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“Plainclothes Man” — By Heatmiser

The Portland, Ore., band Heatmiser was Elliott Smith’s band before his solo career. Heatmiser had more of a full-band rock sound than Smith’s later work, although the song “Plainclothes Man” is probably one of the closest musically and lyrically to the some of Smith’s solo work.

You’re everybody’s second home
Always trying to get me alone
An easy way to lose it all
Always there when all else fails
Over by the west side rails

But I don’t really need that now
I never really did anyhow
I only really needed alcohol
Something that’d treat me okay
And wouldn’t say the things you’d say

Please turn out the light
I get a sick confusion headache
Trying to figure out who’s right …

… There’s something that I’ll tell you now
Now that no one else is around
The sort of lesson that I learned from you
Not quite the way you planned
But I know you’ll understand

Someone takes a photograph
A picture while their sweetheart laughs
A perfect moment in a flash of light
Counting back from three till one
That’s exactly what you’ve done

And I’m so
Unsurprised
I remember, I remember why I dream in black and white …