Johnston spent extended periods in psychiatric institutions and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He gathered a local following in the 1980s by passing out tapes of his music while working at a McDonald's in Austin, Texas. His cult status was propelled when Nirvana's Kurt Cobain was seen wearing a T-shirt that featured artwork from Johnston's 1983 album Hi, How Are You. In 2005, Johnston was the subject of the documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston.
His songs were typically painfully direct, and often display a disturbing blend of childlike naïvete with darker, "spooky" themes. Johnston's singing voice is rather high-pitched, and his performances often seem faltering or uncertain; pitchfork writes that Johnston's recordings range from "spotty to brilliant". He also draws and paints; he is a cult comic book artist and his illustrations have been featured with most of his albums.
Johnston was born in Sacramento, California and grew up in West Virginia, United States, but then moved to Waller, Texas. Johnston suffers from manic depression, and has had varying luck with different treatments. He has been institutionalized for periods.
In the late 1970s, Johnston began recording his songs on a $59 Sony Boombox, singing and playing either guitar, piano or harmonica. He gave tapes of his music to anyone who would take them. Johnston created the comic book inspired art that usually accompanied his own recordings. His debut recording Songs of Pain was released in 1981.
His early songs established a number of themes that would persist through Johnston's career: Unrequited love, Casper the Friendly Ghost, and comic book superheroes, especially Captain America and Jack Kirby's other works. "Joe"—a partly autobiographical character—has been featured in a number of songs. Johnston has cited The Beatles as a prime influence.
A sizable proportion of Johnston's songs throughout the years have dealt with his unrequited love for "Laurie," a girl he became friends with in college, who was the first to encourage him to record his music. The Laurie character quickly assumed the role of the idealized female muse. The real life Laurie Allen married an undertaker, prompting Johnston to write lyrics in which the Laurie figure becomes strongly associated with the imagery of death in addition to her original role as a muse. For example, the song Funeral Home in which Johnston sings that he's "going to a funeral home" represents both the foreknowledge of death and Johnston's desire to be reunited with Laurie, who at the time worked at a funeral home. Laurie Allen has since divorced and filmmaker Jeff Feuerzeig arranged a meeting between Allen and Johnston.
Johnston gained a cult following in Austin, Texas. Some regarded Johnston as little more than a quaint curiosity, but others recognized a genuine talent: Johnston has a knack for creating great, catchy melodies, while his lyrics are evocative and often use clever wordplay. His songs have been covered by a number of admirers.
A 1985 MTV special on Austin brought Johnston wider attention, and a number of record stores outside Texas began selling his cassettes.
His music has been acclaimed by David Bowie, Sonic Youth, and Simpsons creator Matt Groening. Kurt Cobain of Nirvana fame praised Johnston's work, and often wore a t-shirt with a Johnston illustration and a caption reading, "Hi How Are You?"
1994 saw the release of Fun on Atlantic Records. The record was produced by Paul Leary of Butthole Surfers, a group who had long supported Johnston, even inviting him to open a number of concerts for them.
In 1993, Johnston painted a mural of the "Hi, How Are You?" frog, also known as Jeremiah after the Three Dog Night song, on the side of the Austin Sound Exchange music store. The site was converted into a Baja Fresh franchise in 2004. Although initial plans called for the mural to be torn down, public outcry caused restaurant owner John Oudt to let the mural stay, at a price of $50,000 in additional costs and lost revenue.
Fun was Johnston's only major-label release, but he has continued writing and recording songs, as well as drawing pictures.
In September 2004, a 2-disc release compilation entitled The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered. Disc one featured covers of Johnston's songs by such prominent artists as Eels, Beck, Death Cab for Cutie, Tom Waits, The Flaming Lips, Bright Eyes, and TV on the Radio, among others. Disc 2 featured Johnston's original tracks.
The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005) is a documentary by Jeff Feuerzeig about Johnston's life and music, and won the Director's Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.
In August 2005, it was reported that Johnston had been experiencing mood swings requiring medical attention. This led to cancellation of his touring schedule. On November 25th, 2005, Johnston was hospitalized for what appeared to be Lithium poisioning (Johnston takes lithium to control his manic depression). His father had found him in an incoherent state and unable to walk. Johnston is recovering and is thought to be out of any immediate danger.
On December 8th, 2005, it was reported that his condition remained "very serious", but on December 23rd, Johnston was released from the hospital. Johnston's family had been told that "Daniel would require long-term medical care and permanent dialysis for kidney failure," however his health dramatically and unexpectedly improved. Johnston died on September 10, 2019.
