Roman Candle was Elliott Smith's debut album as a solo artist, even though he was still a singer and guitarist for the band Heatmiser. The album has a raw, homemade sound (see Lo-fi music), with Smith playing each instrument and recording it on his four-track recorder. Kid Tulsa (Pete Krebs) played snare and cymbal on tracks "No Name #1" and "Kiwi Maddog 20/20". According to the Elliott Smith biography, Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing, Elliott recorded the album in the basement of the home of then-girlfriend and Heatmiser manager J.J. Gonson. The album was never intended for release, as Read Full BioRoman Candle was Elliott Smith's debut album as a solo artist, even though he was still a singer and guitarist for the band Heatmiser. The album has a raw, homemade sound (see Lo-fi music), with Smith playing each instrument and recording it on his four-track recorder. Kid Tulsa (Pete Krebs) played snare and cymbal on tracks "No Name #1" and "Kiwi Maddog 20/20". According to the Elliott Smith biography, Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing, Elliott recorded the album in the basement of the home of then-girlfriend and Heatmiser manager J.J. Gonson. The album was never intended for release, as Smith only expected to get a deal for a seven-inch record, however, after Gonson played the album for Cavity Search Records, they immediately requested permission to release it in its entirety. Smith at first hesitated, and then allowed permission. On April 6, 2010, Roman Candle (remastered by Larry Crane) was re-released by Kill Rock Stars, now with a US vinyl version.
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Roman Candle
Elliott Smith Lyrics
He played himself
Didn't need me to give him hell
He could be cool and cruel to you and me
Knew we'd put up with anything
I want to hurt him
I want to give him pain
I'm a roman candle
My head is full of flames
I'm hallucinating
Hallucinating
I hear you cry your tears
Cheap wet hot red swollen cheeks
Fall asleep
I want to hurt him
I want to give him pain
I'm a roman candle
My head is full of flames
I want to hurt him
I want to hurt him
I want to hurt him
I want to give him pain
Make him feel this pretty burn
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEVEN P. SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Roiy Benkel
He played himself
Didn't need me to give him hell
He could be cool and cruel to you and me
Knew we'd put up with anything
I want to hurt him
I want to give him pain
I'm a roman candle
My head is full of flames
I'm hallucinating
Hallucinating
I hear you cry
Your tears are cheap
Wet hot red swollen cheeks
Fall asleep
I want to hurt him
I want to give him pain
I'm a roman candle
My head is full of flames
I want to hurt him
I want to hurt him
I want to hurt him
I want to give him pain
And make him feel this pretty burn
Cuz Dud
[Bsus4]
[Bm]He [C#7]played him[G]self
sidn't need [Bm]me to [C#7]give him [G]hell[A]
he could be [Bm]cool and [C#7]cruel to [G]you and [A]me
knew we'd put [Bm]up with [C#7]any[G]thing [Em7]
[Bm]I [D]want to [Em7]hurt him
I [Bm]want to [D]give him [Em7]pain
I'm a [Bm]r[D]oman [Em7]candle
my [Bm]head is [D]full of [Em7]flames [G]
I'm ha[Bm]llu[C#7]ci[G]na[A]ting
ha[Bm]llu[C#7]ci[G]na[A]ting
I [Bm]hear [C#7]you [G]cry your [A]tears
[G]cheap wet hot [Bm]red swollen [C#7]cheeks
Fall [D]a[G]sleep
[Bm]I [D]want to [Em7]hurt him
I [Bm]want to [D]give him [Em7]pain
I'm a [Bm]r[D]oman [Em7]candle
My [Bm]head is [D]full of [Em7]flames [G]
I [Bm]want[D] to [Em7]hurt him[G]
I [Bm]want[D] to [Em7]hurt him[G]
I [Bm]want[D] to [Em7]hurt him[G]
I [Bm]want to [D]give him [Em7]pain[Em7/F# - G - A]
[Bm - C#7 - G - A x2] [Bm - C#7 - G - G - Em7]
Make him [D5]feel this pretty *[Cadd9]burn
[G - Em7 - D - Cadd9 - G - Em7] [D5 - Cadd9 - G - Em7 X2] [D - Cadd9]
*detune low E to C
Joseph Wichman
he made the electric guitar sound like a wavering flame, that's pretty great!
Justin Law
@John Parson
Absolutely brilliant realization
Connor Hough
Tonal painting
John Parson
@K M I'd bet ES meant it both ways, but the context of the lyrics don't connect on being oppressed and burned at the stake. Vengeance, retribution, losing your temper and exploding in anger. But maybe he meant it also as its torture to have that anger burning you alive... I only we could ask him his intentions.
K M
@John Parson The original usage was a form of torture which supposedly began with Roman emperor Nero putting on shows/punishing people who he accused of arson even though many believe he himself was responsible for the fire. He tried to keep people alive as long possible while burning them. Covering them in sticks and tar and setting them alight. As for the etymology of the word. At the time they obviously weren't called roman candles, but arguably the firework's name is a reference to what went on during Nero's reign.
John Parson
@K M Etymology disagrees as does modern day definition. It's a metaphor. "My head is full of flames".
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/26bec4/why_are_roman_candles_called_roman_candles_what/
33 rotiaR
I tell you, I've never heard a song that expresses what true anger feels like in such a pure and visceral way as this one. He completeley captured this feeling of being completely blinded by rage and fury against someone that the only thing you want is to see them suffer. It's a really dark but undeniably human impulse that you don't see very often outside extreme music like metal and such.
CT
elliott smith is my all time favorite artist
Sean Matthew King
Y’all should definitely diversify lol
Anisa Or Alex
@nimbleviper339 man my playlist is just Elliott Smith