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

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Steven P. Smith

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them

Comments from YouTube:

Kill Rock Stars

2y↑37

Check out this rare live footage of Elliott's 1999 New Year's Eve performance at The Knitting Factory: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6KwzgIePF4Dy7347Om6Ijcsr4vh6JJjP

DYKERITZ

10w

Dykeritz pls

Grande Dude

23w↑194

I can't believe it's November 3 2020. We're still here, together, in our own little midnights, missing you. I hope so hard you're free now.

fuck google

@The TopShottah You could start by loving those who are still around.

The TopShottah

Probably didn't love him while he was here

Blake Meisinger

5w↑2

march 11, 2021, freed

yassir abj

Still here dudes.. we’re meant to be around here sometimes...

Melissa Greenwood

Sweet addier?

4 More Replies...

Joey B

5y↑842

this ones for all my brothers who didn't make it through the night.

Blue Zek

11w↑1

...aaaand i just realized this entire comment chain is about opiate addiction. Stay safe and stay clean, peeps, being sober beats having a withdrawal countdown hanging over you everyday.

some guy

11w↑1

Respect 👊

Barry Kennedy

21w↑2

I hope all of my brothers make it through the night.

doesn't matter

25w↑1

@Becca Susanne Everyone ending in Y other than Brian. Midwest is a bitch. May they rest in peace. You're here, and dead are never dead until they're forgotten.

Christine Cannibal

43w↑6

My fiance, he didn't.. r.i.p

13 More Replies...

Matt Crosby

1y↑88

At some point, being lost is just who you are.

For Felines

Yes. Exactly

Vinyl Diary666

17w↑4

Right in the feel.

Dreamz 32

19w↑5

This is clearly the best comment

J. R. H.

1y↑382

Depressing music makes me happy because it feeds the monster.

RAVEN IS LAW 23

12w↑2

Never related more my friend

Colman Agranov

13w

@Jessica Grimes holy shit

Terence Moore

15w

Lmao my unhappy monster is made happy by all this unhappy music so the joke is on you

Notdeadyet

15w↑1

Ok kid

Dark Star King

19w

If you don’t feed the monster, it will starve eventually.

17 More Replies...

Kirc Cohen

2y↑211

Fighting depression with depression, thx

t H i C c C h U n G u S

2w↑1

Personally, it's just your own interpretation of his songs, I construe it in a different way, it actually helps me in my darkest times to stay inspired, albeit I have depression.

For Felines

2w↑2

Well said!

Ben Sawyer

17w↑46

If anyone see's this in 2020, 2021, 2030. I don't care. Just know that this guy is a legend.

Aide p

5y↑398

Man he is one of the most under rated guitarists in music history. The chord progression trails you around and makes you feel like you are experiencing that dreaded drug walk in Portland with him. The way it ends on a deceptive cadence is just so beautiful. You can interpret that chord as a resolution and feel content it is over or see it as unfinished and feel sad. That is what is so great about his song writing and composition, he always left it open to people to hear it how they wanted to.

Alexa Reamer

11w↑1

I’ve done this walk too many times to count. Yes these places still exist and Lloyd Center park in front of the max is definitely the place if you want to meet sketchy dealers.

One time I was so sick and couldn’t wait until I got home, I ducked into a bush and shot up there. I thought of this song this morning because I would walk to the ends of the earth, sick AF, raining down on me but it never phased me because I had a purpose back then

1212simonsays

35w

Great description.

Bob Papadopoulos

48w

Underrated? No. Townes Van Zandt's guitar is underrated. Blaze Foley's guitar is underrated. Elliott's is pretty straightforward easy stuff.

nosmartyr

49w

Oh really? Aside from the screaming pain of a soul bleeding thru music the way he does, Ive heard Elliot Smith done better by musicians ive known irl. I guess its just a matter of who gets big first. Or he was channeling a soul that sings thru whatever vessel can house it. My friends were clean & sober, inspired by Kurt Cobain. Art is Hard-Cursive hehe to the pain

Bugsy

You must be guitar guy

19 More Replies...

Darkwarrior125

24w↑30

The saddest people are the ones that don't even show it to you, they just wear a mask to hide it all.

Biting Back

5y↑182

Can't believe it's 2016. We're still here, together, in our own little midnights, missing you. I hope so hard you're free now.

