Status

Heatmiser Song

Written By

Elliott Smith

Recording Sessions

October 25th, 1994 (KBOO Community Radio Studios, Portland, OR - Heatmiser - Pandora’s Box) - unofficially circulating, aborted
November 1995 - March 1996 (Heatmiser House, Portland, OR - Heatmiser - Mic City Sons)
April 1996 (Smith Residence, Portland, OR - Rob Jones)
Mid 1995 - Mid 1996 (Heatmiser House - Portland, OR - Mary Lou) - unofficially circulating

Availability of Official Release

Mic City Sons (unlisted bonus track, Heatmiser version)
New Moon (solo acoustic version)

Lyrics

Well, you shouldn’t doctor yourself-well, I pictured somebody else,
Someone that looks like what I look like.
Would you say that the one of your dreams got in you and ripped out the seams?
That’s what I’d say. That’s what I’d say.

He was a sucker for your double dose-motherfucker turned white as a ghost.
Don’t you say hi? Don’t you say hi?
With a broken sink for a face in a head that just takes up space,
He’s not half right, he’s not half right.

It’s already half past/(*He’s just half-assed*) and it won’t last.

I was/(*If you’re*) sticking up for my friend when there’s nothing much to defend.
It’s a lost fight. It’s a lost fight.
‘Cause when I talk to you on the phone, well, it’s just like being alone.
It’s not half right. It’s not half right.

First known live performance

1994-09-17 (Umbra Penumbra, Portland, OR, USA)

Notes

Early version of the song contained a verse “What does he look like? What does he look like?” instead of “Someone that looks like what I look like”.

Audio

Heatmiser Version

Solo Version