Heatmiser was an alternative rock band that originated in Portland, Oregon … Read Full Bio ↴Heatmiser was an alternative rock band that originated in Portland, Oregon in 1992. Consisting of Elliott Smith (guitar and vocals), Neil Gust (guitar and vocals), Brandt Peterson (bass; later to be replaced by Sam Coomes, frontman of Quasi), and Tony Lash (drums), they were known for their well-crafted lyrics and songs featuring melancholic and cheery words and melodies. The pop-oriented songs of Elliott Smith were a contrast to the darker songs of Gust, while both Smith and Gust's songs touched on subjects such as anger, alienation, loneliness and despair.

The band broke up in the fall of 1996 after Smith's solo work began gaining popularity. Gust went on to play in the band No. 2. Coomes carried on as half of Quasi, as well as playing as a guest musician for Built to Spill and Sleater-Kinney. Lash currently keeps himself busy as a producer. He helped with the production of Death Cab for Cutie's first two studio albums (Something About Airplanes and We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes).

Untitled
Heatmiser Lyrics

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Well you shouldn't doctor yourself
Well I pictured somebody else
Someone who looks like
What I look like

Would you say that the one of your dreams
Got in you and ripped out the seams
That's what I'd say

That's what I'd say

He was a sucker for your double dose
Motherf***er turned white as a ghose
Don't you say hi
Don't you say hi

With your broken sink for a face

In a head that just takes up space
He's not half right
He's not half right

It's already half past
And it won't last

I was sticking up for my friend
Well there's nothing much to defend
It's a lost fight
It's a lost fight

Cos when I talk to you on the phone
Well, it's just like being alone

It's not half right
It's not half right

Overall Meaning

The Heatmiser song "Untitled" appears to be referencing unrequited love or a failed relationship. The opening lines suggest that the singer has been self-medicating in some way, possibly using drugs, and warns against "doctoring yourself." This sets a tone of self-destructive behavior and negative consequences.

The lyrics continue with the singer describing an imagined version of himself that resembles someone they are attracted to, suggesting a sense of inadequacy and self-doubt. The line "he was a sucker for your double dose" implies that the object of their affection may also be engaging in dangerous behavior, but the singer is still attracted to them despite this. The chorus, repeated multiple times throughout the song, suggests that the relationship is unsustainable and doomed to fail, with lines like "it's already half past, and it won't last."

The final verse introduces a third party, a friend who the singer has been defending but feels there is "nothing much to defend." The phrase "broken sink for a face" is a striking image that suggests a lack of attractiveness or potential for repair. The final lines "when I talk to you on the phone, well, it's just like being alone" encapsulates the feeling of disconnection and loneliness that runs throughout the song.

Overall, "Untitled" is a melancholy and introspective song that explores themes of attraction, self-destructiveness, and doomed relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

Well you shouldn't doctor yourself
Taking care of yourself is important, and self-medicating can be harmful.

Well I pictured somebody else
I imagined being someone else and having their life rather than my own.

Someone who looks like What I look like
I want to be like someone else who I perceive as being more desirable or attractive than myself.

Would you say that the one of your dreams Got in you and ripped out the seams That's what I'd say That's what I'd say
Being with someone you desire can cause a complete change in your life and may overwhelm you in a way that causes you to lose control.

He was a sucker for your double dose Motherf***er turned white as a ghose Don't you say hi Don't you say hi
He fell victim to your charm and was caught off guard when he saw the real you. He was shocked and didn't know how to react.

With your broken sink for a face In a head that just takes up space He's not half right He's not half right
You have many flaws that you are unaware of, and your judgment is not always correct.

It's already half past And it won't last
Time is running out, and this moment will soon be over, so we need to make the most of it and enjoy it while it lasts.

I was sticking up for my friend Well there's nothing much to defend It's a lost fight It's a lost fight
I was trying to defend my friend, but there really wasn't anything to defend, and my efforts were futile.

Cos when I talk to you on the phone Well, it's just like being alone It's not half right It's not half right
Interacting with you is unfulfilling and unsatisfying, as it feels like I might as well be talking to myself.

Contributed by Eva T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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