Indie folk musician Mary Lou Lord, had quite a life, she was friends with Kurt Cobain pre-Nirvana-fame, and later was a good friends of the late Elliott Smith. They toured together several times in the 90s and they ended up on the same label, Kill Rock Stars. This is what she said in an interview, around 1994, while she was touring in England, before Elliott was even known:
‘Well I’m just over here to do a few shows and really say hello to England, then I’m going back to Seattle on Tuesday and then I’m going on a tour in America with this kid called Elliott Smith who sings with a sort of punk band called Heatmiser and he’s got a seven inch out on Kill Rock Stars and we’re going to do like a two month tour of the States…’
When Elliott wrote the song ‘I Figured You Out’, he called it ‘a stupid pop song [written] in about a minute’ and he threw it away for ‘[sounding] like the fucking Eagles’,… Elliott hated the Eagles! But Mary Lou Lord rescued the song from the trashbin and recorded it in 1997.
Her longtime friendship with Elliott makes her sometimes post stuff like this on Soundcloud for their fans’ greatest pleasure:
So on Thursday, Mary Lou Lord wrote this on Facebook, regarding her new album:
‘I am so close to finishing my record…There’s a few things I would like to do including write a song for and/about Elliott. I know SO many of you guys were/are fans of his as well as you being songwriters yourselves, and just wondering if any of you might want to help me out with this. I have a little song started, and if you’re interested, I will send you what I have via soundcloud and maybe we can do this together? I get stuck and often give up. Let me know if you might be interested in a collaboration. Thank you…xo’
Of course, she has already received many answers, and she added a little later during the conversation:
‘Lyrics lyrics…I get so kerfuffled.’… ‘ok….I will put up what I have a bit later, and if you guys feel like you might have a little lyric or part to lend, please do send! If I choose it, etc, I will of course give full cred, etc….I just want to make something beautiful and not freak out and give up like I usually do.’
‘Songwriting is FUCKING HARD…well, to me it is anyway, and I would rather ask for help than nothing get done at all-and that’s what happens with me. I’ll put up the couple little verses I have later. No chorus yet, but I do have a frame.’
‘Thanks you guys…I’m away from my comp right now, but I will let you know when the first verse, chorus (just chords and melody, etc) are done. I would just love to hear what you guys can/might come up with for this little thing. It certainly isn’t anything to write home about, but at least with help, it might get done…xo’
‘To me….I don’t know what’s worse…chewing glass, tinfoil, or writing songs…..I am NOT a songwriter. I like songs…yes, very much, but fuck….it’s not in my nature to actually write these fucking things….Some folks do enjoy this mental anguish (to me that is)..Nick Saloman is one of them. It’s like scrabble with emotion and heart included in it for him, a puzzle of the heart. To me, it is just one big mental fucking breakdown. But alas, I am sticking with it…come Hell or High Water…ONE more to go….Will share later and accept lines, etc. (Song for Elliott).’
We are waiting for it Mary Lou!
Update: Mary Lou Lord posted this demo on soundcloud: