Here's the army
That you mowed to the ground
And the bodies you left lying around
Talking it out
The last hour
I'm through trying now
It's a big relief
I'll be staying down
Where no-one else gonna give me grief
Mess me around
Just make it over

Your opinion was the law of the land
A single thing that I couldn't always understand
I lived it out from hour to hour
The only thing that never really changed
You ran me all around
And dragged me down
At the end of the day
Don't keep me around
Just make it over

I've been thinking of the things that I missed
Situations that I passed up for this
One way love I took for ours
I'm through trying now
It's a big relief
I'll be staying down
I wasn't good at being a thief
More like a clown
Make it over



Lyrics submitted by Mopnugget

Track duration: 03:27

"The Last Hour" as written by Steven P. Smith

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


The Last Hour song meanings
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25 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:Obviously this has nothing to do with the intended meaning by Elliott, but for me this song reminds of the two years in my adolescence when I felt I should be losing my virginity, but my parents traditional values and (by then) estranged ways prevented this. It was complex, but my parents strongly condemned sex before marriage in our house, and things I'd done to girls in the past meant my reputation around my high school was really negative.

    The first line, referring to the 'army' and 'bodies' to me represent masturbation, with 'taking it out', referring to losing my virginity later on in my life.

    'I'm through trying now' also refers to having lost my virginity, after the desperateness to just get rid of virginity had gone, I was so relieved and felt a real change in my life.

    'Mess me around, just make it over' - Would refer to my desire to be free of virginity, there was a time where I didn't mind where/who I slept with emotionally, just as long as it was done. My close friends were all sexually active, and this made me feel very alone.

    'I've been thinking of the things that I missed, situations that I passed up for this' - Reminds me of following my parents wishes, when I was missing out on doing what was right for someone my age, this is also true of, 'your /opinion/ was the law of the land'

    I also got a reputation in high school for being a 'creepy' kind of guy, as my feelings towards people were mostly emotional, and not very sexual, making the line, 'One way love that I took for ours' resonate with me in particular. Also, the final few lines, 'I wasn't good at being a thief' refers to stealing other people's virginity, or simply having sex with them, and 'more like a clown', would refer to the lies I would tell people about my sexual experience, when I could see in their faces they thought I was a joke.
    Flag Kozelekon April 02, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Not about suicide (or his supposed one specifically).

    youtube.com/…

    The date, 1996, is accurate, and he's sporting an either/or look, not to mention his voice hasn't gone wayside yet like it sadly did during the life performances of his last couple years.

    That said, it's still a really pretty, really sad song about a relationship that never worked in the first place crumbling to pieces.
    Flag meecon June 08, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i'm not much of a elliott smith fan but i must say this song is beautiful.

    i'm 37 weeks pregnant and the father of my baby works at the same place i work. he wants nothing to do with me or the baby. just last week, i see him going out to lunch with this very beautiful girl who also works with us. they both looked so happy, and as they walked away this song popped into my head. all i could do was just stand there in disbelief.

    now when i hear this song, all i want to do is cry=(
    Flag CuteDesiluon March 15, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I want this played at my funeral. Such a beautiful song <3
    Flag liintuon January 28, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"At first, I thought he was talking about someone who has ruined his life as well as their own. But now I think he is talking to himself. He messed up badly. The army/that you mowed to the ground" is all of the people around him that he hurt in the process."

    How do you figure that?.. the first sentence was right thouh.. the man was paranoid and thought that he was being followed by the police all the time.. even in his video of Miss Misery which im sure you've all seen, you see this.. he said he was paranoid that he was being followed. And who would believe him?.. Record companies are good at seeming innocent, after all, they put out music that we 'love'..

    Elliot was an intelligent guy, but you have to look past that stuff and see the real meanings to his lyrics.. he wasn't a selfish songwriter. He was having a personal battle with the 'bigshot' record company that wanted to own him just like they own every other famous musician.. the thing that sets Elliot apart from others is that he was genuine.. his music wasn't a pre-requisite for being famous, his fame was a result of getting his music played..

    the record companies don't shoot people anymore (John Lennon, Tu-Pac, Malcom X, Bob Marley).. by the way the record companies are owned and controlled by an evil society that has full control over pop-culture.. Elliot was on the brink, on the edge, on the verge of it, but not in it, and probably never wanted to be a part of it. This could very well cause friction, especially when musicians are more 'in the know' about what's going on behind the scenes then they used to be. And also they can't shoot people anymore because it's too obvious..

    Elliot was indeed murdered. at least this is my firm belief.. he was murdered and he had a right to be paranoid.. he's a man who speaks wisdom and truth.
    Flag ShawnWilliamon October 03, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Elliott Smith is by far my favorite singer/songwriter, next to Simon and Garfunkel..I miss him so much and was lucky to see him perform..this is a song that I have listened over and over, it is so sad but so beautiful, it speaks to all of us who are going to a tough time in our relationships..It makes me sad to realize how much pain Elliott must have felt, writing all this songs, he was a very honest and wonderful soul..RIP Elliott!
    Flag EMART75on July 03, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:He's talking about the end of a relationship with the metaphor of the last battle in a war.
    Flag victorialucason May 12, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The music is beautiful, no doubt. Rest well, Elliott Smith, y'genious.

    If we're looking at the song as a relationship song, I think it's a pretty good one.

    The lyrics could very well be from the perspective of a relationship ending, but the narrator is actually not really that into the relationship, while the other person is.

    One could look at lines like "one way love" as... love directed at him, but not reciprocated.

    "Don't keep me around, just make it over" could be "if it's over, it's over. Don't... try to keep dating me, just get over me."

    "I'm through trying now" etc.
    Flag adam.west.for.mayoron January 16, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I agree that this song is about depression. I imagine a person drinking at a bar for several hours and smoking cigarettes. Within an hour prior to the bar's closing this person realizes that there is no escape from the emotional turmoil he/she is experiencing and finds relief in the idea of suicide. His/her eccentricities are far too deviant from social norms and they are not accepted by society. The desire to end the pain exceeds the potential harm that their death will inflict upon loved ones. Yet, despise the current legislation and public opinion towards suicide, sometimes it is the only measure one can take to heal.
    Flag esmithoblivionon December 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:At first the chord progression was what got me with this song but the lyrics are just as beauitiful. "Make it over" - could mean a few things - such as "make it end" or "come over"...How does he mend together those smooth chord changes over such thoughtful lyrics..?
    Flag Darth Eddie Vaderon August 29, 2007   Link

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