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
Phoenix
Jandek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 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
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
@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