Status

Elliott Smith Song

Written By

Elliott Smith

Recording Sessions

March-May 1996 (Bolme Residence, Portland, OR - Either/Or Sessions)
March - July 1996 (The Shop, Humboldt County, CA - Primary Either/Or Sessions)  - uncirculating, third set of alternate lyrics 

Availability of Official Release

Either/Or
Alternate versions from Either/Or
Strange Parallel (not a studio recording, clips of a professionally shot video recording of Elliott and Quasi performing live on July 21, 1998 at Luna Lounge in New York, NY)

Lyrics

Either/Or version:

throwing candy out to the crowd
dragging down the main
the helpless little thing with the dirty mouth who’s always got something
to say you’re sitting at home now waiting for your brother to call
i saw him down at the alley
having had enough of it all
said you can do what you want to whenever you want to
you can do what you want to there’s no one to stop you
all spit and spite you’re up all night and down every day
a tired man with only hours to go just waiting to be taken away
getting in to the back of a car for candy from some stranger
watching the parade with pinpoint eyes full of smoldering anger
you can do what you want to whenever you want to
you can do what you want to there’s no one to stop you
now you can do what you want to whenever you want to
do what you want to whenever you want to
do what you want to whenever you want to though it doesn’t mean a thing
big nothing

Alternative Versions from Either/Or version (transcribed by snowballinhell aka ghost):

throwing candy out to the crowd
dragging down the main
big name boys who try to cry out loud
‘cause they’re always so carried away
you’re sitting around at home now waiting for your brother to call
i saw him down in the alley
sleeping in a plastic ball
said you can do what you want to whenever you want to
you can do what you want to
there’s no one to stop you
all spit and spite and urban plight
and personal decay
a tired man with only hours to go
waiting to be weathered away
getting in to the back of a car
for candy from some stranger
watching the parade with pinpoint eyes full of smoldering anger
you can do what you want to
whenever you want to
you can do what you want to
there’s no one to stop you
now you can do what you want to whenever you want to
do what you want to whenever you want to
do what you want to whenever you want to
though it doesn’t mean a thing
big nothing

Audio