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
Part II
Jandek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You see something that wasn't there
I'll be the one
I'll be the one
Don't you know I'll be the one
The lyrics to Jandek's "Part II" are somewhat cryptic and open to interpretation. The opening line "Ahh - you wouldn't believe it tastes like candy" suggests a certain pleasure or excitement, but it's unclear what the singer is referring to. It could be drugs, sex, or some other kind of indulgence. The next line "You see something that wasn't there" adds an element of confusion or delusion - perhaps the singer is hallucinating or not perceiving reality accurately. The repeated refrain "I'll be the one" suggests a sense of determination or confidence, as if the singer is asserting their own agency and control over a situation. However, it's hard to say exactly what that situation is, or what it entails.
Throughout the song, the lyrics remain vague and impressionistic, leaving much to the listener's interpretation. The combination of abstract language and repetitive phrases creates a hypnotic, dreamlike quality that draws the listener in but resists easy understanding. Ultimately, the song feels like a snapshot of a moment or feeling, rather than a narrative with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Line by Line Meaning
Ahh – you wouldn't believe it tastes like candy
This is so pleasant, it's like having something sweet like candy and you won't even believe it.
You see something that wasn't there
You're imagining things, what you're seeing or thinking about wasn't even there in the first place.
I'll be the one
I will be the one to take charge, the one who will lead and make things happen.
I'll be the one
Whatever is needed or expected, I will be the person to fulfill that role or responsibility.
Don't you know I'll be the one
Do not doubt my capabilities, I am fully capable of handling whatever task or challenge lies ahead.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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