Elliott Smith – Everything Reminds Me of Her

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  General Comment:one of my favorite elliott songs why is is so underrated sigh.....

  Flag staymonkeyon January 04, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:He lost a girl. He regrets losing her more than anything. His friends tell him he needs to snap out of this staring into outerspace and crying because its over now and that he needs to move on, but he can't.
  Simple as that.

  Flag asmallbirdon August 10, 2010   Link

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  My Interpretation:I think this song is almost definitely about a girl, about some sort of failed relationship, as many people have already described. However, part of me lately has been entertaining the idea that this song is actually about his mom. Elliott has written about her (seemingly) in the past, and I feel as though a lot of his issues revolved around his early life with her and his step father Charlie that eventually led up to him leaving to live with his father. I get this feeling that even though he knew the crappy situation with his step father wasn't his fault, that he sort of blamed himself for leaving his mom. Hence "I never really had a problem because of leaving, but everything reminds me of her this evening." The only line I can't really reconcile with this interpretation is "Just because you came across it and lost it." Again, most likely about a failed relationship, but I figured this interpretation was an interesting take on things.

  Flag Scribbler17on August 03, 2010   Link

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  Song Meaning:I think it's about a girl, definitely. I'm going through the same thing, and the sermon everyone tells me is that there is plenty more fish in the sea, you must move on, blah blah blah. It's really frustrating, and I think that that is what Elliott is talking about.

  Flag doc602on March 23, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:sam99foster...good point. however; I think he means the silhouette of the steeple made by the sun. the spin of the earth impaled [a silhouette], of the sun, [on the steeple]. switch "of the sun" and "on the steeple around" and it makes sense...yet didn't rhyme that way, lol. then again I could be veryyyyy wrong

  Flag yourdebutanteon January 09, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:And I got to hear the same sermon
  All the time now from you people
  Why are you staring into outer space, crying?
  Just because you came across it, and lost it
  
  Perhaps Elliott was challenging the mantra that it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. It seems fitting to me, I know the only reason I've ever looked into the stars I've been dreamily thinking of someone I wanted to be with. I don't know. I love this song though.

  Flag dredgfan77on December 23, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:the talk about this song being about drugs reminds me of a similar thing with joy division. everyone assumes that jd's songs are about ian curtis' impending suicide. granted, many of them are, just like many of elliott's songs are about drugs, but its unfair to jump to conclusions without any basis other than a stereotype.
  
  i dont see any reason why ERMOH refers to drugs. at the time that he wrote this I believe he was still into heroin. its not until later, around basement on a hill, that he speaks of drugs as something well in the past (a fond farewell). throughout this period in his music he refers to drugs as kind've a sad relief in his life. in this case the subject of his attention is something he's lost and misses. The "sermon" line is just a very general reference toward being lectured. This could equally be about drugs or about his sadness (staring into space, crying) but, in the context of the song, it's clearly about a lost love.
  ......
  One of the most beautiful and genuine songs ever written.
  
  
  Why are you staring into outer space, crying?
  Just because you came across it, and lost it
  
  At this point in his life he still had drugs, and the option of doing them. He didn't lose them. However, he did go through a lot've romances and is either referring to a specific person or the feeling in general.

  Flag ddark13on July 26, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:This song speaks to me in volumes!
  
  ''I never really had a problem because of leaving
  But everything reminds me of her this evening''
  
  A relationship has ended and in the past where he has had no problem with 'leaving' there seems to be some regret this time. He is pining for her and everything reminds him of her.
  
  ''So if I seem a little out of it, sorry
  But why should I lie?
  Everything reminds me of her''
  
  He's out with his friends this evening, they are all having a good time but his mind is elsewhere. Why should he pretend everything is alright? Being out this evening only makes it worse.
  
  ''The spin of the earth impaled a silhouette
  Of the sun on the steeple''
  
  The passing of time. Night becomes day. The pain is still there. Earth represents his lover and the sun represents him. The use of the word impale may refer to the impaling of his heart and tragic love imagery. The steeple being the instrument of impalement. Also, the casting of shadows makes make me think of a sun dial reinforcing the passing of time in the love affair. The steeple is the sun dial and the silhouette is created by the movement of the sun. But there remains a very strong spiritual imagery associated with this love. Maybe a great love.
  
  ''And I got to hear the same sermon
  All the time now from you people''
  
  Sermons can be chiding and repetitive. ‘You people’ reinforces the loneliness at this time no one understands how deep and spiritual this love is to him. In trying to get him to snap out of it they are causing him to retreat deeper and he distances himself from them with 'you people'.
  
  ''Why are you staring into outer space, crying?
  Just because you came across it, and lost it''
  
  In this verse they chide him ...'why are you staring into outer space, crying' and interestingly the futility of the relationship hits him too when he questions himself 'just because you came across it, and lost it' seems to be a rebuke from the singer and not his friends as this to me is a true love which only he could possibly know. It seems unlikely that his friends of whom he refers to as ‘you people’ and ‘same sermon’ preaching could possibly understand his feelings. He is haunted by this love and this is reinforced by the repetition of the line ‘everything reminds me of her’.
  
  Everything reminds me of her
  Everything reminds me of her
  Everything reminds me of her

  Flag sulaon January 08, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:nostalgia can kill you. :(:(

  Flag Corso123on June 27, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:The "silhouette of the sun" line is a bit strange because it's impossible to have a silhouette of the sun since it emits light.
  
  What's the deal?

  Flag sam99fosteron June 03, 2007   Link

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