Jandek - HIStory

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Imagine you have to compile a introdutory compilation of the world's strangest musician (?) ever.

I know this one is hard, but this is ILM and i trust you all...

― Elvis is Dead, Sunday, 6 June 2004 21:03 (twenty-one years ago)

I need to hear this guy someday.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 6 June 2004 21:09 (twenty-one years ago)

i was looking through his enormous catalogue at the cd store the other day. i got overwhelmed and got a sun ra (!) album instead.

― ryan (ryan), Sunday, 6 June 2004 21:25 (twenty-one years ago)

You could do worse than the track listing for the tribute album (please note that the Bright Eyes song is a dull original).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 6 June 2004 21:31 (twenty-one years ago)

That Bright Eyes song is just a bunch of people saying "Have you ever heard of Jandek before" right? eesh.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 6 June 2004 21:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I've probably heard about eight Jandek albums, so--not having heard, say, twenty or more--I wouldn't know where to start. Anyone thining like me that they like earlier Jandek better? Of the ones that I've heard, I like mid-80s ones like Foreign Keys and Telegraph Melts best, and I have an earlier acoustic one that's pretty good, too. I haven't heard a new Jandek album since probably the early '90s.

― Tim Ellison, Sunday, 6 June 2004 21:44 (twenty-one years ago)

start at Blue Corpse then work your way out in both directions. also, get The Gone Wait because it really is quite something.

― the surface noise for the sake of noise (electricsound), Sunday, 6 June 2004 21:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I listen to The Gone Wait at least once a day right now

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Sunday, 6 June 2004 22:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I seriously need to get some Jandek albums, but, you know, it's hard to explain to my parents that I'm going to send $40 to some depressed guy in Texas

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 6 June 2004 22:27 (twenty-one years ago)

If I had friends who listened to Pantera I could argue that they're doing the exact same thing, but I don't

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 6 June 2004 22:28 (twenty-one years ago)

I have every Jandek album and I'd say the best way to compile a HIStory (nice MJ reference by the way) is to just go chronological - one song from each album. I'd say "Letter to The Clerk" and "The Electric End" are two essential tracks though

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Sunday, 6 June 2004 22:29 (twenty-one years ago)

my fave track is "rifle in the closet"

― Ian Johnson (orion), Sunday, 6 June 2004 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Other essentials would be "Don't Paint Your Teeth" and "Ballad of Robert," of course. Also gotta be one song about a janitor, I would think.

― Tim Ellison, Sunday, 6 June 2004 22:33 (twenty-one years ago)

"i walked by the building" and "variant" for me

― the surface noise for the sake of noise (electricsound), Sunday, 6 June 2004 22:34 (twenty-one years ago)

also: "spanish in me" and some version of european jewel, probably the one on ready for the house.

― Ian Johnson (orion), Sunday, 6 June 2004 22:34 (twenty-one years ago)

"Mother's Day Card" on Telegraph Melts (Jandek singing a rhyme from a Mother's Day card). "Caper" on Foreign Keys ("Life is one big caper").

― Tim Ellison, Sunday, 6 June 2004 22:36 (twenty-one years ago)

haha i made my mom a mix cd for mother's day including that track. she thought it was creepy.

― Ian Johnson (orion), Sunday, 6 June 2004 22:39 (twenty-one years ago)

'Living on a moon so blue' is one of my favourite phrases, ever. I'm afraid to actually listen to the song in case it doesn't live up to my expectations, though.

― Gregory Henry (Gregory Henry), Sunday, 6 June 2004 22:42 (twenty-one years ago)

I second "Janitor's Dead"

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Sunday, 6 June 2004 22:50 (twenty-one years ago)

jandek is one of the great lyricists of our time

― the surface noise for the sake of noise (electricsound), Sunday, 6 June 2004 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

"When I live I will die
When I die I will live
Oh when I live I will live
When I die I will die"

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 6 June 2004 23:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I will examine that tribute album.

But so far we have:

(album - song(?))

0739: Ready for the House (1978) - European Jewel
0740: Six and Six (1981)
0741: Later On (1981)
0742: Chair Beside a Window (1982)
0743: Living in a Moon So Blue (1982)
0744: Staring at the Cellophane (1982)
0745: Your Turn to Fall (1983)
0746: The Rocks Crumble (1983) - Message to the Clerk (Part 1) / Message to the Clerk (Part 2)
0747: Interstellar Discussion (1984) - Rifle in the Closet
0748: Nine-Thirty (1985)
0749: Foreign Keys (1985) - Caper
0750: Telegraph Melts (1986) - You Painted Your Teeth / Mother's Day Card
0751: Follow Your Footsteps (1986)
0752: Modern Dances (1987) - Spanish in Me / Ballad of Robert
0753: Blue Corpse (1987) - I Passed By the Building
0754: You Walk Alone (1988)
0755: On the Way (1988)
0756: The Living End (1989) - Janitor’s Dead
0757: Somebody in the Snow (1990)
0758: One Foot in the North (1991)
0759: Lost Cause (1992) - The Electric End
0760: Twelfth Apostle (1993)
0761: Graven Image (1994)
0762: Glad to Get Away (1994)
0763: White Box Requiem (1996)
0764: I Woke Up (1997)
0765: New Town (1998)
0766: The Beginning (1999)
0767: Put My Dream on This Planet (2000)
0768: This Narrow Road (2001)
0769: Worthless Recluse (2001)
0770: I Threw You Away (2002)
0771: The Humility of Pain (2002)
0772: The Place (2003)
0773: The Gone Wait (2003)

