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.
Love of My Life
Daniel Johnston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I didn't know what I would find there
Another road where maybe I
Could see another kind of mind there
Ooh, then I suddenly see you
Ooh, did I tell you I need you
Every single day of my life
And had you gone, you knew in time
We'd meet again for I had told you
Ooh, you were meant to be near me
Ooh, and I want you to hear me
Say we'll be together every day
Got to get you into my life
What can I do, what can I be
When I'm with you I want to stay there
If I'm true I'll never leave
And if I do I know the way there
Ooh, then I suddenly see you
Ooh, did I tell you I need you
Every single day of my life
Got to get you into my life
I was alone, I took a ride
I didn't know what I would find there
Another road where maybe I
Could see another kind of mind there
Ooh, then I suddenly see you
Ooh, did I tell you I need you
Every single day
The lyrics to Daniel Johnston's song "Love of My Life" depict a sense of longing and desperation for a romantic connection. The singer begins feeling alone and uncertain but embarks on a metaphorical journey, hoping to discover something new and different. And then, they suddenly encounter someone who captivates their heart and becomes essential to their existence. The lyrics express the singer's deep need for this person, emphasizing that they want to be together every single day and that they can't imagine their life without them.
The song speaks to the universal experience of seeking love and companionship. It explores the feeling of vulnerability and the immense joy that accompanies finding that special someone. The repetition of the lines "Ooh, then I suddenly see you" and "Ooh, did I tell you I need you" emphasizes the intensity and urgency of the singer's emotions. It highlights the profound impact that this person has had on their life and the sheer happiness they feel in their presence.
Line by Line Meaning
I was alone, I took a ride
In a state of solitude, I ventured out on a journey
I didn't know what I would find there
Unaware of what awaited me
Another road where maybe I
An alternate path where perhaps I
Could see another kind of mind there
Could encounter a different state of consciousness
Ooh, then I suddenly see you
Oh, then I unexpectedly perceive your presence
Ooh, did I tell you I need you
Oh, have I expressed my reliance on you?
Every single day of my life
Each and every day of existence
You didn't run, you didn't hide
You did not flee, you did not conceal
And had you gone, you knew in time
And if you had departed, you understood that eventually
We'd meet again for I had told you
We would reunite because I had informed you
Ooh, you were meant to be near me
Oh, you were destined to stay close to me
Ooh, and I want you to hear me
Oh, and I desire for you to listen to me
Say we'll be together every day
Declare that we will remain together each day
Got to get you into my life
Must bring you into my existence
What can I do, what can I be
What actions can I take, what person can I become
When I'm with you I want to stay there
When I'm in your presence, I yearn to remain
If I'm true I'll never leave
If I'm loyal, I will never depart
And if I do I know the way there
And if I do, I know how to find my way back
Ooh, then I suddenly see you
Oh, then I unexpectedly perceive your presence
Ooh, did I tell you I need you
Oh, have I expressed my reliance on you?
Every single day of my life
Each and every day of existence
Got to get you into my life
Must bring you into my existence
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind