Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

Needle in the Hay
Elliott Smith Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Your hand on his arm
Haystack charm around your neck
Strung out and thin
Calling some friend tryin' 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 your 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 brain
Down downstairs
To the man, he's gonna make it all okay
I can't be myself
I can't be myself and I don't wanna talk
I'm taking the cure
So I can be quiet whenever I want
So leave me alone
You oughta be proud that I'm getting good marks

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

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Elliott Smith's "Needle in the Hay" present a tragic and fragmented story of addiction, disillusionment, and toxic relationships. The song opens with a scene of two individuals, one of whom has a "hay stack charm" around their neck, a likely reference to drug use. The person attempts to cash a check, implying a state of economic instability, while the other stands by, aware of their addiction and disillusioned with their behavior. The song goes on to describe a complex and codependent relationship, where one person is "pulling him through" despite the other's self-destructive actions. The lines "you say you know what he did / but you idiot kid / you don't have a clue" convey a sense of frustration and despair at the situation.


The second half of the song is sung in the first person and depicts a character's struggle with addiction. The lines "I can't beat myself / and I don't want to talk / I'm taking the cure so I can be quiet" suggest a sense of numbness and emotional disconnection, as the character seeks solace in a substance. The song ends with the refrain "needle in the hay," signalling the cyclical nature of addiction and the difficulty of breaking free from it.


Overall, "Needle in the Hay" is a haunting and raw portrayal of the impact of addiction on relationships and individuals.


Line by Line Meaning

Your hand on his arm
You are with another man, seemingly romantically, as your hand is on his arm.


The hay stack charm around your neck
You wear a necklace made of hay stalks as a charm, which suggests you may have a connection to rural life.


Strung out and thin
You look gaunt, tired and thin, possibly as a result of drug use or other personal problems.


Calling some friend trying to cash some check
You are calling a friend for money, likely to pay for drugs.


He's acting dumb
Your current partner seems to be unaware of your drug use or other issues, which is expected behavior to you.


That's what you've come to expect
You have experienced similar situations before and thus, are not surprised by his ignorance to what's happening.


Needle in the hay
The needle symbolizes your drug use, which is a dangerous habit that can ruin your life similar to a needle in a haystack.


Now on the bus
The scene shifts, depicting you being on a bus in a different location.


Nearly touching this dirty retreat
You are close to arriving at an unsavory place or situation that feels like a retreat.


Falling out 6th and Powell a dead sweat in my teeth
You seem to be experiencing a panic attack at the thought of where you are headed and are sweating profusely as a result.


Gonna walk walk walk
You have to walk a few blocks to reach your destination in spite of being sick with fear.


Four more blocks plus one in my break
You have to walk one extra block during your break to reach your destination.


Down downstairs to the man
You plan to visit someone who you hope can help you or provide you with drugs.


He's gonna make it all ok
You are hopeful that this man will make everything feel better, even though he may be the cause of your issues.


I can't beat myself
You admit to yourself that you cannot shake your bad habits or tendencies.


And I don't want to talk
You do not wish to speak with anyone, perhaps out of shame or because of your drug-induced state.


I'm taking the cure so I can be quiet
You are taking a drug to quiet your mind, silence any pain or to escape reality.


Whenever I want
You have the freedom to take drugs whenever you want, but this vague freedom has led to your current troubled state.


So leave me alone
You wish to be left alone to either wallow in your problems or be consumed by your addiction without judgment.


You ought to be proud that I'm getting good marks
You sarcastically suggest that someone should be proud of you for receiving good grades while you look like a mess, behaving abnormally and thrashing your life away.


Needle in the hay
The repetition of this line throughout the song hammers home the point of the song, which is the destructive power of addiction.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Steven Paul Smith

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Comments from YouTube:

@killrockstars

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

@josharpe5802

No.

@anomdie

😂

@MrSomethingElse

why? so I can cry more?

@coreylucas6257

Thank you for sharing

@jfroobo

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

@charlottedreemurr2882

jfroobo respect

@lindseyseverance7478

Amen. (I think the exact same thing when I listen to King's Crossing.)

@MS-ti6fy

How many brothers do you have

@Floydianification

thats me goodnight

More Comments

More Versions