Elliott Smith, a singer/songwriter who received an Academy Award nomination in 1998, died on Oct. 22 at the age of 34. According to earlier news reports, cause of death was a self-inflicted stab wound to the chest. However, further tests by the coroner were inconclusive.
Smith studied the piano and guitar when he was a child. During middle school, he changed his named to Elliott, and began composing his first songs. He graduated from Hampshire College in Massachusetts, and performed in the bands, A Murder of Crows and Heatmiser. But it was his solo albums — “Roman Candle,” “Elliott Smith” and “Either/Or” — that earned Smith his underground fan base.
In 1997, he was approached by director Gus Van Sant with a request to use six of his songs on the “Good Will Hunting” soundtrack. The exposure brought Smith a recording deal with DreamWorks Records and an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for “Miss Misery.” His sixth and final album, “From a Basement on the Hill,” will be released on Oct. 19, 2004.
• Watch the Elliott Smith Video, “Son of Sam”
October 22, 2003 by
Elliott Smith
Categories: Musicians
Rest in peace my friend.
You wont take your music with you in the grave.
Your light shall not die
Guillaume, one of the guys who have a better life since they know you
A great thinker
A great musician
sorely missed by strangers
Will be missed.
I made 2 t-shirts with his name on them, I wear them all the time.
life sucks without you
so alone
dont wanna go on without you
so alone
fuck this charade
greatly missed,
appreciated
and admired
by so many..
Yet so many have not had the opportunity to be humbled by your music, it’s the fans job to spread the word..
You will not be forgotten.
You will not be lost among the other artists of your generation. You will continue to stand out among the rest, like you should and always will.
RIP
Elliott Smith
All I can say is that if there is a god and he was resurrected it was Elliott Smith. I mean seriously all i can say is Damn, why why why why why why why why yeah Elliott Smith. My god Elliott Smith I loved you so much and always will. Oh Elliott Elliott Elliott. You will be greatly missed as i have to force myself to listen to the rest of the shit the music industry feeds us without you.
I Love You Elliott
R.I.P.
It’s so sad to lose someone as amazing as Elliott Smith. He put his heart and soul into every song, and made some of the best albums ever. I love you Elliott.
R.I.P.- Steven Paul Elliott Smith 8/6/69-10/21/03 We miss you.
Elliott’s Life
A man admired, through covers of pain,
left loved, yet undone, soaked in rain,
heart felt glory, ears unchanged,
music left not finished,hitting notes unarranged,
creative and delt with, childhood a stab,
the only stab felt with us, is the stab of happiness and glory, telling us a story, we give it a try, though we cant lie, we love the music, and dont need more heat, so can you say, he lived in denile?, no you shant, for his life was compiled, of the best moments a human can have, awards and the love of women, he left us with some laughs,
so hidden in the basement, smith’s guitar still awaits, for the next elliott to come on in to try a play, to try and give their best shot to something from his poetic lanes,
for Elliott was a master, we cannot feel his pain, he’s up in a cloud singing, to the crowds at the clubs of the sky, telling some new stories,and helping them to get by. C.J.Tkach
His death left a void in me.
“Im never gonna know you now but im gonna love you anyhow”
RIP Mr. Elliott Smith your missed
Elliott-you angel-i know you follow me wherever you are.The good life of Elliott that affects us all.
dearest elliott, why did you have so much shitty music put before? you- when i know you saw all that i needed to know. elliot i love you- you are all good, all good, you didnt deserve all this shit good heart. you are there good person-waiting for us. bless you elliott- angel of that song we wait for.
hey elliott.. thanks for singing me to sleep every night
Any man who takes his own life while denying those who can use his organs should never be remembered as a hero, rather a selfish individual without thought for others. So many of us are fighting each day to live and he destroys what could have brought life to another. Pure egotistical selfish crap. Please stop Deifying the man.
Shaver
How dare you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The man was a saint! Keep you comments to yourself. You have known idea who this man was or what he cared about. You should stop defending your god, he the one that made us this weak to take are own lives. RIP ELLIOTT SMITH…………..here i lay dreaming of the brilliant sun bringing its guiding light on everyone.
