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
Know Thy Self
Jandek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're just somebody in the snow
I don't even know why I think about you
Somehow I just keep seeing you around
Everybody's coming and going
I thought I'd stay for a while
It had to be you threw me out
I didn't know you were so cruel
Hang on silver branches
And now we're all out here
And your eyes find me in the glass
The lyrics to Jandek's song "Know Thy Self" are open to interpretation, and one possible meaning is that the singer is addressing someone who they used to care about or had a relationship with. However, the singer now feels like this person is insignificant to them, and wonders why they still think about them or see them around. The singer seems to be reflecting on their own transient nature and the impermanence of all relationships. They point out that everyone is coming and going, including themselves, and that they only stayed in this particular situation for a short while.
The tone of the song is melancholic and contemplative, with Jandek's signature sparse guitar picking adding to the sense of isolation and detachment. The lyrics suggest a sense of disillusionment with human connection, and possibly a desire for solitude or introspection. The line "Hang on silver branches" could be interpreted as a metaphor for clinging to something (or someone) that is ultimately fragile and impermanent. The final line, "And your eyes find me in the glass," could be a reference to self-reflection or self-awareness, the idea of seeing oneself both metaphorically and literally through the lens of another's gaze.
Line by Line Meaning
You think I got time for you?
Do you think that I have enough time to dedicate to you?
You're just somebody in the snow
To me, you're just another person out in the cold without any relevance to my life
I don't even know why I think about you
I'm unsure why you continue to occupy my thoughts
Somehow I just keep seeing you around
Regardless of the reason, I continuously encounter your presence
Everybody's coming and going
People are constantly entering and leaving my life
I thought I'd stay for a while
Despite the transient nature of individuals, I once thought that I'd remain connected to some for longer durations
It had to be you threw me out
It had to be you who disassociated with me
I didn't know you were so cruel
I was not aware that you could be so harsh
But thanks for all the gifts
Regardless, I still appreciate the past gifts or contributions
Hang on silver branches
It may be necessary to remain patient, allow time to pass, and wait until being ready to move forward again
And now we're all out here
Presently, we're all currently present in this particular space
And your eyes find me in the glass
Despite being in the same location, it's as if we are still disconnected and verify each other's presence through reflections
Contributed by Ruby N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Thee Arcadians
This is so wild to hear without all the reverb and everything! Sounds like an entirely different mix! Might have to fork out for an original someday
Adam Nicholls
This sounds much better than the CD. Any chance you have a copy of the files I could please have, which will undoubtedly sound better than streaming from YouTube?
Sarcofaygo
This is the best we will ever get i think
Knuckle Dragger
sounds way more clear...
and im not sure if thats a good thing or not.
truck loving father
thanks all the other versions of this album dont sound that great
Sarcofaygo
Noise Reduction ruined it
cuthburt
BIG TIME IN THE CIIIIITY