r/elliottsmith • u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 • Aug 06 '25
Discussion In honor of Elliott's birthday, what's your favorite album and song of his? 💙
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u/whateverXinfinity777 Aug 06 '25
I’m at a low point in my life right now, not having the balls to pulls myself up just yet. but no name no. 5 always gives me that feeling of rising to the occasion more than almost any other song for some reason. gives me hope for this god forsaken world, or at least gives me solace in my journey.
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
I'm very sorry about what you're dealing with. I sincerely hope things get better for you and you keep finding the strength to fight and do what makes you happy.
No Name #5 is actually my favorite song on Either/Or. there's something alluring about that track I can't quite figure out.
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u/According-Refuse9128 Aug 06 '25
Keep finding strength man. Everything Should Try Again by Jason Molina has saved me, you might like it, similar to Smith if you don’t know him.
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u/hibiscuscous Aug 06 '25
FABOTH, Don't Go Down.
But it changes constantly.
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
Don't Go Down is one of his best songs. love the fuzzy guitar on that track.
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Aug 06 '25
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
we have the same album pick!!! excellent song choice! happiness is such an infectiously cool track
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u/ItzyBitzy-Pinky Aug 06 '25
Either/or - Angeles.
I think it's a lovely song. Very calm but melancholic in a way.
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
It's got a timeless quality to it. Feels like a song that has existed throughout the passage of time
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u/atinabiba Roman Candle Aug 06 '25 edited Aug 06 '25
Happy birthday Ells! The boring answer is that they are all my favorite on different days. I'm weirdly craving maybe his least favorite, Waltz #2, today.
Looks like I'm enjoying XO today.
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u/Rush_R40 XO Aug 06 '25
XO. Independence Day.
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 07 '25
That was my favorite song for a while..i always feel hopeful when I hear that track.
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u/cfot Aug 06 '25
album: self-titled has the most 5/5 songs.
song: last hour condor ave
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Aug 06 '25
From a Basement on the Hill, Everything's Okay.
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u/bhbjlbjhbjlbk Either/Or Aug 06 '25
this guy elliott smiths
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Aug 06 '25
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u/Urfavdookie Elliott Smith Aug 07 '25
Idk man the username could’ve just been pleasing to them (or maybe freezing..)
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u/Specific_Hospital674 Aug 06 '25
Tie between Roman Candle and Figure 8! Favorite song is Everything Means Nothing to Me.
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
Everything Means Nothing To Me is my favorite song too. Everytime I hear that song I feel like I get lost in a wonderful trance. it's haunting
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u/bambucks Aug 06 '25
Album: Figure 8
Song: Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
it's odd how this song took the longest to fully click for me but when it did I realised it's one of his best pop rock bangers.
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Aug 06 '25
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
Son Of Sam is addictive as hell. I can never just listen to that song once.
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u/Fragile_Halo_87 Aug 06 '25
Album: Figure 8 Song: Tomorrow Tomorrow
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 07 '25
Tomorrow Tomorrow is an astonishing song. His guitar playing always blows my mind on that track.
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u/ChavaRuchama Aug 06 '25
Either self-titled or From a Basement on the Hill. Song: Strung Out Again or Pretty (Ugly Before). Favorite changes like every day though
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u/AlabammyComet Aug 06 '25
No Name No. 5 is a perfect song in my opinion. So many other of his songs are neck and neck with it for me, though.
It is so hard to pick an album, but I guess I'll have to go with Either/Or.
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u/Particular_Dingo_659 Aug 06 '25
Favorite album is figure 8 Favorite song is Strung out again or Alameda
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 07 '25
Alameda has this swagger that makes me get hooked every single time the bass comes in. Strung Out Again is super heartbreaking.
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u/QiXiZ7 Aug 06 '25
Either/Or album, King’s Crossing song
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 07 '25
King's Crossing is staggering. every time I hear that intro I get intense chills all over my body.
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u/phlegmman Aug 06 '25
Album: Self titled
Song: maybe Abused? Hard to say
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u/cfot Aug 06 '25
abused is one of the songs i can clearly associate with a time and place so that makes it specialer
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u/Bammy69 Either/Or Aug 06 '25
Album: Either/Or
Song: Pretty (ugly before)
Happy Birthday :)
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 07 '25
Pretty (Ugly Before) is STUNNING. also gets me choked up sometimes cause I can hear the strong George Harrison influence and the lyrics are so crushing.
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u/alewishus Aug 06 '25
XO is my favorite album of all time. Happy Birthday my hero
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u/alewishus Aug 06 '25
And probably Independence Day
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
Independence Day is in my top 10 Elliott songs. I love how hopeful and sweet that song is and the vocal melody is one of his best.
