and yet another

Very well. This is starting to border on "fuck you, 2003" territory, but let's not go there. Johnny Cash goes, fine, much respect for the man but it's not like it was sudden or that he hadn't created an incredible legacy. But Elliott was someone I listened to even when I was very young, someone whose voice and sound captured something about the world around me, something insular and perfect and tragic. I cheered for him when he played "Miss Misery" on TV. The song was better than every Oscar nominee that year. I knew he wouldn't get it, but for this melancholy dude from Oregon to make it up there in front of millions of people was awesome. I felt a connection somehow. I've had his songs stuck in my head for weeks at a time. He made great music that everyone liked, it wasn't great music you had to explain to someone or be some hipster to "get." It sounded like nothing else, yet was loved. I waltzed to his music at highschool dances. Fucking waltzed. No other musician could've pulled that out of us.

I always expected him to be bigger than he was. After Figure Eight, I thought he had nowhere to go but up. Rumor has it that suicide or heroin did him in. Which in retrospect makes sense, but the timing feels wrong.

Or maybe it's just me. You'll be missed, Elliott. You made the soundtrack of many a breakup, a lot of long, angst-filled nights and several years of my life. I hope that's something you can be proud of.


Future butterfly gonna spend the day higher than high
You'll be beautiful confusion
Ooh once i was you
I saw you caught between all the people out making the scene
And a bright ideal tomorrow
Ooh, don't go too far
Stay who you are
Everybody knows
Everybody knows
Everybody knows
You only live a day
But it's brilliant anyway
I saw you in a perfect place
It's gonna happen soon but not today
So go to sleep and make the change
I'll meet you here tomorrow
Independence day
Independence day
Independence day

(listen)

( Obituary )