Miss Misery
Elliott Smith/Elliot Smith Lyrics
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With some help from johnny walker red
Send the poison rain down the drain
To put bad thoughts in my head
Two tickets torn in half
And a lot of nothing to do
Do you miss me, miss misery
Like you say you do?
A man in the park
Read the lines in my hand
Told me I'm strong
Hardly ever wrong I said, "man, you're mean"
You had plans for both of us
That involved a trip out of town
To a place I've seen in a magazine
That you left lying around
I don't have you with me but
I keep a good attitude
Do you miss me, miss misery
Like you say you do?
I know you'd rather see me gone
Than to see me the way that I am
But I am in the life anyway
Next door the tv's flashing
Blue frames on the wall
It's a comedy of errors, you see
It's about taking a fall
To vanish into oblivion
Is easy to do
And I try to be but you know me
I come back when you want me to
Do you miss me miss misery
Like you say you do?
In "Miss Misery," Elliott Smith sings about feeling lost and struggling to find meaning in life, with the help of alcohol and a sense of detachment from reality. The lyrics suggest a sense of desperation and disappointment, as Smith tries to cope with his pain by numbing himself to the world around him. He speaks of wanting to disappear into oblivion, but also acknowledges that he can't help but come back when called upon. Smith's references to a man in the park telling him that he is "strong" and "hardly ever wrong" hint at a need for validation and recognition, and the lines "I know you'd rather see me gone/Than to see me the way that I am" suggest a sense of being misunderstood and rejected by others.
The chorus, "Do you miss me, miss misery/Like you say you do?" suggests a sense of bitterness and resentment towards someone who has hurt him deeply. The repetition of the phrase "like you say you do" implies a sense of doubt about the sincerity of the other person's feelings, and hints at a feeling of being used or taken advantage of.
Overall, "Miss Misery" is a haunting and poignant reflection on the complexities of human emotion, and the ways in which we try to cope with pain and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll fake it through the day
I will pretend everything is okay and go through the day, even if I am struggling inside
With some help from Johnny Walker Red
I will rely on alcohol to cope with my emotional pain
Send the poison rain down the drain
I want to get rid of these negative thoughts and feelings
To put bad thoughts in my head
I want to wash away these negative thoughts from my mind
Two tickets torn in half
Our plans for the future have been shattered
And a lot of nothing to do
I feel aimless and lost
Do you miss me, Miss Misery?
Do you really miss me and feel the same pain as I do?
A man in a park read the lines in my hand
I went to see a fortune teller who said I am strong and hardly ever wrong, but I found his words hurtful and mean
You had plans for both of us
You had dreams and aspirations for us to explore the world together
That involved a trip out of town
Our plans included traveling somewhere we have never been before
To a place I've seen in a magazine
You showed me a place we could go to and it looked amazing
That you left lying around
You left the magazine open for me to see
I don't have you with me but
We are no longer together but I am trying to stay positive
I keep a good attitude
I am doing my best to stay optimistic and hopeful
I know you'd rather see me gone
I know you do not want me around anymore
Than to see me the way that I am
You would rather not see me struggling and in pain
But I am in the life anyway
Despite everything, I am still alive and moving forward
Next door the TV's flashing
The TV in the next room keeps flashing and distracting me
Blue frames on the wall
There are blue picture frames hanging on the wall
It's a comedy of errors, you see
Everything that is happening now is a ridiculous mess
It's about taking a fall
Life is full of unexpected setbacks and failures
To vanish into oblivion is easy to do
It is easy to fade away and disappear without leaving a trace
And I try to be, but you know me
I try to stay away, but I end up coming back to you
Do you miss me, Miss Misery?
Do you still miss me and feel the same pain as I do?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEVEN P. SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind