‘Waltz #1’: Aimee Mann on the pioneering emotion of Elliott Smith
The singer-songwriter boom of the 1960s, which produced unique voices like Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, completely altered the face of popular music. Although the era of peace and love might have been short-lived, the world never forgot the power of a lone voice with an acoustic guitar, a style which Virginia-born songwriter Aimee Mann later adopted.
Getting her musical beginnings within the vibrant scene of new wave, forming the band ‘Til Tuesday, Mann immediately set herself apart from her contemporaries as a truly original voice. Although the new wave stylings of ‘Til Tuesday, in addition to the incredible solo career she embarked upon during the early 1990s, always leaned more towards alternative rock than folk, she never lost her appreciation for the folk singer-songwriters of the world. Listening to her music, it is impossible not to hear the influence of groundbreaking artists like Elliott Smith.
In many ways, referring to Elliott Smith merely as a singer-songwriter feels overly reductive; he was so much more than just another singer. Throughout his tragically short career, Smith completely reinvented expectations of musicians, almost single-handedly establishing the genre of indie folk.
Smith led a devastating life, storied by mental health struggles and addiction, culminating in his death at the age of only 34 as a result of stab wounds to the heart. All of this emotion and heartbreak was captured within the songwriting of Smith, who produced some of the most emotionally charged records of all time.
Smith’s ability to imbue his work with real emotion certainly was not lost upon Aimee Mann, who listed the track ‘Waltz #1’ as one of her favourite tracks of all time. Speaking to Pitchfork in 2020, she shared, “I listened to Elliott Smith and Either/Or a lot. Sort of like Liz Phair, Elliott Smith was inspiring in that he reminded you that you can write a song about anything you want to”. That sentiment seems to have had a particular impact on Mann, who has explored some intimate and personal subjects within her own music career.
Continuing in her appreciation for the Nebraska-born singer-songwriter, Mann said, “You don’t have to feel like, ‘Oh, that’s too personal or too weird or too dark.’ For me, as a listener, it’s helpful to hear people be honest about their very personal struggles.” It’s a quote that could equally be attributed to the music of Mann, though it surely rings true for anybody who has had the pleasure of listening to Elliott Smith.
The career and music of Elliott Smith were cut far too short, but he certainly lives on within the hearts and minds of all who followed him. Pretty much every singer-songwriter and indie folk artist who came after Smith owed a lot to his endlessly emotional and beautifully miserable discography. Seemingly, though, Smith also proved to be an influence on better-established artists looking to develop their sound, as is the case with Aimee Mann.