I Lose
Daniel Johnston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every hour everyone was making fun of me
I told her it really didn′t matter
You can't imagine what it′s done to my personality
I don't know where she should go, but I lose
Though I tried, like a lullaby, I lose
Once I saw her in a crazy dream
She was laughing, I looked the other way
Everyone seems to have a love but me, it's what I lack
I′ve been denied the hurt inside, I lose
Though she was barely a friend of mine, I lose
I got left out of the in crowd
They speak as if I was there
They say the cruelest things, I seen their type
A bunch of buttwipes that rule
Don′t make sense, it's really strange, I lose
Though I try, there′s no sense giving up, I lose
I walk the second mile, there's no one there, I lose
I pick up the pieces of my broken dream, I lose
Everyone had their fun, I lose
Yet she was a one of them from the beginning
How am I to carry on, there′s no help given
Then I realize it's all reoccurrence
What they′re thinking, their mind is a blur
I seen the future, and I ain't even there, I lose
I see it all, and it's really, the same old thing, I lose
They think they′re smart, all huddled together, I lose
One more time, I try to make it, I lose
I lose, I lose
Tell me about it, darlin′, now
The lyrics to Daniel Johnston's song "I Lose" convey a sense of longing, isolation, and low self-esteem. The singer describes being invited to a pity party, where everyone mocks and ridicules them. Despite trying to brush off the hurtful comments, it takes a toll on their personality. The singer mentions a woman who is a barely a friend but still manages to put them down behind their back. They feel left out of the in-crowd, hearing others speak negatively about them and making cruel remarks. The singer walks the second mile, putting in extra effort, but still feels alone and defeated. They pick up the pieces of their broken dream, symbolizing their shattered self-image. Despite their best efforts, they always seem to lose in different aspects of their life.
The overall theme of the song seems to be the singer's struggle with low self-worth and the constant feeling of being on the outside looking in. They yearn for love and acceptance but are consistently met with rejection and ridicule. The repetition of "I lose" emphasizes their self-perceived inability to succeed or fit in, which further reinforces their feelings of loneliness and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
She invited me to a pity party
She asked me to join a gathering where everyone feels sorry for themselves
Every hour everyone was making fun of me
Throughout the event, everyone continuously mocked me
I told her it really didn′t matter
I expressed that their actions didn't affect me
You can't imagine what it's done to my personality
It's hard to comprehend the impact it has had on shaping my character
I don't know where she should go, but I lose
I'm uncertain of where she belongs, but it always ends in defeat for me
Though I tried, like a lullaby, I lose
Even though I made an effort, it still ends in failure, similar to a failed lullaby
Once I saw her in a crazy dream
Once, I had a wild dream involving her
She was laughing, I looked the other way
While she laughed, I intentionally averted my gaze
Then I find that she unwinds, she puts me down behind my back
Later on, I discovered that she relaxes and speaks negatively about me when I'm not around
Everyone seems to have a love but me, it's what I lack
It appears that everyone else experiences love except for me, highlighting my deficiency
I've been denied the hurt inside, I lose
I've been denied the chance to express my internal pain, resulting in my failure
Though she was barely a friend of mine, I lose
Despite her being just a slight acquaintance, I still end up losing
I got left out of the in crowd
I was excluded from the popular group
They speak as if I was there
They talk about me as though I am present
They say the cruelest things, I seen their type
They utter the most heartless words, and I've witnessed their behavior before
A bunch of buttwipes that rule
A group of unpleasant individuals who assert their dominance
Don't make sense, it's really strange, I lose
Their actions don't make sense; it's truly bewildering, and it leads to my defeat
Though I try, there′s no sense giving up, I lose
Despite my efforts, it's not worthwhile to surrender, yet I still end up losing
I walk the second mile, there's no one there, I lose
I go above and beyond, but there's no one to support me, resulting in my loss
I pick up the pieces of my broken dream, I lose
I attempt to salvage the remnants of my shattered aspirations, but it still ends in defeat
Everyone had their fun, I lose
While everyone else enjoyed themselves, I ultimately end up losing
Yet she was one of them from the beginning
However, she was part of the group that caused my downfall from the start
How am I to carry on, there's no help given
I struggle to continue, as no assistance or support is provided
Then I realize it's all reoccurrence