Elliott thank you for teaching me how to feel and singing me to sleep everynight,
You will be remembered not only as a hero but as one of the greatest musicians of all time,
The world is a little darker now that you are not in it…
“I’m never going to know you now, But i’m going to Love you anyhow”
XO,
Sarah
Elliott thank you for teaching me how to feel and singing me to sleep everynight,
You will be remembered not only as a hero but as one of the greatest musicians of all time,
The world is a little darker now that you are not in it…
“I’m never gonna know you now, But i’m gonna Love you anyhow”
XO,
Sarah
Under some dirty words
On a dirty wall
Eating take-out by myself
I played the shows
Got back in the van and put the walkman on
And you were playing
In some other dive a thousand miles away
I played a thousand times before
And like pathetic stars
The truck stops and the rock club walls
I always knew
You saw them too
But you never will again
It’s too late
Don’t you know
It’s been too late for a long time
Elliott, man you played a fine guitar
And some dirty basketball
The songs you wrote
Got me through a lot
Just wanna tell you that
But it’s too late
It’s too late
No, don’t you know
it’s been too late
for a long time
Oh, no
Things were looking up
Least that’s what I heard
Oh, no
Someone came and washed away your hard-earned
Peace of mind
When desperate static beats the silence up
A quiet truth to calm you down
The songs you wrote
Got me through a lot
Just wanna tell you that
But it’s too late
It’s too late
No, don’t you know
It’s been too late
For a long time
It’s too late
It’s too late
No, don’t you know
It’s been too late
For a long time
Great guy, great music.
Rest In Peace
Elliott Smith
You are my god, my inspiration, my soul
Steven Paul Smith –
My life would be lost without you
Thank you for your music
Thank you for your lyrics
Thank you for your inspiration, motivation & dedication
Thank you for being the sole musician I can understand
Thank you for everything I have recieved through you.
There is no greater musician than you
And there never will be.
“It was more medicine than music”
I cry myself to sleep everynight. I wish i could have helped you, but I know I couldn’t of. You were everything to me, and you still are, and you always will be until the day I die. I’m your number one. I love you Elliott. “I’m never gonna know you now, but I’m gonna love you anyhow.”
XO,
~Kristy
(You are dearly missed by the whole world.)
I found out about your music after your death and i must say i love every bit of it. Its so genuine…
your the only person that can make me cry through music
thank you for being such a big part of my life
Elliott-
There isnt enough for me to say to express my gratitude for the music you have brought me… brought the world. One day your sweet songs will again bless everyone around you-
Thank you-
“Singing sweet high notes that echo back…”
Absolute legend- never to be forgotten- i will play him to my grandchildren.
Elliott, your music painted a different shade on all the canvases of my life. Thank you. You will be missed dearly.
Thank you.
You drew the song from my lips.
R.I.P Elliott.
I have just discovered Elliott or should I say he has just discovered me…at least that’s what it feels like. Just weeks ago I found him and already I have changed. What an amazing writer…it seems the good ones always die young.
RIP Elliott
Elliott Smith is the greatest thing that ever happened to his fans. I wish I could have died for him.
ben folds said it well “the songs you wrote got me through a lot, just want to tell you that but its too late.” it is too late, and the even that i would ever get the chance to meet elliott and the even less likely chance that i would ever have been a part of his life where my opinion would mean anything. i’m not a writer nor someone who can voice their opinion with power. this is to all those who knew elliott, you are lucky to have been in the presence of a genius of music. his music touched so many and his life and death is still in my thoughts years later. he has been the comforting voice to listen to at the end of the day, to open up to, to trust, to relate to, and to feel with. i thank him and those who knew him. depression is a disease. “it was more medicine than music.”
when i heard he died i was suicidal
your music helps me get through each and every sad and somber day. You are a genius, a poet, a visionary, and a musician. thank you
So tragic even nearly 3 years on. I Will never forget, I can’t forget the exact moment i heard it on the radio. Just like a bomb going off that’s how i felt the first time i heard you music. Life was never the same again. Musically, lyrically a master, a genius. The thing that makes me sad is that all we have left is the music that you have given us, it’s not enough. I think all of us wish we could hear something new from you Elliott, but that will never happen. You will always be remembered, never forgotten, Resting in peace
Drink up with me now…
all I can say is… thank you
all this time has passed, and you are still missed and cannot be replaced.
