When Jackson Frank was eleven years old, a furnace exploded at his school, sending a ball of flames down corridors until it ended up in Frank's music classroom in the Cleveland Hill Elementary School in Cheektowaga, New York. The fire killed fifteen of his fellow students and burned Frank over more than half his body.[1] It was during his time in the hospital that he was first introduced to playing music, when a teacher, Charlie Castelli, brought in an acoustic guitar to keep Frank occupied during his recovery. When he was 21, he was awarded an insurance cheque of $110,500 for his injuries, giving him enough to "catch a boat to England."
His eponymous 1965 album, Jackson C. Frank, was produced by Paul Simon while the two of them were also playing folk clubs in England. Frank was so shy during the recording that he asked to be shielded by screens so that Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, and Al Stewart (who also attended the recording) could not see him, claiming "I can't play. You're looking at me." The most famous track, "Blues Run the Game", was covered by Simon and Garfunkel, and later by Wizz Jones, Counting Crows, Colin Meloy, Bert Jansch, Laura Marling, and Robin Pecknold (White Antelope), while Nick Drake also recorded it privately. Another song, "Milk and Honey", appeared in Vincent Gallo's film The Brown Bunny, and was also covered by Fairport Convention, Nick Drake, and Sandy Denny, whom he dated for a while. During their relationship, Jackson convinced Sandy to give up nursing (then her profession) and concentrate on music full-time.
Although Frank was well received in England for a while, in 1966 things took a turn for the worse as his mental health began to unravel. At the same time he began to experience writer's block. His insurance payment was running out so he decided to go back to the United States for two years. When he returned to England in 1968 he was deemed a different person. His depression, stemming from the childhood trauma of the classroom fire, had increased and he had no self-confidence. Al Stewart recalled that: "He [Frank] proceeded to fall apart before our very eyes. His style that everyone loved was melancholy, very tuneful things. He started doing things that were completely impenetrable. They were basically about psychological angst, played at full volume with lots of thrashing. I don't remember a single word of them, it just did not work. There was one review that said he belonged on a psychologist's couch. Then shortly after that, he hightailed it back to Woodstock again, because he wasn't getting any work."
While in Woodstock, he married Elaine Sedgwick, an English former fashion model. They had a son and later a daughter, Angeline. After his son died of Cystic Fibrosis, Frank went into a period of great depression and was ultimately committed to an institution. By the early 1970s Frank began to beg aid from friends. Karl Dallas wrote an enthusiastic piece in 1975 in Melody Maker, and in 1978, his 1965 album was re-released as Jackson Frank Again, with a new cover sleeve, although this did not encourage fresh awareness of Frank.
In 1984, Frank took a trip to New York City in a desperate bid to locate Paul Simon, but he ended up sleeping on the sidewalk. His mother, who had been in hospital for open heart surgery, found him gone with no forwarding address when she arrived home. He was living on the street and was frequently admitted and discharged from various institutions. He was treated for paranoid schizophrenia, a diagnosis that was refuted by Frank himself as he had always claimed that he actually had depression caused by the trauma he had experienced as a child.
Just as Frank’s prospects seemed to be at their worst, a fan from the area around Woodstock, Jim Abbott, discovered him in the early 1990s. Abbott had been discussing music with Mark Anderson, a teacher at the local college he was attending. The conversation had turned to folk music, which they both enjoyed, when Abbott asked the teacher if he had heard of Frank. He recollected: "I hadn’t even thought about it for a couple of years, and he goes, ‘Well yes, as a matter of fact, I just got a letter from him. Do you feel like helping a down-on-his-luck folk singer?"
Frank, who had known Anderson from their days at Gettysburg College, had decided to write him to ask if there was anywhere in Woodstock he could stay after he had made up his mind to leave New York City. Abbott phoned Frank, and then organized a temporary placement for him at a senior citizens’ home in Woodstock. Abbott was stunned by what he saw when he travelled to New York to visit Frank.
"When I went down I hadn’t seen a picture of him, except for his album cover. Then, he was thin and young. When I went to see him, there was this heavy guy hobbling down the street, and I thought, ‘That can’t possibly be him’...I just stopped and said ‘Jackson?’ and it was him. My impression was, ‘Oh my God’, it was almost like the elephant man or something. He was so unkempt, dishevelled.” A further side effect of the fire was a thyroid malfunction causing him to put on weight. “He had nothing. It was really sad. We went and had lunch and went back to his room. It almost made me cry, because here was a fifty-year-old man, and all he had to his name was a beat-up old suitcase and a broken pair of glasses. I guess his caseworker had given him a $10 guitar, but it wouldn’t stay in tune. It was one of those hot summer days. He tried to play Blues Run The Game for me, but his voice was pretty much shot."
Soon after this, Frank was sitting on a bench in Queens, New York while awaiting a move to Woodstock, when someone shot him in his left eye and consequently blinded him. At first no details were known, but it was later determined that children from the neighborhood were firing a pellet gun indiscriminately at people and Frank happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Abbott then promptly helped him move to Woodstock. During this time, Frank began recording some demos of new songs. Frank’s resurfacing led to the first CD release of his self-titled album. In some pressings, Frank's later songs were included as a bonus disc with the album.
