Phoenix
Jandek Lyrics


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Said goodbye, San Francisco
Got to go, Arizona
Said why'd you leave me, Denver
I don't even have a chance

Guess Ohio's got my number
Rhode Island's got my name
Snap, the wood makes you dance
The music's in its chamber

The door is locked and sealed
The weight is on your shoulders
The past is at your heel
Guess the plight is in your fancy

When you rip out though the door
The rest is how you feel
We're not gonna take it out to the farm, lest you leave
The rest is how you make it

Gentle as the sun come up in the mornin'
As the moon goes out this evenin'
Open the shade
The night time's gone away

You'll have my love if you say
I dreamed a fellow took your arm
Led you to his [unknown]
I woke up shattered in the night

Frozen feelings up on their way
A shaking hand in me today




I left the San Francisco Bay
I dreamed a dream that wasn't right

Overall Meaning

The Jandek song "Phoenix" appears to narrate a restless journey through different states and cities of the United States. The singer in the song has left San Francisco and is headed towards Arizona, reminiscing about a lost love in Denver. The movement of the singer seems to suggest a desire for escape or liberation, but this is underscored by a sense of uncertainty and instability. The lyrics mention Ohio and Rhode Island as places that have the singer's "number" and "name" respectively, but beyond these identifiers, the singer feels adrift and unsure of their destination. The music itself, represented by the "snap" of the wood and the locked chamber, suggests a kind of confined energy, waiting to be released.


The second half of the song takes a more introspective turn, with the emphasis shifting towards internal struggles and doubts. The singer describes the weight of the past and the "plight" within their own "fancy" (imagination or desire), with the implication that this is what drives them forward. The lines "The rest is how you feel / We're not gonna take it out to the farm, lest you leave / The rest is how you make it" suggest a sense of agency, but also a lack of clear direction or purpose. The final stanzas introduce the image of the sun coming up and the night giving way to day, which could be interpreted as a symbol of hope or renewal. However, the closing lines ("I dreamed a dream that wasn't right") indicate a continued sense of unease and uncertainty.


Line by Line Meaning

Said goodbye, San Francisco
I bid farewell to San Francisco


Got to go, Arizona
I have to leave for Arizona


Said why'd you leave me, Denver
Denver, why did you abandon me?


I don't even have a chance
I am without any prospects


Guess Ohio's got my number
Perhaps Ohio is my destiny


Rhode Island's got my name
Rhode Island knows my identity


Snap, the wood makes you dance
The wood's rhythm ignites your movement


The music's in its chamber
The melody is contained within


The door is locked and sealed
The entrance is securely shut


The weight is on your shoulders
All the responsibility rests on you


The past is at your heel
Your history follows close behind


Guess the plight is in your fancy
Perhaps the trouble is a product your imagination


When you rip out through the door
Once you burst through the entrance


The rest is how you feel
The outcome is determined by your emotion


We're not gonna take it out to the farm, lest you leave
We won't bring it outside, or you might flee


The rest is how you make it
Your actions determine the outcome


Gentle as the sun come up in the mornin'
Soft and tender, like the sunrise


As the moon goes out this evenin'
As night falls and the moon sets


Open the shade
Lift the curtain


The night time's gone away
The darkness and its perils have passed


You'll have my love if you say
I will love you if you express


I dreamed a fellow took your arm
I imagined a man led you away


Led you to his [unknown]
He took you to a place unknown


I woke up shattered in the night
I suddenly awoke in distress


Frozen feelings up on their way
Emotions are surging inside me


A shaking hand in me today
Today, I have a trembling hand


I left the San Francisco Bay
I departed from San Francisco


I dreamed a dream that wasn't right
I envisioned a nightmare




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAN FOGELBERG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@ceef8688

I think this album features the cool ninja font for the title. Jandek didn't want to let it go so much that the cd reissue has them too, if I recall. I remember saying "whoa-ho-ho" when I looked at it

@kingdozerr

Genius

@eddyrand6952

Patience pays