The Litebrite's now black and white
'Cos you took apart a picture that wasn't right
Pitch burning on a shining sheet
The only maker that you want to meet
A dying man in a living room
Whose shadow paces the floor
Who'll take you out in the open door
This is not my life
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
It's not what I'm like
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
Who couldn't get things right
A fond farewell to a friend
He said really I just want to dance
Good and evil match perfect, it's a great romance
And I can deal with some psychic pain
If it'll slow down my higher brain
Veins full of disappearing ink
Vomiting in your kitchen sink
Disconnecting from the missing link
This is not my life
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
It's not what I'm like
I'ts just a fond farewell to a friend
Who couldn't get things right
A fond farewell to a friend
I see you're leaving me
And taking up with the enemy
The cold comfort of the in-between
A little less than a human being
A little less than a happy high
A little less than a suicide
The only things that you really tried
This is not my life
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
It's not what I'm like
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
Who couldn't get things right
A fond farewell to a friend
This is not my life
It's just a fond farewell to a friend [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/e/elliott_smith/a_fond_farewell.html ]
For whatever reason i can relate to the lyrics of this song. I am trying to find myself. Seems all hope is gone, my own son left us that way. I miss him a lot. Want to see him a lot. Wish someone understood. Goodbye michael and goodbye mr. Smith. Rest in peace.
by Unregistered on Apr 21st 2012 10:17 pm
Naa i think hes saying goodbye to her. She may be several people in his life. She may be no one, just an image hes had of everyone leaving him because of his addiction and all the baggage that comes with an addiction. Hes saying, this isnt really me, this isnt what i want. From experience, i think that he is just so lonely and depressed and from everyone leaving him, the only thing he knows of not to have let him down are the drugs. I completely understand it, i was there. I wish he hadnt died. So at least one of us could have reached out to him. I cant stop but wonder if anyone did.
by Unregistered on Mar 21st 2012 12:15 am
I agree with jan 24th 2:40, eliot smith seems to personify drugs quite a bit, and although he isn't exactly personifying a drug, he is saying farewell to his junkie self.
by Unregistered on Mar 14th 2012 9:12 am
Maybe some person he really loved abandoned him and he got really affected by that.. He got really depressed maybe and thought of bad things then in time realized that there is more to his life and then he is just explaining that all the depressing feelings.. That the person wont be comin back at all must have been his last deep thoughts for that person.. Like last words when we bid some1 goodbye
by Unregistered on Jan 24th 2012 2:40 am
I always thought it was his dialogue with himself about his struggle with heroin and trying to quit. The song acts out his two selfs, on heroin and not.
by Unregistered on Jan 24th 2012 12:45 am
I think his meager existence(during the songs writing) was saying goodbye to the best part of his life, which was simply a picture that wasn't right, in hindsight
by Unregistered on Jan 3rd 2012 2:17 pm
I think he means he is saying goodbye to a bad part of his life. "this is not my life" he is choosing to take control of who is wants to be.