Jandek is American musician Sterling Richard Smith (born 26 October 1945 in… Read Full Bio ↴Jandek is American musician Sterling Richard Smith (born 26 October 1945 in Houston, Texas). Since 1978, he has self-released more than 70 albums of unusual, often emotionally dissolute folk and blues songs.

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

Hilltop Serenade
Jandek Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well your brain is weary and your manner rough
Well OK but that's enough
Crazy lights, crazy fights
Cotton's on the way hey
Walk along sing a song and pray
Mr. Genry on the label
Paint a picture of a fable
On a label a fable Mr. Genry

(repeat)

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Jandek's "Hilltop Serenade" suggest that the singer is someone who is worn out and perhaps struggling with their mental health. It's possible that the "crazy lights, crazy fights" mentioned in the song could refer to hallucinations or delusions. Despite these struggles, the singer seems to find some solace in walking, singing, and praying. The reference to "Mr. Genry on the label" is a bit cryptic, but it's possible that it could be a nod to a record label or a specific album. The repetition of the phrase "on a label, a fable, Mr. Genry" could be interpreted as a way of reflecting on the stories we tell ourselves and how they may not always be rooted in reality.

Overall, "Hilltop Serenade" is a song that touches on themes of mental health, spirituality, and the power of storytelling. The lyrics may be elusive at times, but they offer a glimpse into the mind of someone who is trying to make sense of the world around them.

Line by Line Meaning

Well your brain is weary and your manner rough
Your mind is exhausted and your behavior is unpleasant

Well OK but that's enough
Acceptable, but let's move on

Crazy lights, crazy fights
Unusual events, unusual conflicts

Cotton's on the way hey
The arrival of a new shipment of cotton

Walk along sing a song and pray
Take a walk, sing a hymn, and offer a prayer

Mr. Genry on the label
The name 'Mr. Genry' is printed on the label

Paint a picture of a fable
Create an imaginative representation of a fictional story

On a label a fable Mr. Genry
A tale is depicted on a label and attributed to Mr. Genry

(repeat)
Repetition of the previous line

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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