Elliott Smith - Ballad Of Big Nothing (from Either/Or)
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- čas přidán 3. 06. 2014
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"Ballad Of Big Nothing" from the Either/Or album. Out now on Kill Rock Stars.
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Check out this rare live footage of Elliott's 1999 New Year's Eve performance at The Knitting Factory: czcams.com/play/PL6KwzgIePF4Dy7347Om6Ijcsr4vh6JJjP.html
I saw Elliott in the 90's at the Black Cat...a small venue in DC that holds mostly punk rock shows. Paid $5. Watching him on the stage with his guitar and that haunting and amazing voice was unforgettable. He really was a poet. A calming presence writing stories about storms. He walked to the bar after he finished his set and got a beer. I got a drink. I told him "you carried me through some of my darkest times." He thanked me in that very shy and gentle voice. He smiled and I raised my glass. I don't know if he ever knew what kind of healer he was to us? Rest in Peace.
biggest lucky
You should have bought him a drink
I live in fairfax va by dc...if elliot smith an I were at a bar together after a show, lol hell I'd buy everyone a round
I'm in my thirties now and for some reason I've just discovered him last year. You are truly lucky to have met him. He was truly amazing
Nothing like a sleepless night of regrets, Elliot Smith and crying
Yep
Too real haha
*njaa* , could be different and worse ,mind you
@@havalinachiel7694 I agree with you. It's not cool to act like a bitch. But some feelings have to be felt. Much love
That's an insult to the memory of Elliot Smith....fkn idiot
Even after all these years there's nothing better than revisiting this man's craft.
Hell yeah well said mate
I agree
Definitely, Makes me keep living on
Weirdly enough I've said that so many times. I meant it when I said it,but it hits you SUPER hard as an adult. A few seconds ago I was very overwhelmed by life. I am at the stage of actually knowing what's gonna be taken from you. I already feel the weight gonna crush me.
Then elliott sings and I am happy and at ease. I sill have a HUGE amount of time.but still its not enough
I do it like twice a year
Still the GOAT, always will be
I can't stop listening to Elliott send help
Update: don't send help I love it here
it's a never ending horribly beautiful cycle. lol
there's no known cure
Don't you get it? Listening to Elliot Smith IS the cure
njnya oh dayum...i like this cure
hehe... i love Elliot but he was so damn facetious, too smart for his own good... only thing this music will cause is a relapse of whatever is haunting you to begin with.. Listen responsibly
YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT TO WHENEVER YOU WANT TO
But can you?
YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT TO THERES NO ONE TO STOP YOU
Gen Z: Okay!! *starts twerking randomly
"watching the parade with pinpoint eyes full of smoldering anger"
- my entire childhood
So you took Opioids as a child? Because that is what that line is about.
@@Anthony-kp7sfI'm sorry. I didn't mean to piss you off that much. I just relate to the whole line as a whole myself, but you know, things relate to other people differently. That's what is great about music and poetry.
Excuse me could you please explain this line to me?
@@tomorrowtomorrow562 its hard to know exactly what he's talking about but most people seem to enjoy parades, and the speaker says that they're watching the "parade" and not enjoying it. The "pin point eyes" most likely refers to being high on opiates. The fact that the speaker does not enjoy the parade is what makes this interesting. Perhaps you've been in a situation that you didn't enjoy, but everyone else seemed to. It is hard to know why the speaker doesn't enjoy what he is watching, as the "parade" might just be a metaphor for something else, but the word "watching" is used. Perhaps the speaker is angry in a jealous manner as they are not in the parade, but want to be, and feel left out. Perhaps the speaker is angry because the people in the parade are happy, but the speaker has trouble feeling happy. I get the sense that the line is trying to get those ideas across.
@@Anthony-kp7sf , thank you a lot for your explanation! Now it looks pretty understandable for me
so ive been listening to this song a lot the past few days at a fairly high volume and today when i played it quieter than usual i could faintly hear my downstairs neighbor singing along. im happy i could show good music to someone ive never talked to.