― Elvis is Dead, Sunday, 6 June 2004 23:35 (twenty-one years ago)

downlaod "Helena" from Graven Image - that one is amazing

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Sunday, 6 June 2004 23:41 (twenty-one years ago)

"Spanish and Me" and "Ballad of Robert" are both reprised on Modern Dances? There are versions of them on Foreign Keys. "Uncle Steve" on Foreign Keys is good, too. I will also vote for "Whiskers" on Twelfth Apostle.

― Tim Ellison, Sunday, 6 June 2004 23:54 (twenty-one years ago)

yes, tim, you are right. my mistake.

ok, decided:

0739: Ready for the House (1978) - Cave In On You
0741: Later On (1981) - Your Condition / Jessica
0742: Chair Beside a Window (1982) - European Jewel
0743: Living in a Moon So Blue (1982) - She Fell Down / Sailors
0746: The Rocks Crumble (1983) - Message to the Clerk (Part 1) (2:59) / Message to the Clerk (Part 2) (4:37
0747: Interstellar Discussion (1984) - Rifle in the Closet
0749: Foreign Keys (1985) Spanish in Me / Ballad of Robert /Caper
0750: Telegraph Melts (1986) - You Painted Your Teeth / Mother's Day Card
0751: Follow Your Footsteps (1986)
0752: Modern Dances (1987) - Carnival Queen
0753: Blue Corpse (1987) - I Passed By the Building
0754: You Walk Alone (1988) - Quinn Boys II
0756: The Living End (1989) - Janitor’s Dead
0759: Lost Cause (1992) - The Electric End
0760: Twelfth Apostle (1993) Whiskers
0761: Graven Image (1994) - Remain the Same / helena
0764: I Woke Up (1997) - Take It Easy
0765: New Town (1998) - New Town

i need help:

0740: Six and Six (1981)
0744: Staring at the Cellophane (1982)
0745: Your Turn to Fall (1983)
0748: Nine-Thirty (1985)
0755: On the Way (1988)
0757: Somebody in the Snow (1990)
0758: One Foot in the North (1991)
0762: Glad to Get Away (1994)
0763: White Box Requiem (1996)
0766: The Beginning (1999)
0767: Put My Dream on This Planet (2000)
0768: This Narrow Road (2001)
0769: Worthless Recluse (2001)
0770: I Threw You Away (2002)
0771: The Humility of Pain (2002)
0772: The Place (2003)
0773: The Gone Wait (2003)

― Elvis is Dead, Sunday, 6 June 2004 23:59 (twenty-one years ago)

0773: "i went to hell"

― the surface noise for the sake of noise (electricsound), Sunday, 6 June 2004 23:59 (twenty-one years ago)

0740: "point judith"

― Ian Johnson (orion), Monday, 7 June 2004 00:58 (twenty-one years ago)

i think jandek has sexy eyes.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 7 June 2004 01:13 (twenty-one years ago)

"I'm Ready" from On the Way is one of the more tortured and beautiful things from the Jandek catalog. In the days when I used to make mixtapes for young ladies (pathethic? yes. effective? yes.)I would include that song for those interested in him and it never let me down.

― dialecticbricks (dialecticbricks), Monday, 7 June 2004 02:08 (twenty-one years ago)

0741: Later On (1981) - Your Condition / Jessica

I have this one. Good choices. "Go quietly to your chamber, Jessica..."

― Tim Ellison, Monday, 7 June 2004 03:44 (twenty-one years ago)

0767: "I Need Your Life"
1st solo voice song... beyond definitive.

― sexyDancer, Monday, 7 June 2004 14:45 (twenty-one years ago)

The track from Chair Beside the Window's gotta be Nancy Sings though. I Want To Look In from The Humility of Pain too.