Emmi Autumnn

13w↑1

hi from 2021 :)

Paul

17w

This didn’t age well, 2020 got much worse bud

alec geinitz

Haven't you ever been to the Amytiville Crack House

alec geinitz

No no that's a long gummer

Xenofri

1y↑1

Same

3 More Replies...

Pietro W

25w↑21

One of the most iconic Wes Anderson music ever.
"I'm gonna kill myself tomorrow."

Jaie Dormi

18w↑13

Shout out to everyone that put the needle down, to the ones preparing their next fix, and lastly to the ones we lost because of it all. I miss my friends. 6 months & change clean. Stay strong! Much love from NY

BABA YaGa

1y↑20

Johnny Depp said that he listened to this song on repeat for his Mort Rainey character from Secret Window. ✌🏻

stella

49w↑30

Elliott is without a doubt one of the best composers of the last 40 years.

Kevin Beatsman

9w↑1

Honestly, who is better? It's all subjective anyway, but I say no one.

Ashley Lala

4y↑73

Since this is the anthem to many a suicidal person, I would like to offer a hug and the encouragement to keep hanging in there for one more day. Know that you are loved and everything will turn out ok. 😘

The Navigator

39w

@M M Cool B not with that attitude

Philip Eaton

Some days are so hard.

sjh

2y↑1

Thanks

Wesley Utter

2y↑1

One day at a time is all we have. I love this❤

UniverseMelMae··

3y↑1

Ashley Lala I'll try

Stephen Summers

3y↑352

self loathing brought me here.

Alex Tanner

21w↑4

@valkor73 real easy for you to say. You sound very out of touch

Bryan Yurcan

Me too

j r

Honestly I'm here too

Danielle Marin

2y↑1

Stephen Summers, your comment is hilarious and I absolutely love it.

Eric Kerti

same...

4 More Replies...

sucktastic

7y↑27

So leave me alone, you ought to be proud I'm getting good marks.

octopuscollective

19w

markssssss

Riliko hai kas

7y↑49

men, Elliot was a king, nobody going to forget you. RIP Elliot

S4LEM OGAMI

3y↑139

If you have any interest in your sanity, stay out of the comment section.

Eleven

Its too late

Jayden C.

17w↑1

This should be at the top as a warning sign, I found this comment far too late to save myself.

B R

24w↑1

too funny -

Scritchscrum The Great

25w↑4

IKR, it’s just full of edgy comments

Aylen Trees

45w↑2

Lol

1 More Replies...

xComfortIsAMysteryx

19w↑4

Sometimes you lose the grasp on the illusion of who you once thought you were. Then the only reason you try to keep going is for those who love you because you don't ever want them to hurt because of something stupid you've done. At least that is something especially when you feel there is nothing left inside of yourself.

Sara Pau

3w↑1

i listen to this every time it seems impossible to see a future and i feel like drowning in some way it helps hope you reading this are ok

Brokenhill

3y↑26

"Gonna walk walk walk, 4 more blocks (plus the one in my brain)" is one of my favorite one-liners in music.

Marta Andrijić

51w↑1

Mine too :)

Mandeep Dhami

10w↑4

When Rick said to Morty - how can someone so talented and soo unique die so young and soo depressed.

Egregious Philbin

4y↑551

I shave to this song. Is that weird?

James Brett

same

Shady Pandas

@Habanero Jones he was actually referencing the movie.. and being sarcastic... lol. Making a reference that only people that watched it would understand rather than saying "WHOS HERE CUZA ROYAL TENENBAUMS"

* 039

@rilem lol that profile pic goes perfectly with the comment

monty nelson

don't do a tennembaum-

Paul Phoenix

13w↑1

@Habanero Jones you need a pepsi bro

24 More Replies...

Sharon Ruiz

1y↑29

Wow I haven’t heard this song in about 7 years... definitely brings back a lot of memories. Always one of my favorite

IndustrialGaming

5y↑20

Thank you Royal Tenenbaums for introducing me to this beautiful song.

WhalinBoi

22w↑4

"How can someone so talented die so young?"