Eventually, I comprehend that it's a cycle repeating itself
What they're thinking, their mind is a blur
Their thoughts are muddled and unclear
I seen the future, and I ain't even there, I lose
I've glimpsed the future, and I am not included in it, resulting in my defeat
I see it all, and it's really the same old thing, I lose
I witness everything, and it's just the repetitive same old situation, leading to my loss
They think they're smart, all huddled together, I lose
They believe they are intelligent while gathering closely, and I end up losing
One more time, I try to make it, I lose
Once again, I give it a shot, but it still results in my defeat
I lose, I lose
I experience loss repeatedly
Tell me about it, darlin′, now
Please enlighten me with your perspective, my dear
Writer(s): Cole Porter
Contributed by Claire E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rulo Mileg
Ella me invitó a una fiesta de lástima
Cada hora todos se burlaban de mí
Le dije que realmente no importaba
No te puedes imaginar lo que se hace con mi personalidad
No sé a dónde debería ir, pero pierdo
Aunque lo intenté, como una canción de cuna, pierdo
Una vez que la vi en un sueño loco
Ella se estaba riendo, miré hacia otro lado
Luego descubro que ella se relaja, me pone detrás de mi espalda
Todos parecen tener un amor pero yo, es lo que me falta
Me han negado el dolor por dentro, pierdo
Aunque ella apenas era una amiga mía, pierdo
Me quedé fuera de la multitud "en"
Hablan como si estuviera allí
Dicen las cosas más crueles, he visto su tipo
Un montón de buttwipes que dominan
No tiene sentido, es realmente extraño, pierdo
Aunque lo intento, no tiene sentido darse por vencido, pierdo
Camino la segunda milla, no hay nadie allí, pierdo
Recojo las piezas de mi sueño roto, pierdo
Todo el mundo se divirtió, pierdo
Sin embargo, ella era una de ellas desde el principio
Cómo voy a continuar, no hay ayuda dada
Entonces me doy cuenta de que todo vuelve a ocurrir
Lo que están pensando, su mente es un borrón
Vi el futuro, y ni siquiera estoy allí, pierdo
Lo veo todo, y es realmente, lo mismo de siempre, pierdo
Ellos piensan que son inteligentes, todos amontonados, pierdo
Una vez más, intento hacerlo, pierdo
Pierdo, pierdo
Cuéntame sobre eso, cariño, ahora
DESHUESADERO
LYRICS
She invited me to a pity party
Every hour everyone was making fun of me
I told her it really didn’t matter
You can’t imagine what it’s done to my personality
I don’t know where she should go, but I lose
Though I tried, like a lullaby, I lose
Once I saw her in a crazy dream
She was laughing, I looked the other way
Then I find that she unwinds, she puts me down behind my back
Everyone seems to have a love but me, it’s what I lack
I’ve been denied the hurt inside, I lose
Though she was barely a friend of mine, I lose
I got left out of the “in” crowd
They speak as if I was there
They say the cruelest things, I seen their type
A bunch of buttwipes that rule
Don’t make sense, it’s really strange, I lose
Though I try, there’s no sense giving up, I lose
I walk the second mile, there’s no one there, I lose
I pick up the pieces of my broken dream, I lose
Everyone had their fun, I lose
Yet she was a one of them from the beginning
How am I to carry on, there’s no help given
Then I realize it’s all reoccurrence
What they’re thinking, their mind is a blur
I seen the future, and I ain’t even there, I lose
I see it all, and it’s really, the same old thing, I lose
They think they’re smart, all huddled together, I lose
One more time, I try to make it, I lose
I lose, I lose
Tell me about it, darlin’, now
Rulo Mileg
She invited me to a pity party
Every hour everyone was making fun of me
I told her it really didn’t matter
You can’t imagine what it’s done to my personality
I don’t know where she should go, but I lose
Though I tried, like a lullaby, I lose
Once I saw her in a crazy dream
She was laughing, I looked the other way
Then I find that she unwinds, she puts me down behind my back
Everyone seems to have a love but me, it’s what I lack
I’ve been denied the hurt inside, I lose
Though she was barely a friend of mine, I lose
I got left out of the “in” crowd
They speak as if I was there
They say the cruelest things, I seen their type
A bunch of buttwipes that rule
Don’t make sense, it’s really strange, I lose
Though I try, there’s no sense giving up, I lose
I walk the second mile, there’s no one there, I lose
I pick up the pieces of my broken dream, I lose
Everyone had their fun, I lose
Yet she was a one of them from the beginning
How am I to carry on, there’s no help given
Then I realize it’s all reoccurrence
What they’re thinking, their mind is a blur
I seen the future, and I ain’t even there, I lose
I see it all, and it’s really, the same old thing, I lose
They think they’re smart, all huddled together, I lose
One more time, I try to make it, I lose
I lose, I lose
Tell me about it, darlin’, now
Greg Kozak
This guy is astounding. Why don't more people know about him? I stand in awe at his creativity, his originality, his insight, and his understanding of life. Superb!
