Daniel Johnston C or D/S & D?

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I'd be interested to know people's thoughts on Daniel Johnston's oeuvre; all i've really heard is one track - 'Walking the Cow', from 'Songs in the Key of Z', which i liked very much.
C or D? S/D, anyone?

― Tom May, Sunday, 12 January 2003 18:35 (twenty-three years ago)

daniel is inassailably a fantastic songwriter. there are a very few of his fans who like his work for dubious reasons (voyeurism / immature "laugh at the mental guy" angle), as most of his stuff is just so transparent (in a GOOD way) in its yearning / directness / sense of loss or wonder. it's difficult to take him wrong. in fact i've never met anyone who gets off on DJs problems over or above his music or anyone who fits into the perhaps fictional EVIL FAN outline i just typed above (maybe i'm just lucky?!). he's great. i say search "its spooky" w/ jad fair , and if you can find a copy of the homestead disc which compiles "hi how are you" w/ "continued story" - well - that's a good start

― bob snoom, Sunday, 12 January 2003 19:25 (twenty-three years ago)

A large percentage of his fans, however, are fans because Kurt Cobain wore his t-shirt.

― Callum (Callum), Sunday, 12 January 2003 22:20 (twenty-three years ago)

I'd definitely pick up K. McCarthy's album of Daniel Johnston covers called "Dead Dog's Eyeball." The songs are very diverse sonically, which help you appreciate how tight his songwriting is. Plus his own versions tend to be much sloppier, unless that's what you want. Her voice stays in tune too.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 13 January 2003 00:50 (twenty-three years ago)

The voice and religious didacticism make him almost a dud. He has a few good songs, but none that merit the effort it takes to track down so many of his albums.

Search: The Kids soundtrack, and Fun if you can get it used.

― kieran, Monday, 13 January 2003 01:41 (twenty-three years ago)

"The Sun Shines Down on Me" is a beautiful song.

― Curtis Stephens, Monday, 13 January 2003 02:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i recommend Daniel Johnston - Live in Berlin, you can find it on soulseek no problem. I agree daniel is amazeing. Hes so truthful.

― martok code, Monday, 13 January 2003 18:17 (twenty-three years ago)

eleven months pass...

The frog he painted on the wall of Austin's Sound Exchange is being torn down.

It's kinda sad, I guess, but not nearly as sad as the fact that the record store has been closed for two years.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Thursday, 8 January 2004 00:37 (twenty-two years ago)

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Thursday, 8 January 2004 00:48 (twenty-two years ago)

"Casper" from the Kids s/t is great, but I've been underwhelmed by everything else I've heard from him.

What's his most Casper-like material?

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Thursday, 8 January 2004 01:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, yay! They're keeping it!

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Monday, 12 January 2004 06:01 (twenty-two years ago)

the live in berlin cd on trikont is excellent -- but for gods sake buy it and dont freaking rip Daniel off.

― jack cole (jackcole), Monday, 12 January 2004 09:50 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

"The... religious didacticism make[s] him almost a dud."

Disregard this.

― kieran, Saturday, 21 February 2004 03:46 (twenty-two years ago)

At least I'm not sure about it in this case.

― kieran, Saturday, 21 February 2004 03:48 (twenty-two years ago)

"Disregard this. "... and my "search" recommendations.

― kieran, Tuesday, 24 February 2004 02:04 (twenty-two years ago)

u r a lamer.

― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 24 February 2004 02:16 (twenty-two years ago)

do you like him, RJG?

― cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 24 February 2004 02:25 (twenty-two years ago)

kieran or daniel?

― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 24 February 2004 02:32 (twenty-two years ago)

daniel, do you like daniel?

― cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 24 February 2004 02:37 (twenty-two years ago)

that comma's goin to bring me gyp.

― cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 24 February 2004 02:40 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, I do.

do you?

― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 24 February 2004 02:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't think so.

― cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 24 February 2004 03:01 (twenty-two years ago)

no wonder.

― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 24 February 2004 03:03 (twenty-two years ago)

haha!

― cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 24 February 2004 03:05 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

Some classic RJGisms here.

I am finally listening to Mr. Johnston in some actual detail thanks to that single-disc Welcome to My World comp. Seems well selected in that I recognize just about all the songs on it from one spot or another. Don't know if I'd want any more right now but I'm enjoying it as it stands.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 28 May 2006 21:20 (nineteen years ago)

Weirdly, my housemate just called me to ask if Daniel Johnston had died.

I think it was drunken confusion to do with 'The Late Daniel Johnston' album, though.

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Sunday, 28 May 2006 22:08 (nineteen years ago)

one year passes...

"Casper" from the Kids s/t is great!

― blunt, Tuesday, 25 September 2007 08:20 (eighteen years ago)

I mean is that art brut or what

― blunt, Tuesday, 25 September 2007 09:51 (eighteen years ago)

eleven months pass...

There are a couple of threads but he hasn't really been covered much here. I just bought my first DJ album and I really like it (Lost And Found), but I'd like to know more.

― the next grozart, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 08:34 (seventeen years ago)

weird shit happening just there. anyway, i really like "rock this town" and "lonely song" off of this album. what should i get next?

― the next grozart, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 08:38 (seventeen years ago)

The best starting point is Welcome to My World, a pretty decent summation of his best work.

― Jazzbo, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 12:53 (seventeen years ago)

And it was love
But what is it now?
It's pai-ain...

― Abbott loves her turtle (Abbott), Tuesday, 16 September 2008 23:57 (seventeen years ago)

Hi How Are You? is one of my favourite albums ever made.

― art tatum HOOS & chopped (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Wednesday, 17 September 2008 00:06 (seventeen years ago)

i love the "speeding motorcycle" version he sings on the phone with yo la tengo. his voice on that one always breaks my heart. besides that i only have "fun" which is quite good. there is definitely something very touching about his naive, pure way of singing.

― alex in mainhattan, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 13:33 (seventeen years ago)

It pisses me off that the promo for "Friday Night Lights" uses the Bright Eyes version of "Devil Town." Not that it's bad, but the original is so much creepier.

― Jazzbo, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 14:00 (seventeen years ago)

It is Bright Eyes, ain't it?

― Jazzbo, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 14:01 (seventeen years ago)

I was kinda pissed that I missed him the last time he came through town... especially after seeing him on the rollins show where he exuded a totally unexpected hypnotic vibe. granted it was only one song but the lived-in worn-out late-career feel was a nice offset to the shrillness of his earlier stuff.

morbid as usual but I worry about how much longer he will be around

― Edward III, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 14:32 (seventeen years ago)

what song is that???

Only full DJ albums I have are 1990 (one of my all-time favs) and the 2CD reissue of Songs of Pain/More Songs of Pain

― Mr Dubious (Curt1s Stephens), Wednesday, 17 September 2008 15:56 (seventeen years ago)

it's called "mask" - apparently never released? at least per the online dj discog.

he also did a song called "you could care less" but for some reason the sound's really fucked up on the youtube clip.

― Edward III, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 16:10 (seventeen years ago)

ten years pass...

RIP

― Duke, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 21:04 (six years ago)

RIP

― maffew12, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 23:04 (six years ago)

just read about this, RIP

― Bee OK, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 23:30 (six years ago)

OPO/POO: Daniel Johnston

― Bee OK, Thursday, 12 September 2019 01:56 (six years ago)

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