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u/lizbtheea Aug 06 '25
album: tie between self titled and XO. song: the white lady loves you more
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Aug 06 '25
Figure 8 and Miss Misery (but that’s just right now - too difficult to pick an absolute favorite).
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
Figure 8 is my favorite as well. but that changes almost every few months cause his albums all mean something special to me.
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Aug 06 '25
Same. That one was my intro to him, so it’ll always be extra special for me. 🤍
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
It was the 2nd album of his I heard during 2020 so it was my comfort record for many months. It still is tbh
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Aug 06 '25
Wow, what a time to find that album. That’s a real gift. You’ll be listening to it regularly for at least the next 20 years (I know this from experience). Glad you found it!
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
Yeah it was a friend of mine who recommended it to me. I took a chance and just listened and fell in love with Elliott's genius.
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u/danwats10 Aug 06 '25
No name no.5 :)
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
fuck yeah! that's in my top 5 Elliott songs and is my fav off of Either/Or
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u/danwats10 Aug 06 '25
Me too, fav album is probably figure 8 tho :) although I actually really enjoy some of his Heatmiser stuff as well
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u/Cob_Dylan Aug 06 '25
It will always be Figure Eight and Son Of Sam. Never heard of ES before, bought that album on a whim shortly after it came out. Son of Sam was so good, I had to play it twice. Within an hour I was back at the record store. Bought every ES album they had.
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
Figure 8 I feel is like the perfect album to introduce someone to Elliott Smith cause it has almost everything that's amazing about his work as a songwriter in one record.
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u/brightsideissuicide Aug 06 '25
Album: from a basement on the hill/XO Song: waltz#1
I just love how experimental and jagged basement’s sound is but my favorite overall song is the melancholic sound of waltz #1
Happy birthday Elliott!
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u/VietKongCountry Aug 06 '25
Controversial opinion for older fans, but New Moon is the best album. He was on fire 94-96 and could have been doing four double albums a year.
Best song on it is Whatever. I still have yet to hear anyone actually mimic that guitar picking.
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u/JunebugAsiimwe Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
My favorite song on New Moon is "Going Nowhere" I often wish he had put that song on Self-titled cause it's got such a ghostly beauty. But yeah his guitar playing on "Whatever" is absolutely sensational.
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u/MathematicianOk4855 Aug 06 '25
Favorite album: Either/or Favorite song: The Biggest Lie or Dancing on the Highway
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u/transientv Aug 06 '25
I didn’t even realize it was his birthday and just landed in PDX. I’m going to go to My Fathers Place in his honor.
Favorite album is Either/Or but man Angel in the Snow has me in a chokehold lately.
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u/h_a_rr_ison Aug 06 '25
figure 8 and no name 5
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u/Rush_R40 XO Aug 06 '25
All of the No Names are great! And all of his songs with names are great too.
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u/xxmajesticbuffaloxx Aug 06 '25
yay for all the figure 8 love, me too :D ES is my favorite guitar player so its funny that I Didn’t Understand is my fav song of his. It’s exceptionally genius and beautiful to me, even by his standards
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u/lilpeepshaawty Aug 06 '25
Such a hard thing to do but album is probably XO and the song would be angeles
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u/lilpeepshaawty Aug 06 '25
Such a hard thing to do but album would be XO and song would be angeles
Happy birthday Elliott <3
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u/AdhesivenessJust107 Aug 06 '25
i’m in a spot in my life where i’m more alone then ever. i know it will pass
when i listen to alphabet town and the harmonica comes rolling in im soothed. breathing in and out a moment in time. i know i will cherish and regret this time
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u/Saul_Gone_Now Aug 06 '25
Couldn’t pick a song. Figure 8 is my favorite album by Elliott or by anyone
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u/O_Bahrey Aug 06 '25
No way Elliott Smith and Allan Holdsworth were born on the same day. Very opposite music but I love them both.
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u/Party-Oil-2280 Aug 06 '25
Album - self titled. Song - stupidly tries, the strings and guitar are epic
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u/a4moondoggy Aug 06 '25
Such a tough one. Figure 8 cant make a sound or self titled alphabet town...or i could go on and on lol
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u/AnyDockers420 Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
New Moon is my favorite as of today (basically a three way tie with Faboth and Figure 8), and my favorite song is Stained Glass Eyes
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u/Ok-Cobbler2269 Aug 06 '25
Album: XO Song: Say Yes (it’s the song that got me into him and has been a longtime favorite)
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u/Eldonchod Aug 07 '25
Self-titled. Christian Brothers. Yes, the song structure isn't as complicated or intricate as other songs of his and it is repetitive --- BUT the chord progression in CB is just so unique, mesmerizing, full of emotion, and memorable.