I only hope you had some idea of how much your words/songs touch so many people in so many different ways..
RIP – if nothing else, you deserve peace
i can’t go a day without listening to an Elliott
album,its sanctury for me.best sound i ever heard
out of a guitar.thank you very much for you’re
music Elliott,i’ll cherish it till i die.
R.I.P ELLIOTT
man, your songs got me through so much. i cant wait to meet you in the life after this one. wherever you are.you are my hope in life, seeing your picture makes me smile. youve saved my mind on many occasions. though i am still scarred, you stopped the bleeding from my heart. thank you elliott rest in peace.
your the best
it took all of about 10 seconds to feel myself floating away to ur music…it seriously saved my life and if that is a debt, i will surely pay in this life or the next, forget elvis! this man deserves the honour of saints
This is for you, from a stranger youll never know, but couldnt feel closer
a mirror only shatters if the reflection is not enjoyed.. we all walk down the street with our hands out, looking for something to grasp. reality is a trick and death is real. A gentle melody will keep me sain.
Lost talent makes me just so frusterated, to think that such a brillant man could do that to himself is what makes me so utterly frusterated. i miss him so much as if i knew the guy and i dont, but still. Why do any of us make decisions like that what compells us to do such things, i miss you. your music has changed my life in so many ways you wouldnt believe
I hope your able to rest in peace, because i find it hard to now that your gone… to the artist that finally showed me where music can actually asend you to I say goodnight. rest in peace
MY Dearest Elliott, u are my everything. you changed my life. I owe you so so so much. I wish i had the honor of meeting you or seeing your beautiful face. I will see you in the next life elliott. I owe everything to you. You will always be remembered and missed. I love you.
Im still crying elliott. I MIs YOu. R.I.P. ELLIOTT SMITH
without a doubt, the most gifted singer/songwriter of our generation.
I devoted my myspace page to your brilliance
Elliot’s music has saved me.
Your music has saved my soul.
Though you are gone, you are greatly missed.
Thank you for your music, for it has helped me through the roughest times in my life. It has helped me see the light in an ironic way.
Thank you for your lyrics. Your honesty has helped me become one with the emotions that I’ve felt these past years. No one really understands the hardships I’ve had to overcome like the words you have written.
And thank you for the hope you have brought me and every other person in this world. I will never forget how much you have helped me, without knowing it. You may be dead, but your soul is etched into each and every one of our hearts forever.
You are my inspiration, and are greatly missed.
Thank you for everything.
“I’ll fake it through the day with some help from Johnny Walker Red….
… but it’s alright, cause some enchanted night, I’ll be with you.”
Your music has changed me, my daily therapy, and I don’t think that there could be a greater gift than the calming sanity you restore in me, you have saved me and for that I am forever grateful.
I think others would agree that, no other musician, at least of this generation, has written with such eloquency or emotion as you Elliott.
You will never be forgotton, your music will be played, appreciated and loved for decades to come.
My fond farewell to a friend.
You are missed, Elliot.
not a whole lot else i can add but it’s been 4 and a half years now and i still listen to you as much as ever.
it’s like you climbed inside my head and instantly understood everything i felt. i don’t feel like that anymore but i’ll be forever grateful for your help, and compassion, and humour.
love you, hope you found what you were looking for xx
“I don’t have you with me but I keep a good attitude”
Elliott,
You will never know the impact your music has made on those fortunate enough to have heard and understand it. You give a voice to the outsider’s view into the world. Your pain has helped me deal with my pain. Finally someone understands.
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