Elliott Smith - Easy Way Out | Info on every Elliott song!

Status

Elliott Smith song

Written By

Elliott Smith

Recording Sessions

Mid-June - Early July 1996 (??, Portland, OR - Either/Or session - B-sides) - uncirculating
July-August 1999 (Capitol Recording Studios - Los Angeles, CA - Primary Figure 8 Sessions)

Availability of Official Release

Figure 8

Lyrics

You’ll take advantage ‘til you think you’re being used

‘Cos without an enemy your anger gets confused

I got stuck on a side you know I never chose

But it’s all about taking the easy way out for you, I suppose

There’s no escape for you except in someone else

Although you’ve already disappeared within yourself

The invisible man who’s always changing clothes

It’s all about taking the easy way out for you, I suppose

Well I watch you making mistakes

I wish you luck, I really do

With the problem, with the puzzle

Whatever’s left of you

I heard you found another audience to bore

A creative thinker who imagined you were more

A new body for you to push around and pose

It’s all about taking the easy way out for you, I suppose

7-14-1996 version/7-20-1996 version

“It’s my opinion”
Words I never thought I’d use
But you make an enemy of me, you know you do
Now I’m stuck on a side you know I never chose
But it’s all about taking the easy way out for you, I suppose
Forlorn escapers always chasing someone else
An anxious arsonist burning out yourself
An invisible man who’s always changing clothes
Cause it’s all about taking the easy way out for you, I suppose
Let me count the ways you are fake
A million one, a million two
It’s a problem, it’s a puzzle [You’re a puzzle, you’re a problem - 7/20/1996 version]
Well it’s not gonna do [That I’m not gonna do - 7/20/1996 version]

I heard you found another audience to bore
A creative thinker who imagined you were more
A new body for you who quickly decomposed
It’s all about taking the easy way out for you, I suppose
It’s all about taking the easy way out for you, I suppose

7-16-1996 version

“It’s my opinion”
Words you’re never supposed to use
But you make an enemy of me, you know you do
Now I’m stuck on a side you know I never chose
But it’s all about taking the easy way out for you, I suppose
Forlorn escapers always chasing someone else
An anxious arsonist burning out yourself
An invisible man who’s always changing clothes
Cause it’s all about taking the easy way out for you, I suppose
Let me count the ways that I hate
A million one, a million two
It’s a puzzle, it’s a problem
That I’m not gonna do

I heard you found another audience to bore
Creative thinker who imagined you were more
A new body for you who quickly decomposed
Cause it’s all about taking the easy way out for you, I suppose
It’s all about taking the easy way out for you, I suppose

First Known Live Performance

1996-07-14 (La Luna, Portland, OR, USA)

Note

During early live performances, Elliott played this song in B instead of the Figure 8 version’s C#. It is unclear if the Either/Or era recording was also recorded in this key.

Audio

(taken from the live performance noted above - click here)

Figure 8 Version:

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