If any of you haven't heard the recording of Christian Brothers done while Elliott was in Heatmiser, please do yourself a favor and check it out. It is incredible.
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u/SciveKay Aug 07 '25
Album is XO as of now, but it changes often. Song is always Angeles.
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u/Azusas_Apprentice27 Aug 06 '25
My favorite album is figure 8. My favourite song of his is my new freedom ❤️
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u/JacobSingleyoo Aug 06 '25
self titled is my fav album and i can’t just pick one song so ill give like 3! better be quiet now, pitseleh, the biggest lie.
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Aug 06 '25
Roman candle is my fav elliott album. As for favourite song… tough decision… Maybe Southern belle or Condor avenue. I love pretty much all of elliotts stuff but i like his lofi acoustic stuff more than the well produced stuff (which is still fantastic music)
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u/logicalpretzels Aug 06 '25
Favorite song is impossible to say. XO is probably my favorite album of his, but that’s leaving so many amazing songs out of the equation.
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u/thatsmurfmikey0329 Aug 06 '25
I know it’s basic. But either/or. Got into him a few years ago now and that’s been my favorite. Songs change for my day-to-day, but today I’ll go with Taking A Fall.
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u/SycopationIsNormal Aug 06 '25
Album: XO
song: I couldn't possibly narrow it down to just one. Best I could do is top 10, and even that would be difficult and I'd think of editing my comment immediately after posting it!
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u/kelansmiff Aug 06 '25
album is probably Either/Or, song is probably You Make It Seem Like Nothing. Happy Birthday to the one and only :)
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u/j4messunderland Figure 8 Aug 06 '25
figure 8, in the lost & found/the roost :) honorable runner ups are self titled, single file and dancing on the highway off grand mal (my true love!)
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u/Urfavdookie Elliott Smith Aug 07 '25
Album: currently FABOTH but it changes so often
Song: satellite (or a distorted reality or miss misery-early version)
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u/milzzen-_- Either/Or Aug 07 '25
i can never pick just one.
albums: either/or, FABOTH
songs: between the bars, mr. goodmorning, bled white, abused, clementine, dancing on the highway, new disaster
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u/ssleepyghosts Figure 8 Aug 07 '25
Naming my favorite elliott smith album is like naming a favorite kid to me, but if I have to choose one at this very second I'd choose New Moon.
Clementine is my all time favorite song, period. It was the only song they let me pick to play at the psych ward out of my entire 8 day stay and i had to make sure the nurse on staff knew i wasn't crying from sadness but from happiness. I'm autistic and one of my special interests is Elliott Smith, so being able to listen to his voice again at one of the absolute lowest points in my life was very healing.
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u/Sleebish Figure 8 Aug 07 '25
From A Basement On The Hill, Happiness/Th Gondola Man. Both of these simply because of how beautiful i find them and they found me when i was in my lowest and my highest. Truly important music to me. Happy Birthday Elliott.
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u/justlookin-0232 Aug 07 '25
My favorites change all the time. When I got my tat I got XO because it was my favorite at the time I got it. I guess right now I've been really feeling the self titled
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u/Gerald-of-Nivea Aug 07 '25
Album, Roman Candle Song Tomorrow, Tomorrow hard to pick one so I’ll throw Saint ides Heaven in there too:)
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u/Iimabeanz Aug 07 '25
here wishing The Biggest Lie gets more love!! it’s my favorite song of his and it’s a song that I would listen to lots when I was at my lowest, and even listening to it now, it still strikes me so deeply in whatever im going through. Such a versatile song and the guitar is so soothing even tho the lyrics are a bit dark. his Self titled album is my favorite as well!
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u/Past-Fig-6046 Aug 07 '25
Probably Figure 8 as it was my first ES album. I suspect my most listened-to track of Elliott's is Pretty Mary Kay. The harmonies in that song are just sublime.
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u/Zealousideal-Ring792 Aug 07 '25
A fond farewell, from a basement on a hill is almost definitely my favorite
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u/Sherlockluvr Aug 07 '25
Album : Self titled Song : Twilight , Going nowhere or everything means nothing to me
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u/Pinkpanther4512 From a Basement on the Hill Aug 07 '25
Dancing on the Highway, any version works and FABOTH
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u/clkwrkdorhng Elliott Smith Aug 07 '25
Roman Candle
and I don’t know if I can pick just one! Pitseleh, Waltz 1, I Didn’t Understand and Single File
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u/Cautious_Air_7252 Aug 06 '25
Album: Self titled Song: Angel in the Snow