It may be the last Elliott Smith’s alternate version that his former label, Kill Rock Stars, will be releasing during this month-long tribute to the songwriter – I mean, about three weeks ago, they said there were two more tracks to come, and this is the second one.
This week, it is another version of ‘Ballad of Big Nothing’, which doesn’t bring too many surprises though. A similar version was already circulating as part of 'Either/Or' Demos, and the track is also very close to the original song in the first place. However, there are more backup vocals at the end of the song, or they sound louder, and the lyrics are slightly different, with for example ‘sleeping with a plastic doll’ instead of ‘having had enough of it all’, or ‘urban blight and personal decay’ instead of ‘up all night and down every day’.
I have always loved this song but honestly you can think for hours and conclude whatever you want to about the lyrics; but soon, with their subtle drug metaphors and their apparent nihilistic meaning, you will get stuck with some idea of doomed freedom and delusional liberty.
Kill Rock Stars is also selling Elliott Smith's entire KRS digital discography, under the title ‘The Indie Years’ at a discounted rate ($49 for 74 tracks) throughout the month.