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You walk down alameda shuffling your deck of trick cards over everyone
Like some precious only son
Face down, bow to the champion
You walk down alameda looking at the cracks in the sidewalk
Thinking about your friends
How you maintain all them in a constant state of suspense
For your own protection over their affection
Nobody broke your heart
You broke your own because you can't finish what you start
Walk down alameda brushing off the nightmare you wish
Could plague me when I'm awake
And now you see your first mistake was thinking that you could relate
For one or two minutes she liked you
But the fix is in
You're all pretension
I never pay attention
Nobody broke your heart
You broke your own because you can't finish what you start
Nobody broke your heart
You broke your own because you can't finish what you start
Nobody broke your heart
You broke your own because you can't finish what you start
Nobody broke your heart
If you're alone it must be you that wants to be apart
Like some precious only son
Face down, bow to the champion
You walk down alameda looking at the cracks in the sidewalk
Thinking about your friends
How you maintain all them in a constant state of suspense
For your own protection over their affection
Nobody broke your heart
You broke your own because you can't finish what you start
Walk down alameda brushing off the nightmare you wish
Could plague me when I'm awake
And now you see your first mistake was thinking that you could relate
For one or two minutes she liked you
But the fix is in
You're all pretension
I never pay attention
Nobody broke your heart
You broke your own because you can't finish what you start
Nobody broke your heart
You broke your own because you can't finish what you start
Nobody broke your heart
You broke your own because you can't finish what you start
Nobody broke your heart
If you're alone it must be you that wants to be apart
Lyrics submitted by EnjOy IncUbus
Track duration: 03:43
"Alameda" as written by Steven P. Smith
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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To take the first verse and chorus:
“You walk down alameda shuffling your deck of trick cards over everyone”
The simple explanation is that the character maintains a day-to-day existence of tricking everyone into thinking they’re OK. It’s an inclination shared by addicts and the genuinely depressed: to be discreet, avoiding attracting attention to oneself. As with card tricks, however, everyone knows, deep down, that what they’re seeing is fake.
“Like some precious only son
Face down, bow to the champion”
I like Khalsey’s link to Abraham and his only son Isaac, who was sacrificed to God, or in this case heroin, the junkie’s God. But even if it’s not that complex, the phrase ’precious only son’ (try googling in quote marks) generally refers either to somebody who has passed away or the offspring of a concerned parent. A vulnerable person, basically. The second line paints this person’s drug-induced physical state - collapsed, face-down - as an act of worship to the drug itself, aka ‘the champion’. Smart, funny, lines like this are the reason Either/Or is considered the best album.
“You walk down Alameda looking at the cracks in the sidewalk
Thinking about your friends”
Owing to drugs’ reliable ability to make things of passing interest immensely fascinating, the cracks in the sidewalk occupy the character’s attention. But the cracks (and drugs) elucidate something more profound, too: like the character’s friends, the pavement has been walked over so many times that, although it is a powerful, concrete structure, cracks are forming. It takes a lot of walking to make pavements crack.
“How you maintain all them in a constant state of suspense
For your own protection over their affection”
The junkie needs his friends’ protection more than their affection, leading to their constant state of suspense concerning his wellbeing.
“Nobody broke your heart
You broke your own because you can't finish what you start”
This kind of observation is what makes Elliott Smith a likable, rather than self-pitying, drug addict. The character acknowledges that, should his friends leave him behind, it’s his own fault for not being able to finish (give up) what he started (heroin) - a sense of perspective not associated with most users.
The song was largely a mystery to me before reading these comments, but the above interpretation seems watertight. JM.
i can't help but see the parallels between this song and my own personal struggles with heroin addiction.
"you walk down alameda shuffling your deck of trick cards over everyone" reminds me of when i first started seriously using and believed i fooled everyone. that nobody knew the truth. my own personal deck of trick cards was the facade of a life i lived. i went to work every day, paid my bills, was in a relationship. there was no sign that anything was wrong beneath the surface. i thought i had it figured out and actually got a kick out of knowing that i could shoot dope in the bathroom at work and walk into my boss's office 10 minutes later. "face down, bow to the champion."
the next phase of my addiction was, as with almost every addict, marked by increase use and its subsequent consequences. i started neglecting friends, family. still went to work but only as a means to support my addiction. "you walk down alameda looking at the cracks in the sidewalk thinking about your friends how you maintain all them in a constant state of suspense" my friends realized something was up and the history of our group of friends shows that those who go down the road of addiction typically end up either dead or in jail. what's it going to be? also i started relying on people around me more and more all as crutches to support my addiction. there are a few people i can think of who i'm sure absolutely dreaded my phone calls because they knew it wasn't just me calling to see how they were. not to mention the potential for phone calls from others saying i ended up dead like so many others have.
next was full blown addiction with little care for anything else. no care, i should say. i had been self aware for years at this point but only recently decided i really didn't care. addiction kept me arrested to the point that i watched everything i once loved and held dear to me crumble around me and the most fucked up part is that I DID NOT CARE. "walk down alameda brushing off the nightmare you wish would plague me when i'm awake." lost my job? oh well i still have a paycheck coming. lost my girl? good even less reason to have any restraint. no place to live? i always liked shooting dope in the park anyway. all these things that should have deterred me or at least kept me awake at night were complete non-issues. "and now you see your first mistake was thinking you could relate." this line rings so true to me. the whole self-pity mixed with a fucked up weird self-righteousness. you will never understand where i am coming from, why even bother trying? just leave me to my medicine.
anyway this is just what i get out of the song. i'm not claiming i know exactly where he was going, it's just an interpretation. regardless this song helped me through some extremely difficult times in my life. i've only been clean of heroin for 2 months but anyone who has been through the throws of any addiction can attest to how hard even one day is and i attribute a lot of what i have accomplished to this man. from the jaws of addiction to the horrors of withdrawal he helped me deal with my emotions (or lack there of during the worst parts of addiction) every step of the way.
if any of you are having trouble with addiction and need somebody, even a random person from songmeanings.net, to talk to feel free to email me at asouthern729@gmail.com and i'll try to give you any comfort i can. just know you aren't alone.
love,
andrew
How you maintain all them in a constant state of suspense
For your own protection over their affection
I think the second line reveals that its more about the empty living that goes on in the world of drugs. You never end up being connected to anyone cause users are all so insecure that they can't reveal themselves with any true depth.
I like that you used the word 'facade' to describe your days using, but I think the notion of facade goes deeper than just maintaining.
More lines like "your all pretension" and "for one or two minutes she liked you" reveal that its about someone who just can't show his true face while he's masked by his addiction.
Keep up the fight man, I'm a little under a month away from my 1 year key tag myself.
It's a dirge about pathological behavior, being motivated to the core by control or a need for attention. All very on point.
'Shuffling your deck of trick cards over the heads of everyone' - Not only is he admitting being manipulative, but he's also saying he's a showoff about it. I think maybe his 'deck of trick cards' is his music, his gimmick for attention.
'Like some precious only son' - has about a million valid meanings in this context. Childish behavior. Maybe he grew up with this tendency, being an only son to his mother and father (despite step-siblings). Could mean he makes sure his friends need him, and won't abandon him no matter how childish he acts.
'Look at the cracks in the sidewalk, think about your friends' - the road you've put yourself on is crumbling beneath you, you're walking into oblivion. Soon you'll be disconnected from everyone.
'First mistake, thinking you could relate' In bitterness reflecting that you'd be better off alone, in despair.
It's very sad, in my opinion.
It is truly afflicting..
What is the polar opposite pick me up song to this?