Signed to Heavenly Recordings, he debuted in 2000 with the 6-track EP Maplewood. His full length effort, Here Be Monsters followed in 2001.
He has since released From Every Sphere (2003), Strangers (2004), The Beautiful Lie (2006, his last for Heavenly), Lustre (2010), Back Into The Woods (2013), Time Of Dust (2014), and Furnaces (2016).
His first instrument is the piano, but he also uses several less common keyboard instruments as well as the guitar. Live, he is accompanied by a band typically comprising a drummer, guitarist, violinist and trumpeter. His work is sometimes reminiscent of Tom Waits but still entirely his own, varied and passionate style.
Last Cigarette
Ed Harcourt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dated from 1916
Sentenced to death while still shell-shocked
For deserting the infantry
Blindfold on and one step back
No need to get upset
Don't be hasty with the trigger boys
Down in the hospital on the 9th ward
An old man scratches his head
Reaches into his bedside drawer
Waits 'til the nurse is downstairs
I'm nearly cured, I've been so brave
There's no need to fret
I'm gonna really quit this time
Let me smoke my one last cigarette
Straight as a corkscrew
As bright as the night
Blind to the horror
Blind to the very horror of this sorry life
The awkward girl with a broken heart
Smashes her mirror until it fracture
Leaning down she picks up a shard
And ponders to question her actions
A selfish act, she's full aware
But the best one she's done yet
With tired eyes and steady hands
She'll smoke her one last cigarette
Straight as a corkscrew
As bright as the night
Blind to the horror
Blind to the very horror of this sorry life
Blind to the very horror of this sorry life
Blind to the very horror of this sorry life
Ed Harcourt's song "Last Cigarette" is an emotionally charged and thought-provoking piece littered with symbolism, imagery and metaphors. The song has three verses, but they are each unique tales that have something in common; the act of smoking one's last cigarette before something monumental happens.
The first verse is about a soldier who is about to be executed for deserting the infantry. His memoirs are found in an old junk shop and they reveal that he was sentenced to death in 1916. The stanza creates an image of a man standing in front of a firing squad, having a blindfold tied around his head and taking one step backward, but instead of pleading for his life, he only requests to smoke one last cigarette. The song suggests that smoking that cigarette gives some form of calmness during a very tumultuous time.
The second verse tells the story of an old man who is terminally ill and admitted to a hospital. He too requests to smoke one last cigarette before he dies. It is an attempt to hold onto something comforting before he passes on. The listener can feel the agony that the man is experiencing and can relate to wanting a moment of comfort during an incredibly painful experience.
The final verse is about a girl who has just experienced heartbreak. She embodies the pain that comes with unrequited love and confirms that smashing a mirror is the best thing she has done yet. Like the soldier and the old man, she too wants to smoke one last cigarette before moving on. The cigarette symbolizes a momentary escape from one's problems, and the act of smoking it is the final release of emotions that she has been holding in.
The song is a tribute to the act of smoking cigarettes, but it encompasses so much more. It's a testament to the human experience, and the different types of grief that we go through. It speaks on a deeper level of the desire to hold on to something familiar, and how that can bring comfort during times of uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Found his memoirs in an old junk shop
Discovering an old war veteran's diary in a thrift shop
Dated from 1916
The diary dates back to the year 1916
Sentenced to death while still shell-shocked
The war veteran was punished with death while he was still affected by the trauma of war
For deserting the infantry
He was punished for leaving the army without permission
Blindfold on and one step back
The execution process begins with blindfolding him and asking him to step back
No need to get upset
The executioners are not agitated and are composed
Don't be hasty with the trigger boys
They are advised not to be impatient and hasty while pulling the trigger
Let him smoke his one last cigarette
The war veteran is allowed to smoke his last cigarette before execution
Down in the hospital on the 9th ward
An elderly man is admitted to the ninth ward of the hospital
An old man scratches his head
The old man is seen scratching his head, possibly in confusion
Reaches into his bedside drawer
He opens the drawer right next to his bed
Waits 'til the nurse is downstairs
He waits for the nurse to leave the room before doing something
I'm nearly cured, I've been so brave
The old man believes he is close to being fully recovered and has been courageous during his treatment
There's no need to fret
There is no need to worry or panic
I'm gonna really quit this time
He decides to give up smoking
Let me smoke my one last cigarette
He requests for permission to smoke his last cigarette before quitting
Straight as a corkscrew
Being absolutely honest
As bright as the night
Being extremely clear and sharp
Blind to the horror
Being oblivious to the fearsome reality of life
Blind to the very horror of this sorry life
Being unaware of the much-pitied state of life
The awkward girl with a broken heart
A young woman who is shy and heartbroken
Smashes her mirror until it fractures
In frustration and anger, she breaks her mirror into pieces
Leaning down she picks up a shard
She bends down to grab a piece of the broken mirror
And ponders to question her actions
She reflects on her behavior and begins to question herself
A selfish act, she's full aware
She is aware that her behavior was self-centered and only focused on her own emotions
But the best one she's done yet
She feels that breaking the mirror was the best decision she ever made for herself
With tired eyes and steady hands
She is exhausted but still determined
She'll smoke her one last cigarette
She is ready to smoke her last cigarette before giving up this habit
Contributed by Violet S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.