Lyrics for Half Right as interpreted by foxiliary

Half Right Lyrics
You shouldn't talk to your yourself
Well, I pictured somebody else
Someone that looks like
What I look like

Would you say that one of your dreams
Got in you and ripped out the seams?
Thats what I'd say
Thats 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
And a head that just takes up space
He's not half right
He's not half right

It's already half past
And it won't last

I was 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

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  • 28 Comments
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bones_r
04-26-2007

Rated 0 
I guess I'll be the first to say how amazing this song is.

So heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time just like a lot of Elliott's work.

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Colin B.
04-26-2007

Rated 0 
=(

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Made_in_Secret
05-06-2007

Rated 0 
I love the version of the song he did with heatmiser.

this man writes/sings such beautiful words.

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fromawire
05-19-2007

Rated 0 
i miss elliott. this song destroys me.

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musicalchairs
05-22-2007

Rated 0 
i thought it was you shouldn't DOCTOR yourself.

With a broken sink for a face
And a head that just takes up space
He's not half right
He's not half right

this kills me, because it seems like he's referring to himself.
i swear if almost anyone else wrote this i'd just think it was whiny.
if i wrote this i'd think it was whiny.
but it's so perfectly sad when he sings it.
it's indescribable.

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no_name_no1
05-28-2007

Rated 0 
After just recently listening to New Moon and hearing the newly released version of this, I'm not sure if I prefer it live or not. It's almost like two different songs really. The tone and tempo are so different. Either way though, an incredible song.

Elliott is so under-appreciated. Its such a pity he never received the acclaim he deserved (and still deserves) when he was alive.
At the same time though, and from a very selfish place, these songs are so personal to me that I nearly prefer it that none of my friends 'get' him.

Anyone in the same boat?!

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Lightblueness
06-05-2007

Rated 0 
In case anyone was curious like myself, a "double dose" is a slang term for injecting heroin.

The last verse puzzles me.

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hillergoodspeed
06-07-2007

Rated 0 
I definitely feel that way. After 4 years of listening to Elliott's music, discussing his songs, and reading interviews and stories and articles, I feel as if no one could fully appreciate his music unless they under went the same kind of process. When you know so much about him,you listen to his music is on a whole different level.

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elliott smith
07-01-2007

Rated 0 
Itīs a great song the New Moon version. The stone lazy ryhtm guitar who send acoustic dreams, where voice just catch a few words, trying to interpretate. I mean, the songīs important part itīs the guitar, and the lyrics on second hand.

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pnj0130
07-07-2007

Rated 0 
to lightblueness-if you're referring to the last verse as in
'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
then i think he's referring to the feeling of distance. like you might have a loved one, particularly boyfriend or girlfriend, who is far away and they are yours but the distance makes you feel alone anyways. being with someone physically and being with someone mentally are totally different. i don't know if that makes sense to you, but it does in my head. haha. sorry. great song, one of my favorites.

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clifflesniak
07-12-2007

Rated 0 
There is a version of this song by Mary Lou Lord on the album Live City Sounds. She toured with Elliott Smith in the mid-90's, and I believe they worked together on a few songs. Her version is really good, almost as good as Elliott's version.

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porkpie420
07-30-2007

Rated 0 
it's pretty disheartening that you can't make it more than literally a handfull of words befroe you fuck up one of Elliott's lyrics, "Well you shouldn't DOCTOR yourself" what the fuck is this talk to yourself bull shit, get it right if you idiots think you know so much

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wtfyourface
08-21-2007

Rated 0 
'Cause when I talk to you on the phone
Well, it's just like being alone

=(

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IDontKnowAnything
08-29-2007

Rated 0 
This is an amazing song all around, but for me the last and first verses are the greatest.

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naiveunsatisfiable
09-11-2007

Rated 0 
"It's already half past
And it won't last

I was 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"


this song upsets me
it's just about a friend with a self destructive personality
and trying to stick with them
and realising you don't know them anymore

well to me anyway

^__^

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naiveunsatisfiable
09-11-2007

Rated 0 
"It's already half past
And it won't last

I was 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"


this song upsets me
it's just about a friend with a self destructive personality
and trying to stick with them
and realising you don't know them anymore

well to me anyway

^__^

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Sunset Rubdown
10-01-2007

Rated 0 
i think it should be would you say that THE one of your dreams got in you and ripped out the seams

kinda changes the meaning a bit

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blueeyed
12-02-2007

Rated 0 
i think its about someone you were so close to & now its like you don't even know them anymore. and the pain that comes with it.

"would you say that one of your dreams
got in you and ripped out the seams?
that's what i say" to me this means that the person the songs about had some kind of an ideal/dream stuck in their head and completely changed who they were because they were so obsessed with this idea or dream.

but if you said "would you say that THE one of your dreams...ect" it totally changes it. to me it means that they completely changed who they were to be accepted by 'the one of your dreams'
i love this song. its so beautiful, prob. my favorite song by elliott

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mooninites
12-16-2007

Rated 0 
an awesome song but extremely depressing

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umm.kaitlin
12-29-2007

Rated 0 
"Would you say that one of your dreams
Got in you and ripped out the seams?
Thats what I'd say
Thats what I'd say"

Kills me. It reminds me of my first relationship that ever really meant something to me, he was perfect for me, but he had stuff that he needed to deal with that I couldn't help him with, and he could hardly help himself. So, we ended it, mainly on his side, the day I got out of the psych hospital.
Talk about ripping out your seams.
I fell apart for a while.

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mooninites
12-29-2007

Rated 0 
probably his most depressing song but i have no idea what it means

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sherrigrrrl
04-29-2008

Rated 0 
i do agree with pnj0130. when you live this situation, this song can hurt you alot. and when he says "I was sticking up for my friend/ when there's nothing much to defend / it's a lost fight", i feel so bad. i never really knew how much this song fit in my life. but i do now :/

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xomom
06-08-2008

Rated 0 
im totally in agreement with no name 1....... iv only really told one of good friends about elliott and she gets him...all my other friends just know that im big into the music of some guy called elliott ha ha... its sort of selfish but i just couldnt stand to hear a crowd of idiots going 'oh my god i totally like LOVE elliott smith....he's just , like oh my god!' its sort of selfish, but......id say thats why he's not as celebrated a musician as he should be.. his fans are torn between telling everyone how amazing he is and keeping him to ourselves

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Shrox
10-30-2008

Rated 0 
No name no1

I know it doesnt seem right but im kind of with you. A friend of mine just told me the other day she really likes Elliott and I never knew. It almost made me feel kind of sad because I have been listening to him for so long and havent known any other people that were into him. But i guess for me it's kind of a happy sad :)

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marleny09
01-26-2009

Rated 0 
okay...no one has mentioned the guitar in this song...

it is beautiful, very simple, but i love it. towards the end it gets lower during the "And it won't last" part which makes it just so sad and makes your heart like feel it. i don't know if that makes sense. Maybe just pay attention to that part yourself, i can't descibe it right.

All of elliott smith's songs are just so personal to him, it is sort of sad that they are all so open for everyone to listen to and interpret.

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