First the mic, then a half cigarette
Singing Kathy's clown
That's the man she's married to now
That's the girl that he takes around town
She appears composed
So she is, I suppose
Who can really tell?
She shows no emotion at all
Stares into space like a dead china doll
I'm never gonna know you now but I'm gonna love you anyhow
Now she's done, and they're calling someone
Such a familiar name
I'm so glad that my memory's remote
'Cos I'm doing just fine hour to hour, note to note
Here it is, the revenge to the tune
You're no good, you're no good, you're no good, you're no good
Can't you tell that it's well understood?
I'm never gonna know you now but I'm gonna love you anyhow
I'm here today, expect it to stay on, and on, and on
I'm tired, I'm tired
Looking out on the substitute scene
Still going strong
XO Mom
It's OK, it's alright, nothing's wrong
Tell Mr. Man with impossible plans
To just leave me alone
In the place where I make no mistakes
In the place where I have what it takes
I'm never gonna know you now but I'm gonna love you anyhow
I'm never gonna know you now but I'm gonna love you anyhow
I'm never gonna know you now but I'm gonna love you anyhow
Please Click here to submit the Corrections of Waltz #2 (XO) Lyrics
Please Click Here to Print Waltz #2 (XO) Lyrics
Thanks to jonna for submitting Waltz #2 (XO) Lyrics.
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Thank you Amanda | Reviewer: Anonymous | 3/12/12
Thanks Amanda commenter #1--absolutely killer explanation of the song. It's a karaoke bar, two great old songs, drama with the mom and stepdad. I love ES, so sorry he's gone. Let's all agree to stay on and keep doing our best work. My oldest friend is never happy but he writes excellent poetry (seriously).
Karaoke | Reviewer: Amanda | 5/29/11
He's out at a bar, karaoke night, and he spots his mom and step dad. They don't see/recognize him. One of them sings "Cathy's Clown" by the Everly Brothers and as "revenge" or by way of calling her out, he gets up and sings "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt. When the dj is calling Elliott up, although they may think the name sounds "familiar," it doesn't ring a bell for them, probably because it's his middle name.
My take | Reviewer: j | 4/16/11
Having listened to this song a 1000 times, and read Elliott talk about it and read many reviews, and also interpreted things from having lead a similar life to Elliott thus far, my take is as follows.
The song is mostly about his relationship with his mother and Elliott's stepdad, and himself. The first verse is about her, she seems happy enough in the current relationship....but he can't really tell....she's just going by day to day.
The second verse is about himself. He's glad in a way that the antidepressants/alcohol/drugs have somewhat destroyed his memory(been there...), such that he can't remember so vividly that old familiar rant from his step dad that he's no good, and never good enough. He also makes comment that this song is a bit of a bitter revenge to how he felt mistreated by his stepfather.
The last verse is about his depression. He's expected to hang around, but it's really hard....and he's tired of life, but he wants to comfort his mother whom he loves, that it's all okay and he's fine. The last few lines, he just wants to be left alone by his stepfather, in the drug addled blissful state where everything is okay, and he's okay....even though he's not. RIP beautiful man.
such a familiar name. | Reviewer: me | 9/6/10
I think this song is about his mother's wedding where she married his stepdad. The first verse sounds like him imagining the reception, and it also sounds like a description of their wedding photo. All the while he has having memories of this trauma, while watching someone perform. He keeps being brought in and out of this memory while trying to grab hold of reality and what's really happening around him. In the chorus he is singing to his mother and the person performing.
hey | Reviewer: duhdude | 8/24/10
this song is about girls and drugs. obviously, a girl he use to know moved on, and the last verse is about addiction. substitute( as in replacement therpy for heroin) stayin strong(clean) xo to his mom, telling her its all good, he isnt using, but he really is, cause of saddness possibly related to aformentioned girl. duh
Song to his mother | Reviewer: Anonymous | 7/2/10
Actually, it's a song to his mother who married a man who treated Elliott Smith badly. In the song he's telling his mother that it's ok, he's doing all right even though she is with this man who is no good.
Songs referred to in XO | Reviewer: Anonymous | 6/30/10
There are two songs referred to in this song, sung at a Karakoe bar. The first is "Cathy's Clown", and old Everly Brothers song, about a guy who's treated badly by his girlfriend. The second one is "You're No Good", a song by Linda Ronstadt, about a girl who has broken up with her boyfriend and is telling him he's no good. I suspect XO is about a man who has had a breakup with the singer of "Cathy's Clown" , and in revenge, he sings "You're No Good".
all about his mother | Reviewer: Anonymous | 5/24/09
I think this song is all about his mother. It seems like he's implying his mom's married to some new dude "That's the man she's married to now" and his mom is the girl he takes around town, who's singing the song "Cathy's Clown.'
