Jandek plays a very strange and frequently atonal form of folk and blues music, often using an open and unconventional chord structure. Jandek's music is unique, but his lyrics closely mirror the country blues and folk traditions of Eastern Texas.
Barely a handful of people claim to have contacted Jandek, whose steadfastness in anonymity is legendary. Without any conventional attempts at promotion, he releases albums through his own record label Corwood Industries, which is addressed at a Houston post office box. Fans can write to Corwood for a typewritten catalogue and order Jandek’s albums, usually at inexpensive prices. Jandek’s work has been available on vinyl and on compact discs. Many of his albums feature pictures of the same young man (seen above) at various ages; in light of Jandek's live performances it is almost entirely certain that the person featured on the album covers is Jandek himself.
Jandek’s first album, Ready for the House (1978), was first accredited to a band called “The Units” but it was obviously a solo work. Jandek presumably plays acoustic guitar and has recorded much of his work apparently unaccompanied (assuming that the person singing is also the person playing guitar). However many other songs feature female vocals and/or different male vocalists. Others feature bass guitar, electric guitar and/or drums, presumably played by collaborators. No proper credits list has ever appeared on an album, but song titles have included "Nancy Sings" and "John Plays Drums".
Some of Jandek’s allure stems from his small but devoted fan base which has included Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore, Kurt Cobain, Indian Jewelry, and K Records founder Calvin Johnson.
The mystery of Jandek's identity was partially resolved in October 2004 when Jandek performed live in Scotland, at the Instal 04 music festival in Glasgow. This was Jandek's first known live appearance and performed with Richard Youngs (bass) and Alex Neilson (drums). The man on stage was obviously the same man who appears on the album covers. Corwood stipulated that the performance was not publicized in advance. Since then, "The Representative of Corwood Industries" (as Jandek sometimes insists on being called) has played a lot of concerts and recorded all of them for future releases. The last years have seen an even higher release frequency, even for Jandek.
For more information, you may go here:
www.tisue.net/jandek
www.jandekoncorwood.com
Can I See Your Clock
Jandek Lyrics
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The piper in his high cloud sang to me
Listen, oh my brother, it's time to rise
Thunder in the heavens of the sky
Free free, what I do is me
What you do is you, what you do is you
Have I, I have not (?)
It's playin' on a phonograph
Riding on the waves that fall
And rise to reach the sun and you
You're living in a moon so blue
In Jandek's song "Can I See Your Clock," the lyrics describe a piper in his high cloud singing to the singer in the morning. The piper urges the singer to rise and listen to the thunder in the sky. The lyrics then turn to a discussion of individuality and existence, with the lines "Free free, what I do is me / What you do is you, what you do is you / Have I, I have not (?) / It's playin' on a phonograph." The singer seems to be contemplating their existence and what it means to be alive. The song ends with a reference to living in a "moon so blue."
The lyrics of "Can I See Your Clock" are open to interpretation, but there are a few themes that stand out. The idea of rising and listening to the world around you suggests a sense of awakening or awareness. The lines about individuality and existence seem to be contemplating the meaning or purpose of life. The mention of a "moon so blue" could be a reference to sadness or melancholy, or it could be a metaphor for something else entirely.
Line by Line Meaning
Now this one from the morning came to me
A new idea or inspiration came to me early in the day.
The piper in his high cloud sang to me
An imaginary or spiritual figure spoke to me.
Listen, oh my brother, it's time to rise
I am urging you to wake up and take action.
Thunder in the heavens of the sky
There is a powerful force or change brewing above us.
Free free, what I do is me
I am expressing my individuality and freedom.
What you do is you, what you do is you
You have your own identity and choices to make.
Have I, I have not (?)
I am uncertain whether I possess something or not.
It's playin' on a phonograph
I am hearing a recording or an old-fashioned sound.
Now listen gently to the call
Pay attention to the message and be receptive.
Riding on the waves that fall
I am going with the flow of ups and downs in life.
And rise to reach the sun and you
I aspire to reach for the highest potential in myself and others.
You're living in a moon so blue
You may be in a melancholic or introspective state of mind.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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