Steve Graham

5y↑53

I came here after watching Royal Teneabums earlier this evening

Susannah’s Banana’s

13w↑1

This song makes me cry. But by the end I have a warm feeling in my heart meanwhile my guitar gently weeps

PomPom

6y↑72

The Royal Tenenbaums is a great movie that deals with some pretty serious issues beyond its light demeanour. I really love this song

Finn Cullin

"I'm going to kill myself tomorrow...."

northCALIFA

6y↑3

@PwnsPandas very observative arent we...... jk jk. sorry. royal tenenbaums is a great movie that can be disected so many ways. i love that movie. i dont see it as very light demeanored at all.... but thats why i love film. have agood one

Puppy Puppington

20w↑8

Reminds me of when I cared too much about “love”. Getting broken hearted and lied to is so horrid. Spending weeks in the bathroom shooting up to forget & slashing at my body mutilating myself covered in blood. It seems like ages ago. I hate that I still have scars all over. I hope they disappear someday. It’s rather embarrassing. But of course I didn’t give a single atom of care at that moment. I’m glad I’m not in that same mindset anymore.

Matthew Williams

Self inflicted wounds never heal, constant reminders of who we once were but to never be again.

vjone2127

12w

@Sarah C ❤️

Sarah C

13w↑1

I'm glad you're doing better. Don't be embarrassed, it's part of your history, and although you may think it's unsavoury, you should be proud of yourself for surviving and putting it behind you. We all have our war wounds, you're still here to appreciate them.

Mad Max

9w↑4

an interview with Johnny Depp & Lawrence Krauss brought me here johnny said that he used this song to get into character in movie "secret window "

Dogald Trump

I love how he says nee-dle in the last line

Grace

15w↑1

i hate how scary this song is to me. it’s so haughtily beautiful that i had to remove it from my playlists.

Lola Correa

2y↑178

for everyone out there struggling with depression: i want you to do two things.
1.)Take a walk. outside, somewhere in the woods, maybe. anywhere quiet, with nature. i want you to walk. maybe take your dog. no music allowed. you're just going to walk, and think, and look. look at the trees! they're so old, and so strong. look at the sky! it's so infinite and so blue! look at the sun shining through the leaves, look at plants! it's all so lovely! so if you really can't live for yourself or the sake of living, or if you think you're hideous, or if you think you're a burden, or if you can't live for your friends and family, live for the earth, and the beauty on it, and the beauty in it.
2.)i'm not going to say it's okay, or you'll be fine. you won't be. you'll have bad days, and you'll have good days. but if an athlete sprains something, what do they do? they say, "it's okay, i'll rest it and let it heal before i go out again." and that's what you should do. the brain is a muscle and an organ. and if everything is too much, stay home! skip work, or school. take a day to relax.
please be smart. you are loved.

escalatorfrenzy

the brain is not a muscle, thats bullshit ... but hey, its ok

David Hawkins

12w

I’m not loved

John Russell

16w

Times like these I wish Jesus was real

Pfatschke

23w

@Big Daddy O.O I really hope you'll think that over and cancel this plan...

Cat

33w

Thank you.

20 More Replies...

Dana Dane

1y↑6

Years & years of feeling like a pincushion brought me here

Leah Gee

18w↑2

A couple nights ago I had a dream where I got to see Elliott perform again. It was beautiful. To think we’ve lost him forever, and will never again get a chance to see him play, is utterly heartbreaking. May he rest in peace ): xx

KyCurley

36w↑4

Somedays are joyful, somedays are harder than others. I give back. Giving great advice, like yawl do here, to others who are going thru tough times. I give my condolences, appreciation and support. You're the higher influence to make or change a life. Needless, to say. I ain't wanna make it past 2021. But yawl are doing great things. Love u all.

arty shorts

41w↑3

im not depressed im just here because I think its a beautiful song

Enrique Juarez IV

this song is so much more chilling when yer high...

Wes

Even though I know damn well that he would've hated being labelled a musical genius, there's no denying it. He influenced the way in which my friends and I composed and arranged our own songs, right alongside artists like Nick Drake, John Martyn, Townes Van Zandt, Johnny Cash, and the early Dave Mathews & Tim Reynolds live recordings.

William Cole

You ever wish time could stand still like in samuria Jack but I'd like to be 4 in 1999 the world seems brighter when I reminisce about that time

In Cognito

14w↑1

Winter 1996 was spent strung out hitching I-5 from Eugene to Portland to Seattle. Shows at Paris Theater, Oak Street Theater, LaLuna, Satyricon, then north to Seattle-Ok Hotel, Crocodile, 700 club, beautiful and tragic times.

Josh G.

3y↑3

Great song even though its about addiction. Its sad the plight we put ourselves through. Great scene with this song in the royal tenenbaums, it plays when Richie attempts suicide and the song conveys the mood excellently.

