Quotes from Elliott Smith

I was trying to do the same thing that I always do which is make an interesting record.

I rode on a float in one of the parades in Mississippi. It's an experience.

There are lots of things I like about playing in a band, the things I can't do by myself you know.

It touches on drug use. I got caught up in that for almost two years.

Music is worth doing just because. It doesn't have to be justified by some political point of view, and it's kind of insulting to the music to make it a tool for something else.

They say that God makes problems just to see what you can stand, before you do as the devil pleases.

I truly hope the future will bring me something to feel nostalgic about, because there's really nothing much so far I can remember fondly.

I watched myself put my paw in the bear trap on that one because there was this clause about leaving members.

If you play acoustic guitar you're the depressed, sensitive guy.

It's just that a lot of songs that are popular right now, they don't have any meaning.

I just wanted to move out of Portland to do something.

I'm happy some of the time, and some of the time I'm not. But like when I see a movie, for example, that I really like, that moves me or whatever, it's usually happy and sad at the same time.

Certain songs just feel a way that's hard to put into words and it's not happy and it's also not really sad but I couldn't say what it is

I think the music business will eventually crush me, but I [smiles]... I'm ready.

It's a lot easier to tell the truth usually.

He made his life a lie so he might never have to know anyone.

I was coming off of a lot of psyche meds and other things.

I didn't have a hard time making it. I had a hard time letting it go.

I wondered if I would talk about drug use. But I guess, why hide it?

Doing battle with themselves that way, every day, all the time and sometimes it sucks, but other times it results in people making sort of a dream comprehensible to someone else.

I don't really think of time off as writing blocks. I think that's a western notion of demonizing inactivity. When your imagination decides it needs to take a nap. maybe that's what it needs to do.

My girlfriend at the time convinced me to send these songs to Cavity Search. When they wanted to put out my record I was totally shocked.

Depressing' isn't a word I would use to describe my music. But there is some sadness in it -- there has to be, so that the happiness in it will matter.

i'm never gonna know you now, but i'm gonna love you anyhow