This has me in tears and I don't know why. ✌️🤟
🤣
I really hope this is a true story!!! 🤣🤣🤞🤞
And then everyone stood up and started clapping
I’m crying
One of the finest songwriters to ever exist.
the best
@@galbeeri8360 It finally hit me how much of a genius he was. I can feel so much emotion through his music, it's great
real
No matter when I listen to Elliot's songs, I can always find a slice of lyrics that I can relate to.
That riff.. You can't beat it
One of the best albums of the 90s
Amazing how we can all listen to these lyrics and connect enough with them to induce euphoria, though we all connect these self-same words to different experiences.
Well among other sensations and emotions not just "the chills"...
Great Steven! Now you're talking!
👌🤌
Quite true! I would posit that the fact of the junkie's experiences of pain, loss, betrayal and grief tend to adhere to some _particular_ metrics, resulting in a more standardized experience than one might expect.
Extrapolating from there, the people who do all the same things, and have messed up, given up, _been_ given up on in all the same ways; trying to plug empty pieces of ourselves with all the same tricks.
Add to that a talent like Elliott's, and he's able to distill those universal experiences and feelings and decant them into something we all recognize.
Even if they weren't fully autobiographical, I think he was working from personal or observed experiences which makes them true to someone's life, and they get spun into this piece of art that reflects that truth at the people listening to it.
It's so much more than just writing good metaphors or rhymes.
I have come to especially appreciate the songs we have multiple lyrical and structural versions of. There aren't a lot of musicians who will take a song to the point of published studio album, and then continue to play earlier versions of the song. Changing lyrics, and not always the same changes night by night... playing with different harmonies or tuning. They used to be living, breathing things, and Elliott was like, coaxing them out from the wild from time to time to take a picture for the rest of us to see.
That's a collateral loss from his death that really bums me out as I make my way through his alt takes and early versions and live shenanigans; the life that was stolen from every single one of his songs. Now they're all just snapshots and memories. Hey at least there's like 200 songs, without getting into the whole alt and live material.
He was so prolific as to be called driven to write and record his music. And bully for us that he did. Bully, Bully I say!!
I just found out about this guy. Listening to this song while reading his life story makes me feel really bittersweet.
David F Same. Im reading Torment Saint while listening to his music religiously.
Jesse Knowler I gotta pick that up
+ben reiser you know, even though elliott didn't have a brother.
"You can do what you want to, there's no one to stop you / though it doesn't mean a thing" exactly how I feel about to be entering my twenty's. So much potential and opportunity for the taking but ultimately it feels like none of it matters does it? I guess Elliot taught us to make your own purpose and that sometimes being too analytical can be a detriment.
This song is about a person who is struggling with their life and relationships. The opening line, "Throwing candy out to the crowd / Dragging down the main," is a metaphor for the person trying to please others and fit in, but instead causing more harm. The person is described as having a dirty mouth and always having something to say, which might suggest that they are confrontational and quick to anger.
The person is waiting for their brother to call, and the narrator sees him in the alley, having had enough of it all. The chorus says that the person can do what they want to do, whenever they want to, but that doesn't mean it will have any significance or importance. The person is described as being tired and waiting to be taken away, perhaps suggesting that they feel trapped or hopeless.
The person is seen getting into the back of a car for candy from a stranger, which could be interpreted as being willing to compromise their values or morals for temporary pleasure. The person is also watching a parade with pinpoint eyes full of smoldering anger, perhaps indicating that they are frustrated with the world around them. The chorus repeats that the person can do what they want, but it doesn't mean anything, implying that their actions may bring temporary satisfaction, but won't bring lasting happiness or fulfillment.
Mucho texto.
You're crazy if you think anyone's gonna read all that
I will comment this because i have something that i have study and i am wasting time and this interes me
It’s about a drug addict. Pinpoint eyes refer to contracted pupils when high on heroin or opiates
@@LtGregoryStevensi did asshole
So lost in my own dumb failures, but this song springs into my mind with the "You can do what you want to, there's no one to stop you." so I feel a bit better now :)
same haha
I don't mean to disrupt your contentment but what it actually means is what he says at the very end
@@akkamal6999Art is about interpretation. you say you didn’t mean to ruin his contentment so you didn’t need to do it.
czcams.com/video/fW2MyFmaeHs/video.htmlsi=XScARsrQrcWtKfux 3:26
you can do what you want to, whenever you want to.
