05. A Perfect Day Elise
Written by Polly Jean Harvey
Musicians: Polly Jean Harvey, Mick Harvey, John Parish, Rob Ellis, Eric Drew Feldman, Jeremy Hogg, and Joe Gore

Found on:
Is This Desire?
A Perfect Day Elise CD1
A Perfect Day Elise CD2
A Perfect Day Elise 7"
Fall Classics '98

Alternative lyrics (handwritten in booklet of 'A Perfect Day Elise CD2'):

    Took her hands and took her to the shore
    And waited on that girl all through the war
    ??de the white hot sun
    Held her back until he heard her scream

This is a more direct connection to JD Salinger's "A Perfect Day For Bananafish" than merely the song title and the room number mentioned. The story is about a couple, Muriel and Seymour, who go on a vacation. The story begins with Muriel in hotel room 507 (harder to rhyme than room 509) convincing her mother, over the phone, that Seymour won't do anything crazy. Apparently Seymour came back from the war not quite right. Cut to Seymour: he's on the beach, when a young girl, Sybil, begins talking to him. He tells her it's a perfect day for catching bananafish. They try to catch some, to no avail. When Seymour returns to the hotel, Muriel is asleep. Seymour takes a gun, looks at his wife, and shoots himself in the head.

He got lucky one time
Hitting with the girl in room 509
She turned her back on him, facing the frame
Said, "Listen Joe, don't you come here again."

White sun scattered all over the sea
He could think of nothing but her name, 'Elise'
God is the sweat running down his back
The water soaked her blonde hair black

It's a perfect day Elise

He got burned by the sun
His face so pale and his hands so worn
Let himself in room 509
Said a prayer, and cried,
'It's a perfect day, Elise.'