Then she's done singing, and they call someone else -- such a familiar name -- calling him to sing. He's saying he's doing fine but the people in the crowd are yelling "he's no good' at singing.
Then he's implying his mom notices he's having a hard time, and he's saying he's trying but he's tired. XO, MOM, is saying he's doing it all for her, and for her not to worry, but to tell his stepdad to f-off and leave him alone, because here at karaoke, at least he's feeling capable.
He's never going to figure his mother out, but he loves her anyway.
steinbeck reference | Reviewer: ed | 8/28/07
I think the first and maybe second verse and chorus reference Cathy, the anti heroine of Steinbeck's (spelling?) East of Eden. Then the last verse about smack probably. Anyone? Most poignant moment deff the last verse, 'im tired im tired' or the line after 'mom'.
Waltz #2 (XO)'s true beauty | Reviewer: Matt DeMann | 1/30/05
Elliott Smith's "Waltz #2(XO)" is by far one of the single most beautiful songs of the past decade. Smith once again encapsulates himself, lending his own angelic voice to compliment his gorgeous harmonies. The guitar play and Piano work is instantly recognizable as Smith. Probably the most poinient moments in the song are derrived from the chorus actaully. While Smith sings quietly under the mic and a light electric riff being played in the background. As he softly sings "I'm never gonna know you now/But I'm gonna love you anyhow" any true musician or poet will instantly feel the emotion and true beauty of Smith's entire body of work. "Waltz" is known as one of Smith's best and slightly more well known works, and hopefully it's beauty will turn more people on to him whenever they hear it. Rest in peace Elliott, we love and miss you dearly. XO
The following area is only for review, if you want to submit the lyrics or the corrections of the lyrics, please click the link at the end of Waltz #2 (XO) Lyrics.
Your Name: (Important: Your name will be published if you input it) Review for Waltz #2 (XO) Lyrics ------ Performed by Elliott Smith Please enter a title for your review: ------ 09/14/2012 Type your review in the space below:
Elliott Smith BiographyElliott Smith AlbumsElliott Smith Lyrics
Singing Kathy's clown
That's the man she's married to now
That's the girl that he takes around town
She appears composed
So she is, I suppose
Who can really tell?
She shows no emotion at all
Stares into space like a dead china doll
I'm never gonna know you now but I'm gonna love you anyhow
Now she's done, and they're calling someone
Such a familiar name
I'm so glad that my memory's remote
'Cos I'm doing just fine hour to hour, note to note
Here it is, the revenge to the tune
You're no good, you're no good, you're no good, you're no good
Can't you tell that it's well understood?
I'm never gonna know you now but I'm gonna love you anyhow
I'm here today, expect it to stay on, and on, and on
I'm tired, I'm tired
Looking out on the substitute scene
Still going strong
XO Mom
It's OK, it's alright, nothing's wrong
Tell Mr. Man with impossible plans
To just leave me alone
In the place where I make no mistakes
In the place where I have what it takes
I'm never gonna know you now but I'm gonna love you anyhow
I'm never gonna know you now but I'm gonna love you anyhow
I'm never gonna know you now but I'm gonna love you anyhow
Please Click here to submit the Corrections of Waltz #2 (XO) Lyrics
Please Click Here to Print Waltz #2 (XO) Lyrics
Thanks to jonna for submitting Waltz #2 (XO) Lyrics.
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document.write(' Send ' + (rm_song != '' && rm_artist != '' ? '"' + rm_song + '" Ringtone' : (rm_artist != '' ? rm_artist + ' Ringtones' : 'Ringtones')) + ' to your Cell ');
Thank you Amanda | Reviewer: Anonymous | 3/12/12
Thanks Amanda commenter #1--absolutely killer explanation of the song. It's a karaoke bar, two great old songs, drama with the mom and stepdad. I love ES, so sorry he's gone. Let's all agree to stay on and keep doing our best work. My oldest friend is never happy but he writes excellent poetry (seriously).
Karaoke | Reviewer: Amanda | 5/29/11
He's out at a bar, karaoke night, and he spots his mom and step dad. They don't see/recognize him. One of them sings "Cathy's Clown" by the Everly Brothers and as "revenge" or by way of calling her out, he gets up and sings "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt. When the dj is calling Elliott up, although they may think the name sounds "familiar," it doesn't ring a bell for them, probably because it's his middle name.
My take | Reviewer: j | 4/16/11
Having listened to this song a 1000 times, and read Elliott talk about it and read many reviews, and also interpreted things from having lead a similar life to Elliott thus far, my take is as follows.
