“king’s crossing” literary analysis pt. 1

bring your tissues people. we’re diving into the most heart-wrenching lyrics today from the song “king’s crossing” by elliott smith. (mentions themes of addiction and depression)

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if you know me, or even just follow me, you know that i have a special place in my heart for the late singer/songwriter elliott smith. when i tell people this, they ask if i am okay. no. moving on. 

as a music journalist, it’s my job to overanalyze lyrics to the fullest extent. with elliott’s work, it takes longer than usual. there are so many meanings and connotations behind every single word that a single song can have two entirely different meanings at the same time. however, king’s crossing is a song that is one-dimensional in that sense, but not in any other sense. it has a set meaning, and that fact alone makes it hard to listen to as a fan. out of his discography, this has the be the most soul-crushing song he released, especially when you apply it to the context of his life. there are so many lyrics to explain and dissect, but i’ve picked out four of my favorites that i am going to analyze and give some background information about. i have also posted a live performance of this song and the link to the actual song itself, so if these lyrics interest you please do check it out!! now onto the lyric-dissecting.

 

 

“the king’s crossing was the main attraction, dominoes falling in a chain reaction“

this is the first line of the song. i know. off to a great start aren’t we? 

the “king’s crossing” is a place in portland (like the replacements song!!)  where elliott resided most of his life. the king’s crossing is a hotspot for addicts, including him. he had a plight with usage for a while but recovered soon before his tragic death. this first lyric along with the background information immediately lets you know that this song is dealing with a lot of themes of addiction and depression, so if that is something you are not comfortable with, i would stay away from this song and/or some of elliott’s music, as there are many songs with themes like this. “dominoes falling in a chain reaction” actually explains the pipeline leading to the king’s crossing. depression is the leading domino, addiction is the reaction. this first line sets up the starting domino that spirals throughout the entire song.

 

“and i get my check from the trash treasury, because i took my own insides out”

many artists struggle knowing the most vulnerable part of themselves is served on a platter for all to see and critic, including elliott. he despised knowing his own misery was what paid his bills.  “trash treasury” is obviously a snarky remark towards record companies, but there actually is a recording studio in portland called the trash treasury. (established after elliott’s death). “because i took my own insides out” perfectly describes both the mental and physical feeling of being vulnerable. elliott tore out a part of himself in his own misery just to get paid to do it again and again. 

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due to our unfortunate and inconvenient word limit, i must separate this into two parts! so i guess you’ll just have to wait to see the rest. oh well. see you next week:D

link to the song (spotify):

https://open.spotify.com/track/2GsiKnbHHXDpoL7R6cJUTZ?si=7000bff9e908415b

link to live performance (youtube): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D7vRObaTyo