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.
Without Love
Daniel Johnston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'll hate it if you have none
And your mommy and your daddy didn't give you some
And you're always on the run without love
Love
You'll regret it if you forgot
And you'll be all tied up in knots
If you don't have love
And all your deepest fears
And sorrows through the years
And there'll be no tears
No feelings for anyone
Without love
A mind is completely drained
Saddened by the falling rain
Stuck somewhere in time
And there's nothing there to find
Alone without love
Everyone's gone insane
And everything seems the same
As your life burns like a flame
Without love
You're hiding from each other
Not a word was spoken of it
And you're sinking in the mud and the crud
Without love
You'll never know yourself
And there just ain't no help
And hell for the children of the damned
Love is the sweetest of refrain
It'll wash away your pain
And you'll be able to understand
It's the greatest power in the land
Love will light the way for you
And you'll know just what to do
If you follow through to a better kind of way
If love could find you somehow
You'd be living in the now
And if you thought you loved someone
Then love may come to you
Love could be with you all your life
And you just didn't realize
Till you open up your eyes
And see that love was there all along
Love
It never really ends
And love could be your friend
Remember that love is heaven-sent
And love is for everyone
Amen
The lyrics of Daniel Johnston’s song “Without Love” are a poignant and introspective exploration of the essential nature of love in the human condition. The song reflects on both the negative consequences of lacking love and the transformative power of experiencing it. The first half of the song describes the impact of absence, deprivation, and neglect of love. Johnston poignantly indicates that those who do not receive love may feel alone, drained, and empty. They may struggle to connect with and understand others, as well as themselves, and may fall into states of anxiety, regret, sorrow, and insanity.
In the second half of the song, Johnston provides a more optimistic view of love’s potential to heal and transform. He describes love as a sweet refrain that can wash away pain, light one’s way, and lead to a better way of life. The song implies that love is an essential human need that can give meaning and purpose to one’s existence, and that it is freely available to all. The lyrics conclude with the message that love never really ends, that it can be a constant companion and a source of support and comfort.
The song is a moving statement about the importance of love in our lives and how it can provide comfort, healing, and transformation. It highlights the fundamental human desire for connection and suggests that love is the key to fulfilling that desire. The lyrics provide a thoughtful and profound reflection on the nature of love and the vital role it plays in our emotional and psychological well-being.
Line by Line Meaning
Love
Love, the emotion of affection, warmth and care
You'll hate it if you have none
People who lack love will dislike it, possibly because they feel lonely or unloved.
And your mommy and your daddy didn't give you some
Some people may grow up without receiving love from their parents or family, leaving them devoid of that emotion.
And you're always on the run without love
Without love, a person may feel constantly restless, trying to find something to fill the void.
You'll regret it if you forgot
People who forget the importance of love may later realise its value and feel a sense of regret.
And you'll be all tied up in knots
Not having love can make a person feel anxious, stressed and confused.
If you can't share when there's no one there
When a person is alone and doesn't have love, they can't share their feelings or experiences with anyone, leading to a feeling of isolation.
If you don't have love
Without love, a person is missing out on a significant emotion in life.
And all your deepest fears
Without love, a person may be left to face their deepest fears alone.
And sorrows through the years
Love can help a person overcome their sorrows and difficulties over time.
And there'll be no tears
Without love, there may be no emotional outlet for a person's pain, leading to no tears.
No feelings for anyone
If a person lacks love, they may struggle to empathise or feel for others.
Without love
The importance of love is emphasised again, as the absence of love can lead to many negative consequences.
A mind is completely drained
Without love, a person's mind may lose its vitality, becoming dull and empty.
Saddened by the falling rain
A person without love may feel sadness in simple things, like the sound of falling rain.
Stuck somewhere in time
Without love, a person may feel stuck in their past or unable to move forward in life.
And there's nothing there to find
When a person is lacking love, they may not find any meaning or purpose in their life.
Alone without love
Being alone and without love can amplify the negative effects of not having love in one's life.
Everyone's gone insane
Without the comfort of love, a person may feel like everyone around them is going crazy.
And everything seems the same
Without love, the world may look bleak and monotonous.
As your life burns like a flame
The absence of love can make a person feel like they are burning out, with no one to give them warmth.
You're hiding from each other
When two people lack love, they may find it difficult to connect and open up to each other.
Not a word was spoken of it
Without love, it may feel taboo or strange to acknowledge its absence, leading to a silence on the topic.
And you're sinking in the mud and the crud
The feeling of being stuck or burdened without love is emphasised once again, with a muddy and dirty metaphor.
You'll never know yourself
Love can help a person understand themselves better and find their place in the world.
And there just ain't no help
Without love, a person may feel hopeless and alone with their struggles.
And hell for the children of the damned
The absence of love can feel like a punishment, especially for those who feel cursed or unlucky in life.
Love is the sweetest of refrain
Love is named the sweetest refrain, meaning it's a go-to, evergreen subject for songs, and that it's a beautiful thing.
It'll wash away your pain
Love can help a person heal and move on from their painful experiences.
And you'll be able to understand
Love can foster understanding, empathy and compassion in people.
It's the greatest power in the land
Love is a powerful emotion that can transcend boundaries and bring people together.
Love will light the way for you
Love can offer guidance and direction in life.
And you'll know just what to do
With love, a person may feel more confident and intuitive with their choices and actions.
If you follow through to a better kind of way
Choosing love can lead to a better and more fulfilling life path.
If love could find you somehow
Implying that if someone has not found love yet, maybe happenstance will bring love into their lives.
You'd be living in the now
Love can help a person appreciate and live in the present moment.
And if you thought you loved someone
The idea that someone may feel they love someone, but not realised it until later in life.
Then love may come to you
Still leaves potential for love to arrive in someone's life, even if they haven't found it yet.
Love could be with you all your life
Hinting that love, unlike other emotions, is love is always present but may need to be recognised or earned.
And you just didn't realize
A person may live their entire life surrounded by love, but never realise it or appreciate its presence.
Till you open up your eyes
Love may be concealed and require someone to be aware and accepting enough to recognise its existence.
And see that love was there all along
Love may already be present in someone's life, but they need to understand it and appreciate it.
Love
The song ends with love being repeated, leaving it as a lasting and powerful message.
It never really ends
Love is an eternal and endless emotion that can transcend boundaries and exist beyond time and space.
And love could be your friend
Love can be something to rely on and trust, like a friend.
Remember that love is heaven-sent
Love can feel like a gift or blessing from a higher power, like something celestial or divine.
And love is for everyone
The song concludes with love being a universal and inclusive experience that everyone can and should experience.
Amen
A common ending for prayers, used to offer affirmation and approval to the preceding message.
Contributed by Christian G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Papa Smurf
I really hope that this album ends up coming out. I really like this song especially the instrumental at the end
Mei Clover
Simon Winter several articles I read mentioned disagreements between Brian Beattie, who produced this, and Daniel’s people.
Simon Winter
@Mei Clover Do you know why it's so difficult? Just legal stuff? I was talking to Dick recently and he seemed pretty open to releasing some of his unreleased backlog...
Papa Smurf
@Mei Clover That stinks. Hopefully maybe one day. But I'm really happy that we get to hear the studio version of this song
Mei Clover
Papa Smurf I’m friends with people from Daniel’s circle and unfortunately I can say that it is still up in the air. I don’t know what will happen.
dream_corners !
this song was supposed to be on Daniels 90s scratched off album under the title "If"!