I have so many memories of those lyrics coming through my speakers. most specifically, laying on the floor with the door shut, often crying. Elliott made things feel strangely better and less lonely.
Big love to you.
+Acacia Rae me too :) lovin ya sister
Much love to both of you
Acacia Rae
One of the most tragic losses in the history of music
Damn its been so long. Brings me back to my early 20s. That part "Watching the parade with pinpoint eyes full of smoldering anger" hits me right in the gut. He puts me right in that place and i know that feeling all too well. Glad the rain has cleared for the parade.
The most brilliant song I've ever heard.
Hes the only thing that keeps me alive
I hope theres more than that now! 💜
Sharlotte Sometimes there is! a lot more actually
@@aoldatabase548 good to hear man! 😀
That's Marvelous!
This album saved my life years ago. Thank u Elliot.
Why did it saved your life?
@@Lalu_133 it probably gave him comfort durring a hard time
@@lossedatsea1811 maybe, now here me out... someone threw the album record and it knocked something harmful out of the way, hitting a weird angle and coincidentally saving his life. Who knows what happened
mine too. was around 96 oder 97.
THIS SONG IS SO FUCKING GOOOD
This song makes me cry
Throwing candy out to the crowd
Dragging down the main
The helpless little thing with the dirty mouth who's always got something
To say you're sitting at home now waiting for your brother to call
I saw him down at the alley
Having had enough of it all
Said you can do what you want to whenever you want to
You can do what you want to there's no one to stop you
All spit and spite you're up all night and down every day
A tired man with only hours to go just waiting to be taken away
Getting in to the back of a car for candy from some stranger
Watching the parade with pinpoint eyes full of smoldering anger
You can do what you want to whenever you want to
You can do what you want to there's no one to stop you
Now you can do what you want to whenever you want to
Do what you want to whenever you want to
Do what you want to whenever you want to though it doesn't mean a thing
Big nothing
up up up
up up up
So many personal memories with this song. The intro gives me goosebumps all the time.
+J. Antón So many different emotions when that intro starts rollin...
Heavily existential, so beautiful. Has to be one of my favorites. I could listen to this album on repeat and have many times. I remember listening to it over and over when I first heard it. I also kept going back to this song.
one of my favorites songs from when I was 16. I saw him live then. good music.
Real unique snare sound
Great song. Can definitely hear some Big Star in this song.
'You can do what you want to whenever you want to'.. 🎶
never get sick of this one. what a tune
Elliott's music has become a refuge for me in tough times. Such a magnificent artist.
The first tune that got me into the song-writing excellence of Elliott Smith. Album wise... then Between The Bars comes along. This is music!
what a great musician
Elliott soothes my soul
You can do what you want to there's no one to stop you
say no more
Throwing candy out to the crowd, dragging down the main
The helpless little thing with the dirty mouth who's always got something to say
You're sitting around at home now waiting for your brother to call
I saw him down in the alley, having had enough of it all
Said you can do what you want to whenever you want to
You can do what you want to, there's no one to stop you
All spit and spite, you're up all night and down every day
A tired man with only hours to go just waiting to be taken away
Getting into the back of a car for candy from some stranger
Watching the parade with pinpoint eyes full of smoldering anger
You can do what you want to whenever you want to
You can do what you want to, there's no one to stop you
Now you can do what you want to whenever you want to
Do what you want to whenever you want to
Do what you want to whenever you want to though it doesn't mean a thing
Big nothing
Pineapple G p
Just a great songwriter. Music doesn't have to be complicated to hook you in and keep you there. He could have recorded this on a home studio 4 track system.
(For background, I'm a teenager who has had some issues with anxiety, depression, social anxiety, etc, and my dad is into a lot of music from unknown weird/indie artists, and apparently he already liked a few Elliott Songs) It was about two summers ago, my dad purchased Either/Or Expanded Edition on CD on a whim and put it in the car. On the ride, I had kind of been listening along, and I thought this guy must be just another one those weird musicians dad likes; the music seems alright, nothing special. But then Ballad of Big Nothing comes on, and I was blown away. The guitar, the melody, the singing, the entire thing was just... perfect. I immediately had it put on my phone, and started researching this Elliott guy. I thought his life story sounded tragic, and began listening to more of his music. I realized how amazing and intricate his songwriting and lyrics were, and looking over more and more of his music.
