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
My Own Way
Jandek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To see what's outside
I don't need to be out there
The walls and the stairs
And the thoughts that I have
Memories of you
I pray to God before I stare at the air
And things around
Pulled through life's little things
Making sure I stay alive so I can talk to you
In my own way
I've got a continence
And I give it to you
What else does the time mean
It's established in the corner
I keep it there
Where it waiting, everlasting leans
The suspension is blighting
You don't weigh much at all
I can fly with you
There's not a secret to it
There's nothing to be
The structure that you live in
And it's captured in its galaxy
And I willfully oblige you
I want to do that
There's no need to compromise
Other things pass to end
Well let it be a slow death
On the road to liberty
I stopped to get off a vehicle
And found myself alone
But you kept me company
Oh, these days it's a maze ablaze
And the frightful praise
Of the moving pictures and bodies
I found a place to be with you
In Jandek's song "My Own Way," the singer expresses his desire to stay inside, away from the outside world and just be with his thoughts and memories of someone he cares for deeply. He uses a metaphor of a window to say that he doesn't need to physically be outside to know what's happening, as his thoughts and emotions are enough. He mentions how he prays to God and finds comfort in the memories of the person he cares about, and how their presence keeps him going and helps him stay alive. He also talks about giving his contenance to them, which can be interpreted as a symbol of his trust or loyalty.
The singer acknowledges that his relationship with this person might not be the norm, but he is willing to oblige them and be with them in his own way. He talks about how their structure and galaxy are captured in the place they live in and how he wants to be there with them. He mentions how there's no need to compromise and how he'll let other things pass to find his own freedom. Towards the end of the song, he talks about how he found himself alone, but the person he cares about kept him company, and how he has found a place to be with them.
Overall, "My Own Way" is a deeply introspective and personal song that touches upon themes of love, loyalty, and personal freedom. The singer finds comfort in their thoughts and memories of someone they care about deeply and is willing to be with them in his own way.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't need a window
I don't need an actual window to see what's happening outside, because I can see it through my thoughts.
To see what's outside
I can see what's happening outside through my thoughts and memories.
I don't need to be out there
I don't want to physically be outside, because I can experience it in my mind.
The walls and the stairs
The walls and stairs are part of my environment and my thoughts.
And the thoughts that I have
My thoughts are important to me and they influence my experiences.
Memories of you
I have memories of someone special that I cherish.
I pray to God before I stare at the air
I like to take a moment to appreciate my surroundings and give thanks to God for my life.
And things around
The things around me are important and impact my life and my thoughts.
The place you made for me
There is a special place that was created for me by someone important.
Pulled through life's little things
I have been helped through life's small struggles by someone special.
Making sure I stay alive so I can talk to you
This person has played an important role in my life and I am grateful that they are still alive so I can talk to them.
In my own way
I am unique and I express myself in my own individual way.
I've got a continence
I have self-control and restraint.
And I give it to you
I am sharing this aspect of myself with someone special.
What else does the time mean
Time is fleeting and I wonder what it truly means or if it really matters.
It's established in the corner
Time is present in all corners of our lives, even when we don't realize it.
I keep it there
I acknowledge the presence of time and its importance in my life.
Where it waiting, everlasting leans
Time is always waiting, and it is an eternal and unchanging force.
The suspension is blighting
The uncertainty and unpredictability of life can be frustrating and overwhelming.
You don't weigh much at all
Someone special in my life does not have a heavy burden on me.
I can fly with you
Being with this person makes me feel free and unencumbered.
There's not a secret to it
There is nothing hidden or unexplained about the happiness or freedom I experience with this person.
There's nothing to be
I don't need to be anything other than myself in the presence of this person.
The structure that you live in
The environment someone special lives in is important to me and influences my experiences with them.
And it's captured in its galaxy
My experiences with this person are part of a larger and important context.
And I willfully oblige you
I am happy and willing to do things for this person because they are special to me.
I want to do that
I want to show this person that they are important to me through my actions.
There's no need to compromise
I don't need to change or hide my true self in the presence of this person because they accept me for who I am.
Other things pass to end
Other things in life may come and go, but the connection I have with this person is enduring.
Well let it be a slow death
Even if this connection fades over time, I am willing to let it happen naturally and gradually.
On the road to liberty
This gradual letting go is a part of my journey towards freedom and independence.
I stopped to get off a vehicle
I took a break in my journey to reevaluate where I am going and what is important to me.
And found myself alone
This reflection led me to realize that I am ultimately responsible for my own journey and happiness.
But you kept me company
Even though I am responsible for my own journey, the memory and experiences of this special person keep me motivated and company in my journey.
Oh, these days it's a maze ablaze
Life is chaotic and confusing right now.
And the frightful praise
Despite all this chaos and confusion, some people still glorify and praise these negative aspects of life.
Of the moving pictures and bodies
People are distracted by superficial and fleeting things, like social media or other people's appearances.
I found a place to be with you
Despite all this chaos, I remember the special time and place I shared with this important person, and that gives me hope and peace.
Contributed by Lillian O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Vick
At first I thought this would be a mildly atonal jandek record, but then I find these funny rock songs like Sadie and then simply beautiful songs like I'll Sit Alone And Think A Lot About You and I'm Ready. Thanks for uploading, please upload more.
David Ames
I'm Ready should have been a hit!
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Jandek boss
lynn norris
thank you thank you thank you!
horubee
god bless you
Jc Boy
Yoko ono shouldve married jandek. And they wouldve made the worst music of all time.
Its not its so bad its good (like how some music people would like to say of his music). Its just its so bad, its so bad.
But jandek doesnt care. Because all the tone deaf pips gave him props for creating shizzy music all.his life. Art my ash.
James Guillory, The Irascible Humanslayer
Your pretentious arrogance is palpable. I don’t like Yoko Ono, but to say that Jandek and her are virtually the same is the height of silliness. First off, this genre is known as “outsider music.” It’s music done by those who break the rules of music not as a way of rebelling or pretentiously making a statement, but because they’re not aware of the rules. Usually due to mental illness. Listen to Daniel Johnson or Wesley Willis. To me, this music is the blues in its purest form. A dissolute amalgam of loneliness, creeping madness, longing, major depression and abandonment. It’s the music of a total stranger; Desperate, moody, maybe even murderous. No one knows who Jandek really even is. His past, his family, his, well, anything. He truly is a mystery, and the dissonant music he makes profoundly amplifies that.
As for your little insulting jab at the fans, it’s incredibly callow and pathetic to try and stir drama just because people enjoy music that you personally dislike. You look like you’re in your 50’s or something, and yet you act and type like a 12 year old. Grow up.
Jc Boy
@jayde and you throw insults like an 8 year old. Guess we're even.
MC NOISEMAKER
you should watch "jandek on corwood," it's a documentary about him on youtube. there's basically next to nothing known about him but even if you don't like his music, his whole mystique and presentation is really interesting
Jc Boy
@David Ames thank you for the reco. It was good.