and the story came across the bottom of the tv screen, on a cable news channel. What a terribly sad day that was.

[johnelstad]

I was a classmate of Elliott's at Hampshire College back in the late 80s. I only had minimal interactions with him and I didn't think much of his band, Heatmiser, the one time I saw them play on campus. Looking back, I think his music was ahead of the times and I wasn't ready for it, kind of like how people dismissed Van Gogh during his lifetime only for him to be recognized for his genius much later.

[uhhhclem]

Elliott Smith had as much musical talent as any three Beatles.

I'm alive today because a little guitar lick in "Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands" made me so curious that I realized I wasn't ready to give up yet.

I think my favorite thing in his entire body of work is the guitar line coming in after the first verse and chorus of "Can't Make A Sound." He sings this beautiful, moody melodic line, ornamented with a little countermelody in the backing vocals, and then plays this gorgeous, swung version of the same line, over an arpeggiated harmony, on the guitar - including the countermelody. And then he ends the line with a flourish of ascending triplets and starts the next verse as though you haven't just heard something staggeringly beautiful. The guitar playing against the vocal in the bridge before song's long coda is also mind-boggling. It's all so graceful and fluid, and full of melancholy and anger while also somehow being uplifting and joyful. I've listened to this over and over again for twenty years and it still hasn't given up its secrets to me.

Don't get me started on "Color Bars."

[bixumbi]

Miss Misery is a masterpiece. But for me, when the little piano solo chimes in in 'Pitseleh', that's just divine