Dddd dd
Greg Kozak Kurt cobain loved him, flea and red hot chili peppers know him, beck covered his songs, wilco a bunch of other in my opinion inferior acts, I love beck but he is one of the only one who's covered his songs I like, I still think Daniel johnstons better. Tom waits did a cover, Pearl Jam. I know what you mean, he should be as famous as beck or Pearl Jam, but at least he got recognition from many great musicians and even not so great. Plus he has a great fan base of nice people, sadly he's not doing well at the moment but hopefully he'll pull through
frankenschline1
I really liked Built to Spills cover of Somethings last a long time. although sometimes you can never be better than the original.
Rulo Mileg
Ella me invitó a una fiesta de lástima
Cada hora todos se burlaban de mí
Le dije que realmente no importaba
No te puedes imaginar lo que se hace con mi personalidad
No sé a dónde debería ir, pero pierdo
Aunque lo intenté, como una canción de cuna, pierdo
Una vez que la vi en un sueño loco
Ella se estaba riendo, miré hacia otro lado
Luego descubro que ella se relaja, me pone detrás de mi espalda
Todos parecen tener un amor pero yo, es lo que me falta
Me han negado el dolor por dentro, pierdo
Aunque ella apenas era una amiga mía, pierdo
Me quedé fuera de la multitud "en"
Hablan como si estuviera allí
Dicen las cosas más crueles, he visto su tipo
Un montón de buttwipes que dominan
No tiene sentido, es realmente extraño, pierdo
Aunque lo intento, no tiene sentido darse por vencido, pierdo
Camino la segunda milla, no hay nadie allí, pierdo
Recojo las piezas de mi sueño roto, pierdo
Todo el mundo se divirtió, pierdo
Sin embargo, ella era una de ellas desde el principio
Cómo voy a continuar, no hay ayuda dada
Entonces me doy cuenta de que todo vuelve a ocurrir
Lo que están pensando, su mente es un borrón
Vi el futuro, y ni siquiera estoy allí, pierdo
Lo veo todo, y es realmente, lo mismo de siempre, pierdo
Ellos piensan que son inteligentes, todos amontonados, pierdo
Una vez más, intento hacerlo, pierdo
Pierdo, pierdo
Cuéntame sobre eso, cariño, ahora
pacingBlue
Wow...There's so much pure sincerity in there, it overshadows the apparent pain, and what's left is mostly dignity. That's what this song makes me feel. A very talented artist, I think I understand why he is mentally deranged - he believes a little too strongly in his feelings, and forgets to come back from there to put some logic. Listen to "speeding motorcycle", he says it clearly.
DESHUESADERO
LYRICS
She invited me to a pity party
Every hour everyone was making fun of me
I told her it really didn’t matter
You can’t imagine what it’s done to my personality
I don’t know where she should go, but I lose
Though I tried, like a lullaby, I lose
Once I saw her in a crazy dream
She was laughing, I looked the other way
Then I find that she unwinds, she puts me down behind my back
Everyone seems to have a love but me, it’s what I lack
I’ve been denied the hurt inside, I lose
Though she was barely a friend of mine, I lose
I got left out of the “in” crowd
They speak as if I was there
They say the cruelest things, I seen their type
A bunch of buttwipes that rule
Don’t make sense, it’s really strange, I lose
Though I try, there’s no sense giving up, I lose
I walk the second mile, there’s no one there, I lose
I pick up the pieces of my broken dream, I lose
Everyone had their fun, I lose
Yet she was a one of them from the beginning
How am I to carry on, there’s no help given
Then I realize it’s all reoccurrence
What they’re thinking, their mind is a blur
I seen the future, and I ain’t even there, I lose
I see it all, and it’s really, the same old thing, I lose
They think they’re smart, all huddled together, I lose
One more time, I try to make it, I lose
I lose, I lose
Tell me about it, darlin’, now
pat moore
Love it
dairylandbogurt
I'm yet to have found a bad song by this magical man :)
FuzzRi kittychan
i love this guy so much, i'll get a tattoo of him
Bucc
did you do it?