Desmond English

First song of his that I listened to, certainly not the last

hxhdfj ifzir st c

21w↑10

I remember the sick glee in my room mate's voice when he announced that Elliot had died.

I was never the biggest fan (had a few records), but I was totally disgusted by the demonic thrill at death and drama.

Timothy Geaughan

7w↑1

Our little group has always been.

Lucy Elias

god what a simple simple beautiful song, elliott smith was a god

matthew jones

6y↑125

im just here because i grew up listening to this....

Darrin Nelson

1y↑1

me 2. well. l was around 18 when this came out.

seven

2y↑3

I love this album. .so depressing so right...so strung out so real..

Ben

2y↑4

I love this album. .so depressing so right...so strung out so real..

minah lee

2y↑5

I love this album. .so depressing so right...so strung out so real..

StealPinch

3y↑8

I love this album. .so depressing so right...so strung out so real ..

5 More Replies...

Russ 757

2y↑3

Such a beautifully composed song. I suffer from severe depression but I take it day by day. I enjoy listening to songs like this to make me feel like I’m not alone in the struggle with addiction and depression. People that suffer from these afflictions should come together to support one another more often. Addiction is a disease and so is depression. So many look as it as weakness but it isn’t....its being human.

TheDonofthsht76 -

no you're weak. Don't be a pussy and bitch about it on Youtube. Be a man and shoot some dope and take care of it. You prob don't even know what addiction is

It'sWhereTheComedyComesIn

20w

it sounds like even if we feel like we're different we're still as small as everyone else...idk if thats what elliot meant, but thats how I see the song

Indolent Tenderfoot

6y↑3

Please don't do it... I can't lose you too

Burr McMillen

6y↑7

I love this song. If you like sad songs. I just wrote a song about my brother who passed away on Thanksgiving in 2010. He slowly lost his battle with mental illness, and was the closest person to me in this world. The song is called “Autumn Leaf (Gary’s Song)” it’s on YouTube. Thanks!

Manesk Fernal

31w↑2

Ya know that feeling when your gettin a bag and your trying to not to shit yourself/puke on the way home to do up? Lately everytime im getting close tp ending everything i get the same feeling and its making it feel impossible to stop myself haha.

Anthony Coyle

I find this more intense than depressing.

Dogald Trump

Same

Autumn Blair

2018 and still one of the most depressing songs of all time.

Astral Dreamhead

5y↑8

he broke my heart, I just want to give him back as much as he gave me. elliott didnt you know I was your friend? elliott didnt you know youd be with me until the end? I wish I could have hear you talk, I wish I could have told you how you kept me from falling apart. I can never understand the pain in your heart, until I realized it was the pain of us being apart

Poundland Gang

24w↑2

This song makes me tear up. Listening it takes me back to my childhood.

Mak Eldridge2022

4y↑2

This is my absolute favorite song. Hands down.

Marianne STRGZR

27w

the stereo at the beginning of the song is amazing

bjwzwart

16w↑1

This man was and still is the best songwriter for me RIP ES

gacha_potato 123

4y↑2

Omg the melody in his voice just cradles me! Even if i dnt like the song its hard to stop listening.

Stefan

3y↑2

Went to investigate this after hearing a cover of it by drone band Nadja on their cover album When I See The Sun Always Shines On Tv. Fell quickly in love with Elliott's music straight after that.

Adam Farr

2y↑3

Never done heroin....been through enough though to really apperciate and savor this amazing poetry.. Rest in Peace Elliot Smith your forever in our thoughts

Clarence Warley

1y↑2

Loneliness brought me here..now Elliot can take me away.

Katherine McShane

52w↑1

i know that heaps of true Elliott Smith fans are getting annoyed that people only know him or particularly this song from The Royal Tenenbaums. And i get it, that can be annoying, when someone only knows like one song from a very unappreciated person and doesn’t appreciate them or their other stuff, I found Elliott from The Royal Tenenbaums and he is now one of my favourite artists. But we can’t think that just because someone knows one song or knows it from a film that they’re a “fake fan”, we have to find out about artists somehow and if people find that through the art of films then that’s great.

Toñin

El mejor álbum the Elliott el primero, sin lugar a dudas, se vacía, y son las canciones más bellas y sinceras que jamás haya grabado, un genio!!!

john denis dunne

14w

Love this song. I felt like this song the other day making a cup of tea

lincoln

29w↑1

Sometimes I’m worried they won’t make it through the night. I love my friends and I know they’re sick but I also know I can’t change it. They’re hurting and it makes them hurt less but I’m so worried. I haven’t talked to her for months. I hope she’s ok. I hope she’s safe.

