Mode mixture and the heartbreaking beauty of Elliott Smith’s "Everything Means Nothing to Me"
Figure 8 is one of those Elliott Smith albums that I constantly find myself going back to, and as I learn more about the recording process of this album and how it came to be; I appreciate it even more. To be leading the life of Elliott during that period of time while working underneath the tyrannical control of DreamWorks and produce such an evergreen work of art is a testament in itself of Elliott’s perennial artistry.
“Everything Means Nothing to Me” is a revealing snapshot of the strained relationship with DreamWorks record executives.
In an article originally featured in SPIN magazine in 2004, David McConnell, a producer and close collaborator with Elliott on his final album From a Basement on a Hill, recalls Elliott revealing to him how the song came to be:
“Elliott told me about having a psychotic episode while he was [recording Figure 8],” says McConnell, He was fed up with the current state of his life. A lot of people from the label were telling him he needed to get it together. He was so sick of people talking about the future. So he carved the word ‘now’ into his arm with a knife. And he sat down at the piano and wrote ‘Everything Means Nothing to Me’ as the blood was dripping down his arm.”
There are many aspects of “Everything Means Nothing to Me” that makes it standout of Figure 8 to me: the harmonic richness, existentialist-leaning lyrics, intricate melody that beautifully hints at chromaticism, its short, yet succinct compositional form that builds intensity in such a gratifying way; but I think what stands out the most prominent is his interesting use of mode mixture.
The opening 2-bar descending piano line establishes a Bb minor tonality, outlining a F7(b9#9b13) of sorts (V in Bb-) descending melodic line. The verse then begins to develop the new key of C# minor (or E major), but starting on a G# major chord (another example of Elliot’s use of secondary function chords, V of C#- in this case) which then resolves to C# minor (i) in the second bar of the verse.
Another point of interest is the last two bars of the first part of verse 1: (F# minor to F#o7). The use of that fully diminished seventh chord creates a seamless transition into the V (F major) of the key of Bb minor, a sort of continuation of the tonality set up in the first 2 bars.
The refrain and outro, with the ascending melody “everything means nothing to me,” stays in that key of Bb minor, alternating between Gb major (VI) and Eb minor (iv); and later in the outro, cycles between Gb major (VI), Db major (III), and Ab major (bVII or V/III).
– Sean