Two years later, Elliott Smith is my favorite musician of all time, Ballad of Big Nothing is my favorite song, and I've been spreading his music to some of my peers. He's just... on a new level of brilliance, in my opinion.
Same. The song that probably got me hooked was Speed Trials.
Damn. I remember listening to Either/or in 2017 without paying too much attention to it but even back then Ballad of big nothing blew me away. I also heard Pretty(ugly before) back then and although I listened to both of those songs quite a bit I never got into Elliott's music properly. Listened to Either/or again in early 2019 and it quickly became one of my favorite albums and ballad of big nothing is pretty much being my favorite song of all time now.
@@barosielle2952 I think it was somebody that I used to know or any upbeat song from xo
He played all the instruments on Either/Or. 😂🔥
Beautiful song
I think this is the best song ever written
All time fav Elliott tune.
WARNING:LONG AND PERSONAL STORY
One of my friends is a big fan of Elliott Smith. He said to me, with a serious face, that Elliott was right about life. I was puzzled, no doubt. I came home and forgot about him and Elliott for a while. Afterwards, something bad continued happening to me while I thought the total cause was mine. Day by day, my mentality and health kept going down. One day, as usual at the time, I woke up very late in bed, thinking about my past and future. I was very sad every single day, and no music healed me enough at the time, so for several months, I had never touched my laptop which contained hundreds of favorite songs. Then, Elliott came to my mind, and sang to me "Now you can do what you want to, whenever you want to". I didn't believe what he said to me inside my head. Actually, I never understood the lyric of the song till that day. I went into CZcams and searched for Elliott. Finally, I understood the meaning of the lyric, the serious face of my friend, and my life.
Takaony ʏᴏᴜ ᴅɪᴅɴᴛ ʜᴇᴀʀ ᴛʜɪs sᴏɴɢ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟʏʀɪᴄ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴇᴀᴅ ᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅɪᴅ?
To all people, I meant to say Elliot says right about life, or my life.
We should be sad. The world is full of rape and murder, the culture of forced positivity is just society saying "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain"
@@nathantoy5711 Social conditioning (alias social brainwashing) and social pressure are downright evil and have broken many poor souls. Best thing is to recognise it when confronted with it, neutralise it and ignore it.
Nathan Toy it’s true, life is shit, but by listening to Elliott I feel like maybe I can do some good in my life, he fills me with hope.
such a beautiful song
this song into between the bars always gets me man, what a great album and such a loss of talent
He makes me so happy.
Lowkey goes off
Single greatest song ever written.
I could listen to that outro for an inordinate amount of time
So talented
a million views!!! love you Elliott
What a great chorus to use as a mantra to alchemically manifest. Ots like perfect.
so good...
I Saw him down in the alley
the hard left right pan on the intro brings me back to the 4 track days of the 90's. Gotta love that
The 90's are 4 track days? You mean very crude demos, right?
brilliant.
Elliott Smith it's always like this: in the complex the text of every song he wrote it's amazing, but there's always that one phrase that hit u like a punch in your guts, as if he already had known what are human's problems.
Just speechless
It's been 4 or 5 years since I've listened to Elliott Smith. This song popped in my head today for whatever reason. Good shit though, I could use another Elliott smith phase.
This song hits different now.
It's incredibly life affirming to me.
Things happen you can't control and that's OK, also it's beautiful
Ένα από τα αγαπημένα μου του Elliot! Σε αυτό το τραγούδι φαίνεται φως φανάρι τι πραγματικός μάστορας της ακουστικής κιθάρας είναι.
πες τα ρε μαγκα
estoy despierto toda la noche y triste cada día ♥️
Watching the parade with pinpoint eyes full of smoldering anger
my favorite song lyric ever
One of mine too :)
I love Elliott and I'm shocked I never realized that Dave from Foo Fighters musical sounds of earlier works is soaking with E.S. influence. Intentionally or not. It's undeniably there. Wow. Just wow that I never saw this till literally just now. Anyone else see what I'm hearing?
what a song
This song makes me so happy for some reason just simply because it feels so liberating to think about I can do what I want to whenever I want to idk if like it’s the wrong interpretation or whatever but l just like thinking it if that way
The BEST that ever was,OR EVER WILL BE..
this made me cry tonight.
