Bled White
Elliott Smith (album) Lyrics
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But the city's been bled white (white city on the yellow line)
And the doctor orders (drinking till he's trashed is just a waste of time)
He drinks all night to take away this curse
But it makes me feel much worse
Bled white
And connect through a friend of mine (white city to a friend of mine)
To a yesterdaydream (yesterday a dream was just a waste of time)
'Cause I'll have to be high to track the sunset down
And paint this pailing town
Bled white
So here he comes with a blank expression
Especially for me 'cause he knows
I feel the same
'Cause happy and sad come in quick succession
I'm never going to become
What you became
Don't you dare disturb me (don't complicate my piece of mind)
While I'm balancing my past (don't complicate my piece of mind)
'Cause you can't help or hurt me (the anger, being mean was just a waste of time)
Like it already has, it may not seem quite right
But I'm not fucked, not quite
Bled white
Bled white
The lyrics to the song "Bled White" by Elliott Smith capture the feelings of a color reporter who lives in a colorful city that has lost its vibrancy. The city being referred to here is most likely Portland, Oregon, Smith's hometown where he lived for over a decade. The city is symbolically bled white due to the loss of its personality and identity, and the singer is feeling the same way he describes the city. He turns to alcohol to cope with this feeling, which only makes things worse.
The line "So I wait for the f-train" refers to the MAX light rail system in Portland, which has a yellow line. The singer uses a friend to connect him to his past and to be able to paint the town with his memories. He needs to be high to do this, as the sunset reminds him of his own mortality, which haunts him. There's a sense of resignation in the lyrics, as the singer acknowledges that he will never become what he used to dream of becoming.
The line "Don't you dare disturb me" is a plea to be left alone with his own thoughts and memories. He doesn't want to be disturbed while he is trying to find balance in his life. The anger and the meanness of people in his life have been a waste of time, and he is not quite done yet. The song ends with a repetition of the line "Bled white," emphasizing the feeling of being drained and losing identity.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a color reporter (rose city on the 409)
I observe and report on the colorful aspects of the city using the transit line 409 that runs through Rose city.
But the city's been bled white (white city on the yellow line)
The city has lost its vibrancy and liveliness, becoming bland like the white-colored stations on the yellow transit line.
And the doctor orders (drinking till he's trashed is just a waste of time)
The singer's doctor advises him against drinking to numb his feelings because he knows it won't help.
He drinks all night to take away this curse
Despite the doctor's advice, the artist drinks all night to try and forget his problems and emotions.
But it makes me feel much worse
The drinking may temporarily numb his feelings, but ultimately it only makes him feel worse.
So I wait for the f-train (white city on the yellow line)
The singer waits for the F-train on the yellow transit line in the white and dull city.
And connect through a friend of mine (white city to a friend of mine)
He connects with a friend who helps him escape the monotony of the white city.
To a yesterdaydream (yesterday a dream was just a waste of time)
The artist heads towards a dream-like state where he can forget the painful realities of his past
'Cause I'll have to be high to track the sunset down
The artist needs to be high on drugs to fully appreciate and capture the beauty of the sunset.
And paint this paling town
Influenced by the drugs, the artist feels compelled to beautify the city with his art and creativity.
So here he comes with a blank expression
Someone, possibly a friend or acquaintance, arrives with an emotionless face.
Especially for me 'cause he knows
The person makes this blank expression for the artist in particular, because they know the artist is feeling down.
I feel the same
The singer empathizes with this person and also feels emotionally empty.
'Cause happy and sad come in quick succession
The singer recognizes that emotions can change rapidly, and happy moments are often followed by periods of sadness.
I'm never going to become
The singer believes he will never be able to achieve something.
What you became
He also believes he will never be able to reach the same level of success or happiness as someone else.
Don't you dare disturb me (don't complicate my piece of mind)
The artist doesn't want anyone to disrupt his peace of mind and to further complicate his already troubled state.
While I'm balancing my past (don't complicate my piece of mind)
He is trying to face and reconcile with his past issues as he achieves balance in his life.
Cause you can't help or hurt me (the anger, being mean was just a waste of time)
The singer believes that others' actions cannot truly hurt or help him, and dwelling on anger and negativity is a waste of time.
Like it already has, it may not seem quite right
The artist acknowledges the negative effects his past has had on him, even though those experiences may not seem like a big deal to others.
But I'm not fucked, not quite
Despite his struggles, the artist still holds onto hope and maintains that he is not completely broken.
Bled white
The repeated phrase 'bled white' serves as a reminder of the bleak and monotonous state of the city and the artist's own emotional exhaustion.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEVEN P. SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind