Needle In the Hay

Elliott Smith

Sometimes I still imagine Steven Paul Smith walking the streets of Portland looking to score and get high. 6th and Powell, unable to quit. What a songwriter though. I suppose there are very few people with this kind of gift who are well adjusted and at peace. For Elliott, there were too many demons to exorcise I suppose, and they eventually got to him and he died a horrible death.

But as a songwriter, he was the complete package — like a 5 tool player in MLB. Melodies, lyrics, voice, skilled guitar playing, record making. He could do no wrong in the studio and just wrote a whole lot of mind-blowing songs — much like Lennon and McCartney did. He’s on that short list of songwriters who has made some records that will outlive us.

This one right here captures his harrowing drug habit. Nothing’s going to stop it. It’s used so well in Royal Tenenbaums, but this song doesn’t even need a great movie sequence to stand out. It paints this heartbreaking picture all on its own steam.

Your hand on his arm
The hay stack charm around your neck
Strung out and thin
Calling some friend trying to cash some check

He's acting dumb
That's what you've come to expect
Needle in the hay
Needle in the hay

Needle in the hay
Needle in the hay
He's wearing yr clothes
Head down to toes a reaction to you

You say you know what he did
But you idiot kid
You don't have a clue
Sometimes they just get caught in the eye

You're pulling him through
Needle in the hay
Needle in the hay
Needle in the hay

Needle in the hay
Now on the bus
Nearly touching this dirty retreat
Falling out 6th and Powell a dead sweat in my teeth

Gonna walk walk walk
Four more blocks plus one in my break
Down downstairs to the man
He's gonna make it all ok

I can't beat myself
I can't beat myself
And I don't want to talk
I'm taking the cure so I can be quiet

Whenever I want
So leave me alone
You ought to be proud that I'm getting good marks
Needle in the hay

Needle in the hay
Needle in the hay
Needle in the hay