The song is mostly about his relationship with his mother and Elliott's stepdad, and himself. The first verse is about her, she seems happy enough in the current relationship....but he can't really tell....she's just going by day to day.
The second verse is about himself. He's glad in a way that the antidepressants/alcohol/drugs have somewhat destroyed his memory(been there...), such that he can't remember so vividly that old familiar rant from his step dad that he's no good, and never good enough. He also makes comment that this song is a bit of a bitter revenge to how he felt mistreated by his stepfather.
The last verse is about his depression. He's expected to hang around, but it's really hard....and he's tired of life, but he wants to comfort his mother whom he loves, that it's all okay and he's fine. The last few lines, he just wants to be left alone by his stepfather, in the drug addled blissful state where everything is okay, and he's okay....even though he's not. RIP beautiful man.
such a familiar name. | Reviewer: me | 9/6/10
I think this song is about his mother's wedding where she married his stepdad. The first verse sounds like him imagining the reception, and it also sounds like a description of their wedding photo. All the while he has having memories of this trauma, while watching someone perform. He keeps being brought in and out of this memory while trying to grab hold of reality and what's really happening around him. In the chorus he is singing to his mother and the person performing.
hey | Reviewer: duhdude | 8/24/10
this song is about girls and drugs. obviously, a girl he use to know moved on, and the last verse is about addiction. substitute( as in replacement therpy for heroin) stayin strong(clean) xo to his mom, telling her its all good, he isnt using, but he really is, cause of saddness possibly related to aformentioned girl. duh
Song to his mother | Reviewer: Anonymous | 7/2/10
Actually, it's a song to his mother who married a man who treated Elliott Smith badly. In the song he's telling his mother that it's ok, he's doing all right even though she is with this man who is no good.
Songs referred to in XO | Reviewer: Anonymous | 6/30/10
There are two songs referred to in this song, sung at a Karakoe bar. The first is "Cathy's Clown", and old Everly Brothers song, about a guy who's treated badly by his girlfriend. The second one is "You're No Good", a song by Linda Ronstadt, about a girl who has broken up with her boyfriend and is telling him he's no good. I suspect XO is about a man who has had a breakup with the singer of "Cathy's Clown" , and in revenge, he sings "You're No Good".
all about his mother | Reviewer: Anonymous | 5/24/09
I think this song is all about his mother. It seems like he's implying his mom's married to some new dude "That's the man she's married to now" and his mom is the girl he takes around town, who's singing the song "Cathy's Clown.'
Then she's done singing, and they call someone else -- such a familiar name -- calling him to sing. He's saying he's doing fine but the people in the crowd are yelling "he's no good' at singing.
Then he's implying his mom notices he's having a hard time, and he's saying he's trying but he's tired. XO, MOM, is saying he's doing it all for her, and for her not to worry, but to tell his stepdad to f-off and leave him alone, because here at karaoke, at least he's feeling capable.
He's never going to figure his mother out, but he loves her anyway.
steinbeck reference | Reviewer: ed | 8/28/07
I think the first and maybe second verse and chorus reference Cathy, the anti heroine of Steinbeck's (spelling?) East of Eden. Then the last verse about smack probably. Anyone? Most poignant moment deff the last verse, 'im tired im tired' or the line after 'mom'.
Waltz #2 (XO)'s true beauty | Reviewer: Matt DeMann | 1/30/05
Elliott Smith's "Waltz #2(XO)" is by far one of the single most beautiful songs of the past decade. Smith once again encapsulates himself, lending his own angelic voice to compliment his gorgeous harmonies. The guitar play and Piano work is instantly recognizable as Smith. Probably the most poinient moments in the song are derrived from the chorus actaully. While Smith sings quietly under the mic and a light electric riff being played in the background. As he softly sings "I'm never gonna know you now/But I'm gonna love you anyhow" any true musician or poet will instantly feel the emotion and true beauty of Smith's entire body of work. "Waltz" is known as one of Smith's best and slightly more well known works, and hopefully it's beauty will turn more people on to him whenever they hear it. Rest in peace Elliott, we love and miss you dearly. XO
The following area is only for review, if you want to submit the lyrics or the corrections of the lyrics, please click the link at the end of Waltz #2 (XO) Lyrics.
Your Name: (Important: Your name will be published if you input it) Review for Waltz #2 (XO) Lyrics ------ Performed by Elliott Smith Please enter a title for your review: ------ 09/14/2012 Type your review in the space below:
Elliott Smith BiographyElliott Smith AlbumsElliott Smith Lyrics