Miss Misery
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{distinguish|text=another song of the same name from Hair of the Dog (album) by Nazareth}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Miss Misery
| cover = Miss_Misery_Promo_CD.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Elliott Smith
| album = Good Will Hunting: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture
| released = December 7, 1997
| format =
| recorded = 1997
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = *Indie rock{{cite web|last= Rolling Stone Staff|title= The 101 Greatest Soundtracks of All Time|website= Rolling Stone|date= September 24, 2024|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-movie-soundtracks-1235083518/|accessdate= October 5, 2024|quote=...[Smith] donated the original “Miss Misery”, a song that became so acclaimed [he sang] it, alone onstage, at the 1998 Academy Awards...it was a huge moment, indie rock wearing its heart on its sleeve on cinema’s biggest stage.}}
- pop{{cite web|url=https://www.altpress.com/best-90s-movie-soundtracks/|title=10 iconic alt '90s movie soundtracks|first=Alessandro|last=DeCaro|date=January 11, 2023|magazine=Alternative Press|access-date=February 17, 2025|quote=Whether it was the raw fingerpicked guitars and evocative vocals on “Angeles” or the pop-ballad “Miss Misery,” Smith’s songwriting craft was simply unmatched and provided the perfect ambiance for the soundtrack.}}
| length = 3:15
| label = Capitol Records
| writer = Elliott Smith
| producer =
| prev_title = Needle in the Hay
| prev_year = 1995
| next_title = Waltz #2 (XO)
| next_year = 1998
}}
"Miss Misery" is a song by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. Featured in the closing credits and the soundtrack of the 1997 film Good Will Hunting, the song was nominated for Best Original Song in the 1998 Academy Awards.{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1479869/elliott-smith-dead.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110312092511/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1479869/elliott-smith-dead.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 12, 2011 |title=Singer/Songwriter Elliott Smith Dead; Fellow Musicians Pay Tribute |last=D'Angelo |first=Joe |date=October 22, 2003 |website=MTV News |accessdate=June 30, 2013}}
A previous version of "Miss Misery" with different lyrics was recorded in Jackpot! Recording Studio in early 1997 and appears on the 2007 posthumous collection New Moon, with the full version appearing on the Deluxe Edition of XO. The Good Will Hunting version was re-cut at Jackpot!{{cite AV media notes |title=New Moon |others=Elliott Smith |year=2007 |page=4 |type=CD |location=Olympia, WA |publisher=Kill Rock Stars |id=KRS455 }}
Music video
A music video was directed by Ross Harris, and features Smith walking around in a white suit, being followed by a policeman. The musician inserts change into expired parking meters so the policeman cannot write up tickets.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH8-lQ9CeyI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/zH8-lQ9CeyI |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Elliott Smith Miss Misery – YouTube |date=March 9, 2006 |website=YouTube |accessdate=June 30, 2013}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PcJO81ubI8 |title=Elliott Smith – Miss Misery – Oscar 1998 – YouTube |date=January 31, 2010 |website=YouTube |accessdate=June 30, 2013}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}} The video was shot in the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles; it opens in front of the Smog Cutter dive bar,{{cite news |date=February 23, 2012 |title=Top 10 Best Karaoke Bars in L.A. |url=https://www.laweekly.com/music/top-10-best-karaoke-bars-in-la-5-1-2402086 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150203060722/http://www.laweekly.com/music/top-10-best-karaoke-bars-in-la-5-1-2402086 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 3, 2015 |work=L.A. Weekly |access-date=September 27, 2018}} then follows Smith down both Virgil Avenue and Hoover Street.
One version of the video splices in some footage from Good Will Hunting.
Performances
On March 5, 1998, Smith performed "Miss Misery" solo on acoustic guitar on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.{{cite magazine |last=Spanos |first=Brittany |date=July 15, 2015 |title=Watch Elliott Smith and Friends Recall Rise to Success in New Doc Clip|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/watch-elliott-smith-and-friends-recall-rise-to-success-in-new-doc-clip-124479/|magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=September 27, 2018}}
On March 23, 1998, Smith played an abridged version of the song at the 70th Academy Awards, accompanied by the house orchestra. Following the "shocking"{{cite news |last=Hellweg|first=Eric |date=March 24, 1998 |title=White Suit, Blue Collar |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/elliottsmith/articles/story/5926749/white_suit_blue_collar |url-status=dead |work=The Rolling Stone|archive-url=https://archive.today/20071001215925/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/elliottsmith/articles/story/5926749/white_suit_blue_collar|archive-date=October 1, 2007 |access-date=September 27, 2018}} nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, Smith had to be convinced by the producers to perform the song at the ceremony, as he had not intended to do so. They informed him that his song would be played live that night, whether by him or by another musician of their choosing.{{cite web |url=http://undertheradarmag.com/es.html |title=Better Off Than Dead, Elliott Smith Comes Clean |last=Kagler |first=Marcus |date=June 2006 |website=Under the Radar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060408160745/http://undertheradarmag.com/es.html |archive-date=April 8, 2006 |accessdate=June 30, 2013}} They also reportedly rejected his style of performing sitting in a chair. Before the ceremony, Smith, responding to a reporter's question, said, "Mainly I just want to go so I can wear my white suit. I always have a great time when I wear my white suit." When Madonna announced "My Heart Will Go On" as the winner, she sarcastically remarked, "What a shocker!" She later said that she greatly admired Elliott Smith. Afterwards, Smith described the experience as "surreal" and "ridiculous, but at a certain point I threw myself into it because it seemed to make my friends happy... I walked out and Jack Nicholson was sitting about six feet away, so I avoided that area and I looked up at the balcony in the back and sang the song."
In 1998, Smith performed the song on MTV.
Although he would play "Miss Misery" in various shows throughout his career, Smith would often avoid playing it{{cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Jim |date=October 7, 1998 |title=Smith Lets 'Miss Misery' Sit Out His Paradise Set |newspaper=The Boston Globe |quote=Smith did not even play 'Miss Misery'.}} or talking about it.{{cite news |last=Wilson |first=Scott |date=November 2, 2000 |title=Misery Missing |magazine=The Pitch |url=http://www.pitch.com/2000-11-02/music/misery-missing |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509105313/http://www.pitch.com/2000-11-02/music/misery-missing |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |accessdate=June 30, 2013}} It was not heavily requested compared to his other songs,{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5928931/elliott_smith |title=Elliott Smith |last=Ashare |first=Matt |date=April 16, 1998 |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930210642/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5928931/elliott_smith |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |url-status=dead |accessdate=June 30, 2013}} and in one show he dedicated it to the audience.{{cite news |last=Chelser |first=Josh |date=March 5, 1999 |title=Concert Review: Elliott Smith Wins Over Los Angeles Crowd |newspaper=University Wire |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-20887686.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516163949/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-20887686.html |archive-date=May 16, 2011 |accessdate=June 30, 2013 |quote=[...] when he shyly dedicated "Miss Misery" [...] to the audience [...] it became obvious how both deserved and unlikely his success has been.}}