Elliott Smith The Machine 1985

A song by Elliott Smith's (aka Johnny Panic) high school band named Stranger Than Fiction from 1985.
LYRICS
So now I said everyone say hello to the machine
Probably don't know you have known it for years
??? they'd be stuck with all the pain
It's living in the city, it lives on people's fears

On the go before the people could read or write
They would gather in groups, to call one of themselves king
The king then drew up some laws and rules, that's riiiiiight
The the laws evolved into the present day machine

And here we have the racial prejudice
And here we have the sexual prejudice
And here we have religious prejudice
All synthetic parts

And now we have to go to school for several years
Just to survive inside the machine
????????????????????
Never again the sky so blue
Never again the fields so green

And here we have the racial prejudice
And here we have the sexual prejudice
And here we have religous prejudice
All synthetic parts

So now you might want to get away from this machine
Well, step outside there's plenty of it now(?)
You can only drive the length of the street
So now I said everyone say hello the the machine

Joy to the world
but what will come
when the lights go down
on everyone?
I sure don't wanna be around here when the whistle blows...

Category:

Music

Tags:

• elliott
• smith
• stranger
• than
• fiction
• high
• school
• 1986
• 1987

[stellarlove21]

I don't care if people think this song is shit- I love it.  It's incredibly addicting. It's obviously different than the Elliott we're used to, but standing alone, the song is awesome. I must have already listened to this 3 times in a row already.

[mymayapapaya]

I really like it too

[ICantAnswerYou]

As far as I know, the Stranger Than Fiction tape is entirely lost, and there's no verifiable version. Although it would be interesting to find out where the poster found this.

The lyrics seem very un-Elliott to me, though maybe he wasn't writing them. Something about the sound of the recording also doesn't make me think this was recorded in 85'.

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think this is Elliott.

[mymayapapaya]

Check out Sweet Adeline and sweetaddy.

[Stillillgal]

it is

[manicmarzipan]

wow this is amazing! i love it!

[aniwenzy]

so good

[JustinStarbuck]

??? they'd be stuck with all the pain

Didn't believe?...



[petsBenham]

who is in the band?

[donkeywithsumpizzazz]

undoubtedly elliott. you can just feel it in the voice & melodic beauty...i just wished this was remastered

[IARE1031]

the part when he SINGS the prejudice part. it really sounds like george harrison.

[singforlove]

his voice is SO unique, i feel like this is totally him, just an earlier version of his music. not all musicians can make the same sound over and over and over again, like pennywise or social distortion or some shit (not that i'm saying those bands are bad). just sayin', who really "knows" what elliott wanted to write or would have written? it sounds like him. that's all.

[peacelovemusic2461]

anyone who doubts this is elliott should reconsider and to the guy who said it is very un elliott lyrics well elliott said it himself that in high school, aka 1985, he songs were like any other teenagers, about the government and greedy people who work in banks and dress the same, its true he said it himself and of course yes he was extremely modest but i wouldnt be suprised if this was him i mean it sounds like him and it definatly fits into that description i mean its about "the machine"

[nikamiw]

I can't believe you have this, that was amazing!. Ahh I wish I go live in the 80s and be in his band.. lol.