Joseph Blanco

2y↑5

I remember being about 14/15 in 2005, and I played the hell out of this. My cousin hated me for playing it on repeat for hours.

Jaefar SABNW

23w

@Joseph Blanco People are at fault, but look at someone's choice of media and you see what values they will potentially live.

Joseph Blanco

23w

@Jaefar SABNW you make sound as if the music is at fault. Or is that just the wording. I apologize if I'm wrong.

Jaefar SABNW

23w

I am thinking if someone who decided to destroy her life around that time after such music, but it took her a few years to get to dirty smack.

Gavino

6y↑1

This is and always will be my favorite song ever.

Exodus

I just like this song not depressed or anything 🤷🏾‍♂️

Filberto Gonzalez

6y↑1

God, I can relate to this song

Kendra Wilde

6y↑4

i love you elliot smith, you are buried deep in my soft heart forever

Alexis Arrizon

3y↑1

Elliott Smith was my favorite singer growing up in the mid 90s still crushed over his death.

sundaysinrome

7y↑1

ah <3 i love this song

Elisabeth Jondahl

50w↑1

This is the song that started it all for me. RIP Elliott.

Benji Banks

4y↑1

For all my Friends / Idiols who's bright lights were snuffed out all but to soon.

Antonio

10w

Fills me with feelings

no-go mado

3y↑2

This song makes me cry almost instantly.. like I just can't help it.

Sincerely, Me

i got here from a result in a uquiz, i think this is what i needed right now.

katelyn harvey

what's the quiz?

Siddhartha Sharma

4y↑3

haha I am already dying slowly from an year.. I wish I could get over her just the way she did

Erika Martinez

3y↑1

His music is timeless, especially this album and I can't believe it has been 20 years since I first listened to it. I'm getting the same feels in 2018 just like in 1998.

GVilleAnarcho

The Bad Astronaut version is a really good power pop cover of this song. That was the first time I heard this song. Then I heard the original and it floored me. But the BA version is also fantastic in its own way.

Jeremy

4y↑3

this is the real one, the one that has the most soul and raw power in its message. god bless elliott smith.

The Ceo Of Complete Global Saturation

5y↑1

I am here because i can identify with him a lot.I've always been good at predictions,and i can sadly say i will probably share elliot's fate one day.

UniverseMelMae··

Me too..

Jacob Trueman

5y↑1

I feel the same way...

Evan Cargill

12w

Dude, so pleased to subscribe. Top shelf. You take the edge off like a file.

The 18

You have to meet my friend as Bob Dylan did. Ed is the reason that I am who I am today.

Your super sexy boogeyman slayer

11w↑2

I showed this song to my friend and now he won't stop singing "Didlin' my aaaaaaa-nus" instead of needle in the hay.

Austin Starke

2y↑3

Why do I keep waking up, feeling like this? I'm trying so hard

Desmond English

36w

I wish I could tell you it would get better, but truthfully it wont it will suck for so long but you might just maybe pull through of your own sheer volition, which will you be, a fly that died on the wall, or a fly that died on a tennis racket

TheRockRiff Tehe

sorrowful and morosefull beauty. 2 tabs down and feeling smiths vibes

Alex Goldberg

1y↑1

One of two people with music that makes me feel this way. Y’all try the music of Eyedea. It’s sits like Elliott yo.

K Ryuzaki

Drunks and Dragons/Greetings Adventurers podcast brought me here
(Took me forever to figure out what song was played on character death outros. On a related note, if you're interested just know the first 30 episodes are pretty rough - get through them and it gets way better though)

Wil low

29w↑1

One of the saddest movie moments “royal tenenbaums” this song is being played highly recommend

William Plevich

5y↑1

thank you! i kept rying to listen and find which song was used without the video of rick and morty in it/talking over it

Mason Minor

3y↑4

Thanks to this beautiful song, shaving is now a lot quicker for me!

Damian O'Brien

1y↑1

This is my all time favorite song of all time.

h4t3 m3

I wish I still had my CD so that I could listen to this without reading comments

K Towe

h4t3 m3 as you comment

Eric L

2y↑3

Craziest part about it is that it's just him. One guitar. No looping. Crazy talent. Greatly missed.

Aaron Harvey

After you watch GOT episode 5 and you just want the pain to go away

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