Elliott Smith – High Times

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  General Comment:In the beginning of the song its start of, like he,"coma kid" Elliott Smith was talking about this girl that he liked, "coma" seems like he was unaware how life was or how was the girls feelings at the time. "Kicked in reversed" seem like his, "high" dropped down and brought him back to earth. He seen the girls face everywhere to the point that the image of her were in his thoughts and a course the ending about, "disconnecting his mind out" is just a cry to himself in soliloquy to convinced himself that he actually needs to stop thinking about her.
  
  I think the song sounds like he is trying to convince himself by thinking back to the major turning point of the relationship until finally to the hypothesis which is to just forget about her, "I'm so sick and tired tryin' to change your mind
  When its so easy to disconnect mine." That's what the song is about but it takes you on a journey.

  Flag Markoson December 06, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:Hylia, "High times" just means good times, but Elliott is giving it a double meaning, referring to being high, or the time to get high.

  Flag manicdepressivestoneron December 19, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:First, my aplogies for the (probably) silly question, but not being english makes the interpretation of this song a bit tricky.
  
  I've always wondered what he meant whith the couple of words "High times", is it as in:
  - Time to get high.
  - or something more like this : audioenglish.net/dictionary/…
  - Something else?
  
  I'm well aware it might be very obvious for you guys, but not for me..
  Thank you!

  Flag Hyliaon June 12, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:My favorite excerpts from this song.
  
  Said I don't go where I'm supposed to go
  And I don't go really anywhere you know
  
  I made up my mind and I don't mind saying so
  I went to meet you at Central Square
  And when I couldn't find you there
  I went walking around the city some more
  People watching with a cold blank stare
  And I saw your face in everyone, I swear
  
  I'M SO SICK AND TIRED TRYIN TO CHANGE YOUR MIND
  WHEN IT'S SO EASY TO DISCONNECT MINE
  
  High times
  Man, I feel fine
  Don't pick me up
  I'm fine right where I am
  
  Amen dear, sweet, Elliott. It kills me that you are no longer with us. I feel such a deep sense of loss when I think about it.
  You deserve so much more credit. I don't think "under-appreciated" is quite the right way to put it b/c the people who know your music appreciate it more than anything. And I believe anyone who hears it will fall in love...so I guess the word I'm looking for is under-recognized...if that's even a word. Not enough people have been exposed to your brilliance. Much of the music that is celebrated and successful in the mainstream is just...pathetic.
  
  You should have been the one to receive all the glory. Not fame, I know you were shy and hated that kind of attention. I just mean you deserved to be happy. Your music deserves to be wildly applauded and celebrated. You have helped SO many people...and your legacy lives on. I guess that is the one silver-lining... even though you are no longer here in the physical sense, you will live on forever through the music you created.
  
  

  Flag bitterbritteron December 19, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:Elliott's music is among the hardest I have ever attempted to understand but in regards to this song I truly like to look at an entire cd of elliott's to try to understand the time period he was going through. I say this question to myself when looking at his new moon cd in which I believe was published after his death? look at how happy the singing of the next song, "New Monkey" sounds versus high times but we all love high times more or at least listen to it more or no we just like it more no Its just two different songs. The intense passion put into high times give us a feeling we've felt so many times before of hopelessness or loneliness and maybe high times are about his very worst times. Its hard to say but a more up beat singing of new monkey reminds me of elliott at his best, his happiest when hes trying so hard and actually does have hope. Great Man. RIP es

  Flag mtv203on January 07, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:One of my favorites.
  Ironically, this is a great song to listen to when high.
  

  Flag abodyofenglishon November 29, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:When i first heard this song i couldnt help but feel sadness and happiness in the same moment
  Listening to the into i knew it was going to lead to genius..
  
  'Dont pick me up, i'm fine right where i am'
  'Dont pick me up' Dont rescue me - Perhaps, everyone around him thought he was in this messed up world and he needed to be rescued, but to him, it was familiar, and he was content with living it, atleast for awhile

  Flag Placeholderon October 19, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:He sings those lines "High times, high times, high times, ya i feel fine" with such agony! It breaks my heart every time I listen to it.

  Flag gayleyoon September 14, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:wow i am in love with this song. i've listened to it so many times the past few days. yeah, sad, i've heard elliott smith songs before but not this one until a few days ago. but i absolutely love it. the sound, the words, everything. it's perfect. all elliott smith songs i've heard are amazing. i listen to new ones everyday, i wanna know them all.

  Flag tambam23on August 07, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:I have a feeling the majority of you are not heroin addicts -- active or 'recovered'. As a raging junkbox and an avid fan of Elliott I have a tendency many times to peg his songs immediately as 'drug related' though many times, especially with his earlier stuff, it is easy to think that it's about drugs when in reality the songs are often about depression, abuse, and alcoholism. This song, though as with many others on basement on the hill and blue moon, are about heroin and crack.
  
  To reply to others' comments:
  Lost and found is mistaken on the first verses about the coma man. Coma doesn't mean anything about a coma. It's the man's state of being. 'More dead than alive'. This is how we are on heroin. This leaves me to question the dealer's sobriety because he is driven by a curse but 'kicked it in reverse'. Kicking is getting clean but I can't imagine the dealer is straight from the rest of the lyrics there.
  
  He's just looking for his dealer. Starts in Central Square. Btw I doubt he's talking about Cambridge, MA. I don't think elliott lived in cambridge/boston ever. He did go to school at Hampshire but that's western ma and a ways from the city plus wasn't into heroin/crack at that point. I'd say there's a central square in LA and that's where he means. Being from boston I spent a lot of time walking around looking for my dealers that didn't have phones. Central Square has plenty of diesel but I think it's not there he's talking about. I roll in Roxbuy/JP myself. Or used to..
  
  Someone said something about the sincerity with which he sang 'yeah I feel fine' I think you're right in assuming this. Us junkies don't feel fine, we think dope helps but we know it only makes things worse, you're right; he wasn't fine. If he was would he commit hari karu shortly there after.
  
  I'm always walking around seeing my dealers face in everyone when I'm looking for him. Elliott made a good portrayl of trying to cop dope when you're run down.

  Flag icenyneon July 01, 2008   Link

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