Oh Well Okay
Elliott Smith (album) Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The face always turned away
The bleeding color gone to black
Dying like a day
Couldn't figure out what made you so unhappy
Shook your head to say no no no
And stopped for a spell
And stayed that way
I got pictures, I just don't see it anymore
Climbing hour upon hour through a total bore
With the one I keep where it never fades
In the safety of a pitch black mind
An airless cell that blocks the day
Oh well, okay
If you a get a feeling the next time you see me
Do me a favor and let me know
'Cause it's hard to tell
It's hard to say
Oh well, okay
Oh well, okay
Oh well, okay
Elliott Smith's song "Oh Well, Okay" has a somber and melancholic undertone expressed through its lyrics. The song seems to be about someone who is struggling with life, seemingly trying to find a way to move forward. The opening line creates a vivid image of a person's silhouette, whose face is always turned away, signaling a sense of despair and rejection. The next line, "The bleeding color gone to black, dying like a day," indicates the loss of hope, as the person's life now seems bleak and meaningless.
In the next section, Smith seems to be describing his own emotional struggles. He talks about having pictures but not feeling anything anymore, suggesting that he may be emotionally numb or disconnected from the world. He talks about being in a "pitch black mind," which suggests that he is living in his own world and is unable to interact with real life. The song ends with a plea for help, asking the listener to let him know if they feel something about him, making it clear that he is struggling but unable to do anything.
Line by Line Meaning
Here's the silhouette
Presenting the outline of an object or person
The face always turned away
The individual avoids facing the world or their own problems
The bleeding color gone to black
Emotions have faded and turned negative
Dying like a day
Life is slowly wasting away, impermanent
Couldn't figure out what made you so unhappy
Unable to comprehend and identify the source of one's own sadness
Shook your head to say no no no
Rejecting an idea or dismissing an offer
And stopped for a spell
Paused or halted for a brief period
And stayed that way
Continued in that state without any progression
Oh well, okay
Apathetic response, accepting the current situation without a fight
I got pictures, I just don't see it anymore
Having memories that no longer hold significance or meaning
Climbing hour upon hour through a total bore
Enduring a tedious and uneventful existence that seemingly doesn't end
With the one I keep where it never fades
Always keeping a cherished memory or person that stays strong in one's mind
In the safety of a pitch black mind
Feeling secure and protected in a dark state of being
An airless cell that blocks the day
Symbolizing depression as a suffocating and isolating environment
If you a get a feeling the next time you see me
Asking for feedback on one's own behavior or disconnectedness
Do me a favor and let me know
Requesting someone to be honest and helpful with their observations
'Cause it's hard to tell
Implying that it's difficult to recognize or comprehend one's own actions
It's hard to say
Expressing a struggle to verbalize one's own feelings or motivations
Oh well, okay
Resignation and acceptance of one's own limitations and uncertainties
Oh well, okay
Resignation and acceptance of one's own limitations and uncertainties
Oh well, okay
Resignation and acceptance of one's own limitations and uncertainties
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SMITH, STEVEN P.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind