While living what seemed to be a glamorous life, Smith struggled heavily with experiences from his past. These raw human emotions, so brilliantly expressed, were articulated by Smith, a ‘90s indie-rock artist notable for his guitar and breathtaking lyricism. The drums bang a little louder each second and the electric guitar rips a piercing note when, finally, the words, “a distorted reality is now a necessity to be free” break the overall serenity and the song erupts into pure passion. Louder vocals and an increase of harmonies the song is building its ferocity. As the song continues, he grows more passionate. (“Phorque” on Wikimedia.)Įlliott Smith’s 2004 song, “A Distorted Reality is Now A Necessity to be Free” begins with a soft acoustic guitar and stripped-down vocals: the epitome of comfort. The Figure 8 mural in Silverlake, Los Angeles. The instrumental and lyrical content of music is consistently brushed off by the consumer people don’t “realize songs had lyrics,” misunderstanding lyrics as “nonsense.” But what insight can these lyrics give us into artists’ lives? This article is the first of a series “Lyrical Losses,” where the music of artists’ gone too soon will be dissected. The music industry is riddled with tragedy, artists caught up in the complications of fame, but often the warning signs are overlooked.

Elliott Smith performing in New York City, January 2003.

Elliott smith either or lyrics