Frank died of pneumonia and cardiac arrest in Great Barrington, Massachusetts on March 3, 1999, at the age of 56.
Though he never achieved fame during his lifetime, his songs have been covered by many well-known artists, including Simon and Garfunkel, Counting Crows, Nick Drake, Sandy Denny, Bert Jansch, Laura Marling, and Robin Pecknold (as White Antelope) of Fleet Foxes. Frank's song "I Want To Be Alone", also known as "Dialogue," appeared on the soundtrack for the film Daft Punk's Electroma. Soulsavers covered "Blues Run the Game" on their single "Revival" (7" vinyl, 30 April 2007). Marianne Faithfull covered Frank's arrangement of a traditional song, "Kimbie" on her 2008 album Easy Come, Easy Go and included the song in the repertoire of her 2009 tour. Erland & The Carnival also covered "My Name Is Carnival," apparently Frank's favourite song. Bert Jansch also covered this song as a gesture to Frank.
Sandy Denny's song, "Next Time Around," contains coded references to Frank, her ex-boyfriend. "Marcy's Song" is played by Patrick, John Hawkes' character, in the 2011 film Martha Marcy May Marlene and "Marlene" plays in the closing credits. Laura Barton's BBC Radio 4 programme "Blues Run the Game", first broadcast 20th November 2012, included interviews with Al Stewart, John Renbourn, Jim Abbott and John Kay as well as archive material of Jackson C. Frank talking and singing.
Here Come the Blues
Jackson C. Frank Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While the days that go by baby like a south bound train
Well its funny thinking you won't ever call my name
Here comes lonely
Here come the blues
Well the words they won't come babe
Well there's nothing new blue lady, that won't get old
Yes the dealer's gone down
And I just better fold
Here comes lonely
Here comes the blues
You know the sun has run down, oh
She's gone out to hide
Yes and I'm out walking
While midnight rides
Just me, the good time Charlie's, and the suicides
Here comes lonely
Here come the blues
While Thursday's dry
Yes and Friday's just the same
Maybe come down blue Monday
I will grab the brakes again
Cause no bottle of pills can kill this pain
Here comes lonely
Here come the blues
Here comes lonely
Here come the blues
The lyrics to Jackson C. Frank's song "Here Come The Blues" depict the feeling of loneliness and despair. The singer in the song is reminiscing about a past relationship where the other person no longer acknowledges them. The first verse describes the passing of time as the days go by like a southbound train. The singer then expresses their sadness and longing for the other person to call their name. This is where we see the first indication of loneliness.
In the second verse, the singer is struggling to articulate their feelings towards the other person. They mention that they feel tongue-tied and unable to express themselves. The singer also mentions the destructive habits they have turned towards in response to their sadness. They acknowledge that they cannot win against the "dealer," meaning they cannot overcome their addiction. This verse emphasizes the emotional turmoil and pain that the singer is enduring.
The final verse continues with the theme of the passage of time. The singer mentions that they are walking around at midnight, accompanied by "good time Charlie's" and "the suicides." This suggests a potentially dangerous environment, one that the singer is willing to put themselves in for the sake of feeling something, even if it's just a fleeting moment of excitement. The final lines acknowledge that no amount of drugs or medication can relieve their pain. The chorus repeats the same phrase ("Here comes lonely, here come the blues") to emphasize the ever-present and looming sadness that the singer is experiencing.
Line by Line Meaning
Monday's shine, yes an' Tuesday's rain
The ups and downs of life are constant, just like the changing weather patterns.
While the days that go by baby like a south bound train
The days seem to pass by quickly and seamlessly, much like a train journeying south.
Well its funny thinking you won't ever call my name
Despite having fond memories of someone, it's strange to think that they might never call out for us again.
Here comes lonely
The feeling of loneliness is rapidly approaching and is about to take over.
Here come the blues
Sorrow and melancholy feelings associated with unrequited love are arising.
Well the words they won't come babe
The artist is struggling to put their emotions into words.
You know my tongue is cold
This struggle may be due to feeling emotionally numb or detached.
Well there's nothing new blue lady, that won't get old
The feeling of sadness and heartache is a recurring emotion that never goes away.
Yes the dealer's gone down
The artist has lost a gambling game, maybe as a metaphor for losing in love or in life.
And I just better fold
Knowing when to quit and bow out gracefully is important, even though it may hurt to do so.
You know the sun has run down, oh
The artist feels like their source of hope or happiness has disappeared.
She's gone out to hide
Whatever was providing happiness or hope is no longer accessible or visible.
Yes and I'm out walking
The artist is alone, trying to find their own way through their emotions.
While midnight rides
This lonely and contemplative walk takes place in the middle of the night.
Just me, the good time Charlie's, and the suicides
The artist feels like they are surrounded by reckless people who are on the verge of giving up on life.
While Thursday's dry
Another day has passed without the artist finding solace or comfort.
Yes and Friday's just the same
The cycle of disappointment and sadness seems to repeat itself every day.
Maybe come down blue Monday
The artist hopes that something will change for the better on the following Monday.
I will grab the brakes again
The artist will try to slow down or stop the overwhelming emotions they are feeling.
Cause no bottle of pills can kill this pain
The artist knows that there is no easy way to escape the pain they feel in their heart.
Contributed by Micah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.