Unreleased Elliott
Posted on April 28, 2004 at 8:31 am | No Comments
Didn’t want this to get overlooked by fellow Elliott Smith fans …
In an earlier comment, Melissa was kind enough to direct me to a thread on the excellent Sweet Addy, the official Elliott Smith fansite. Out of the blue, webmaster Charlie has shared an unreleased song from the “Either/Or” recording sessions called Pretty Mary K (an entirely different one from the same-titled track on “Figure 8”). In my unending quest to track down everything he’s ever done, I never even knew this existed.
On it’s own, it’s a remarkably beautiful song, but given the circumstances in which we finally get to hear it, it’s just heartbreaking to listen to. But I can’t stop. We lost a man whose artistic cast-offs are better than other people’s best.
Pretty Mary K
by elliott smith
Pretty Mary K
Walks along the dock
With some sailor’s pay
Shoved down in her sock
Pretty Mary K
With some little boy in blue
He can’t stay away from you
Pretty Mary K
Took him back to town
I’m down here by the bay
Where the water pounds
Up against the wall
Cryin’ black and blue
Keeps me away from you
Pretty words that you whisper
Maybe I misunderstood
Somebody’s not paying attention what they promise
And their word isn’t good
Oh Mary K
I can see her face
Down there in the waves
Painted and erased
But I know it’s just the reflection of the moon
A big fake resembling you
I’m gonna go down in the water
Fill my mouth up full of sand
I’ll be waiting, still impatient with my dead imagination
While you’re with some other man
Pretty Mary K
Is off in somebody’s room
I’m down here by the bay
With my arm around the moon
But I’ll be with you soon
Just as soon as I pay
I’ll walk across the water with Pretty Mary K
Walk on the water
Pretty Mary K
Thanks again, Melissa.
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