+Julie Ryan its supposed to
youre not the only one
Not the only one. I agree
Te amo ellitoh gracias por tu música aun perteneces en cada canción que escucho.
Listening to this while emotionally eating ice cream. Ah, what a joy to be dying with the leaves.
OH MY GOD THAT'S SOOOO GOOOOOD JUST WHAT I NEEDED THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH ELLIOTT
Thanks for this, for real!
2023 still counting 🎉
You can do what you want to, whenever you want to... though it doesn't mean a thing. Big nothing.
Intro: [C] [Am] [C] [Am] [Fm] [G]
[G]Throwing candy out to the crowd [C]dragging down the [D]main
the [G]helpless little thing with the dirty mouth
who's [C]always got something to [F]say
[G]you're sitting at home now
[C]waiting for your brother to [D]call
[Dm]I saw him [G]down in the alley
[Fm]having had e[G]nough of it all
Said you can [C]do what you want to when
[Am]ever you want to
[Fm- Dm- Fm- G]
you can [C]do what you want to, there's [Am]no one to stop you
[Fm- Dm- Fm- G]
[G]All spit and spite, you're up all [C]night
and down every [D]day
[G]a tired man with only hours to go
just [C]waiting to be taken a[F]way
[G]getting into the back of a car
for [C]candy from some [D]stranger [Dm]watching the pa[G]rade with pinpoint [Fm]eyes full of [G]smoldering anger
You can [C]do what you want to when
[Am]ever you want to
[Fm- Dm- Fm- G]
you can [C]do what you want to, there's [Am]no one to stop you
[Fm- Dm- Fm- G]
Now you can [C]do what you want to when[Am]ever you want to [C]do what you want to when[Am]ever you want to
[G]do what you want to when[E]ever you want to
[Am]though it doesn't mean a [D]thing
[F]big noth[Fm]ing
[C] [Am] [C] [Am] [Fm] [G] [C]
lyrics AND chords? dude you are awesome.
You're a legend
being a bass player , playing a song thats mostly Am and C . thats heaven .
@@johnqdarwin It gets a little fun trying to go from Fm to Dm in an instant but that's the thing with Elliott Smith songs, he's a master of bar chords and transitions.
Throwing an Fm in with the key of Cmajor. Part of the genius of Elliot he always uses interesting chord choices that aren't part of the diatonic key.
Hard to pick a favorite but this is probably it.
What a great song
favorita do álbum
lovely
yay!
Legendary
Oh snap! I hear Scott W. Of STP as well. Oh my God. Elliott Smith was beyond our life's musical beyond. I'm beyond words you guys. Anyone else hear what I'm hearing. I'm losing my mind from the brilliance. Best way to go out for sure
Why does this not have one billion likes? t-t
This my anthem... unfortunately.
The drums are quite awesome too
You can do what you want you whenever you want to
Like BIG STAR !!!!
amo essa mais que me amo
Just discovered this song yesterday and now I'm listening to it in 3:00 in the morning because it's that goddamn good.
I LOVE ELLIOTT
My hero.
Kinda reminds me of folk music 😊
I don’t know why, but this song kind of reminds me of “Big Star”
This really resonates with me not gonna lie. Big nothing, but I'll try to make the best of it
Yup
Im annoyed that nobody has mentioned this song has the same vibes as "The fool who ripped his pants"
someone PLEASE make a mashup of these songs
♥️
Music for people who have been done with existing on earth for their entire life.
+Sullivan Dunn yep, I live to endure complete and utter misery so at the end of the day I can ease the pain with a few hours of Elliott Smith.... It works..
I too enjoy edging
Great job missing the point. Also, thanks for contributing to the view that Elliott was some perpetually depressed, sad-sack, hopeless musician. Stop romanticizing the man. He was a person, too
That is exactly how I Feel Sully Dunn! Love and peace.
dfg Warmonger well he did kill himself.
look at it any way you want but suicide spells out CLINICAL DEPRESSION. you must have never been depressed in your life if *this* is the comment you decided to bitch on.
RIP elliott
Liked him so much... :'(