Stained Glass Eyes (Elliott Smith tribute)

by Tom Emlyn

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about

A special cover, recorded to pay tribute to the brilliant songwriter Elliott Smith on the 20th anniversary of his passing.

I learned the song a few minutes before recording it, while my drummer Jack was recording some drum parts, then recorded it in one take.

It's not a very well known song at all, never having been officially released.
I got to know it through the collection 'Grand Mal', a fan compilation of unreleased material.

I thought it was a more interesting choice than doing one of his more well-known tunes, and I feel the lyrics capture something essential about his music and who he was as a person.

Produced by Evan Collett at DBS studios, Bristol
Artwork by Evan Collett

lyrics

People sink your boat
When you cut a tragic figure
They drink their lemonade
And throw you a line

Boil your problem down
To yes or no, what's the matter?
They bomb your promenade
And this makes it shine

So you must play the comic if they want one
And describe their moment
When they're in one

People pass you by
Passing up the chance to know you
They're irregular in the usual way

You should crack a smile
Once in a while, it makes you pretty
It makes you want to give them
A piece of your mind

But they can't be people not if I'm one
If I have to be like them
I'd rather be no one

Couldn't make the scene
Not with all the people looking
All these connoisseurs on guard all the time

Rather spend the day
Blank as hell by the window
Looking out of my stained glass eyes

credits

released October 21, 2023

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Tom Emlyn Swansea, UK

"peripatetic musical genius" - Adam Walton, BBC Radio Wales

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