― Steve.n. (sjkirk), Monday, 7 June 2004 14:53 (twenty-one years ago)

update:

0739: Ready for the House (1978) - Cave In On You
0740: Six and Six (1981) - point judith
0741: Later On (1981) - Your Condition / Jessica
0742: Chair Beside a Window (1982) - European Jewel / Nancy Sings
0743: Living in a Moon So Blue (1982) - She Fell Down / Sailors
0744: Staring at the Cellophane (1982) - nepoleon in russia
0745: Your Turn to Fall (1983) - elementary talk
0746: The Rocks Crumble (1983) - Message to the Clerk (Part 1) (2:59) / Message to the Clerk (Part 2) (4:37
0747: Interstellar Discussion (1984) - Rifle in the Closet
0749: Foreign Keys (1985) Spanish in Me / Ballad of Robert /Caper
0750: Telegraph Melts (1986) - You Painted Your Teeth / Mother's Day Card
0752: Modern Dances (1987) - Carnival Queen
0753: Blue Corpse (1987) - I Passed By the Building / variant
0754: You Walk Alone (1988) - Quinn Boys II
0756: The Living End (1989) - Janitor’s Dead
0759: Lost Cause (1992) - The Electric End
0760: Twelfth Apostle (1993) Whiskers
0761: Graven Image (1994) - Remain the Same / helena
0763: White Box Requiem (1996) - didn't really die
0764: I Woke Up (1997) - Take It Easy
0765: New Town (1998) - New Town
0767: Put My Dream on This Planet (2000) - I Need Your Life
0771: The Humility of Pain (2002) - I Want To Look In
0773: The Gone Wait (2003) - i went to hell

need help:

0748: Nine-Thirty (1985)
0751: Follow Your Footsteps (1986)
0755: On the Way (1988)
0757: Somebody in the Snow (1990)
0758: One Foot in the North (1991)
0762: Glad to Get Away (1994)
0766: The Beginning (1999)
0768: This Narrow Road (2001)
0769: Worthless Recluse (2001)
0770: I Threw You Away (2002)
0772: The Place (2003)

― Elvis is Dead, Monday, 7 June 2004 15:14 (twenty-one years ago)

from "on the way", "message to the clerk".
from "follow your footsteps", the track "for today"

― naturemorte, Monday, 7 June 2004 18:10 (twenty-one years ago)

FOR TODAY I'LL SMOKE A CIGAR

yeah, what a great track!

― Ian c=====8 (orion), Monday, 7 June 2004 18:12 (twenty-one years ago)

For 0766, "The Beginning", better go with the title track, "The Beginning".

― sexyDancer, Monday, 7 June 2004 18:19 (twenty-one years ago)

also from 'on the way': "i'll sit alone and think a lot about you"

― the surface noise for the sake of noise (electricsound), Monday, 7 June 2004 22:30 (twenty-one years ago)

from 'this narrow road': "yes you are" (meshes well with almost any instrumental you can name)

― the surface noise for the sake of noise (electricsound), Monday, 7 June 2004 22:32 (twenty-one years ago)

tracklist completed:

01 Cave In On You
02 point judith
03 Your Condition
04 Jessica
05 European Jewel
06 Nancy Sings
07 She Fell Down
08 Sailors
09 napoleon in russia
10 elementary talk
11 Message to the Clerk (Part 1)
12 Message to the Clerk (Part 2)
13 Rifle in the Closet
14 Oh Jenny
15 Spanish in Me
16 Ballad of Robert
17 Caper
18 You Painted Your Teeth
19 Mother's Day Card
20 for today
21 Carnival Queen
22 I Passed By the Building
23 variant
24 Quinn Boys II
25 i'll sit alone and think a lot about you
26 Janitor’s Dead
27 The Electric End
28 Whiskers
29 Remain the Same
30 helena
31 Nancy Knows
32 didn't really die
33 Take It Easy
34 New Town
35 The Beginning
36 I Need Your Life
37 I Need To Be
38 Interlude
39 Blues Turned Black
40 I Want To Look In
41 The Answer
42 i went to hell

― Elvis is Dead, Wednesday, 9 June 2004 05:06 (twenty-one years ago)

how many CDs? two? three?

― Ian c=====8 (orion), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 05:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Three.

I will put it on slsk.

― Elvis is Dead, Thursday, 10 June 2004 04:11 (twenty-one years ago)

SMOOCHES.

― Ian c=====8 (orion), Thursday, 10 June 2004 04:19 (twenty-one years ago)

four months pass...

Honestly, the more I think about it, the more I become convinced that Jandek is one of the greatest lyricists of the past thirty years. Up there with Van Morrison, Dylan et al. Jandek seems to know his lyrics (poems?) are fucking rad--why else release those three solo voice records a few years ago? It's like he was working up to that the whole time--I hesitate to read much into it, though; it could be anything.

Similarly... POX: JANDEK

― Ian John50n (orion), Friday, 5 November 2004 20:48 (twenty-one years ago)

i agree

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Friday, 5 November 2004 23:05 (twenty-one years ago)

nine months pass...

I love Jandek.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 5 August 2005 23:50 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

I don't love Jandek but I love the threads.

― Gorge, Saturday, 9 February 2008 00:35 (eighteen years ago)

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