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
They Told Me I Was a Fool
Jandek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But your mouth is so large
I think I see a hundred people in it
I guess you like it that way
Because you're a flop
And there ain't no more wringer washers
To roll your fingers through
I see your insides aren't the same since 1951
I saw your face all cut with glass
And underneath the window
The hands you dug your grave with
You could have built an empire
He would have helped you now you know
You're going to fetch the wind
On a unicorn
Feet all dangling down
Wish them well at the marketplace
I fear a fiery face
Is staring from the future
It's not the way
They told me I was a fool
Well it's your friend and mine
And ???
The sky is black in a blue night
The winter is true or so it may seem
Carnival tricks in the corners
The floor is made of tracks
That follow your footsteps
The lyrics of Jandek's song "They Told Me I Was a Fool" are complex and open-ended, making it difficult to determine a single, definitive interpretation. At the surface level, the lyrics describe a person who is failing to achieve success despite his or her "fancy instincts." The singer suggests that this person's failure is due to their oversized mouth and an inability to adapt to changing times. The image of wringer washers and the reference to the year 1951 imply that the person is stuck in the past and unable to keep up with the modern world.
The lyrics take on a surreal quality in the later verses, with the suggestion of the person dying inside a window and the image of feet dangling from a unicorn. The singer also mentions a "fiery face" staring from the future, implying some kind of impending doom or judgment. The final image of carnival tricks and footsteps following the tracks on the floor adds further layers of ambiguity to the lyrics.
In many ways, Jandek's lyrics are like enigmatic puzzles that invite multiple interpretations. It is possible to read "They Told Me I Was a Fool" as a commentary on the struggle to adapt to changing times and cultural trends, or as a more abstract exploration of identity, power, and mortality.
Line by Line Meaning
You got real fancy instincts
You possess fancy instincts.
But your mouth is so large
However, you talk a lot more than you should.
I think I see a hundred people in it
When you speak, it sounds like there are too many voices inside your head.
I guess you like it that way
But I assume this pleases you somehow.
Because you're a flop
Because in reality, you're not as successful as you wish you were.
And there ain't no more wringer washers
Your previous way of doing things no longer works anymore.
To roll your fingers through
And you can't rely on the past to comfort you anymore.
I see your insides aren't the same since 1951
Your inner being has been altered since this significant life event in 1951.
You're dying inside a window
It seems like you are slowly wasting away while trapped in a small space.
I saw your face all cut with glass
I witnessed how the glass window has hurt your face and bruised you emotionally.
And underneath the window
At the bottom of this window, I observed
The hands you dug your grave with
The tools and weapons you've used will eventually lead to your downfall.
You could have built an empire
You had the potential to create something great and powerful.
He would have helped you now you know
If only you had accepted his assistance, you wouldn't be in this terrible position.
You're going to fetch the wind
You're chasing an impossible task.
On a unicorn
You're pursuing something that doesn't exist, like enjoying a fairytale ride upon a unicorn.
Feet all dangling down
While you're engaged in your delusions, you're ignoring reality and neglecting to measure the possible consequences.
Wish them well at the marketplace
As you go out into the world, I hope you have good fortune.
I fear a fiery face
However, I'm concerned that you're going to confront someone who's going to bring you agitated emotions.
Is staring from the future
Your future prospects look fearful.
It's not the way
This is not how it's supposed to be.
They told me I was a fool
People used to say that I was foolish, but
Well it's your friend and mine
Now, you have become just like me.
And ???
What follows is unknown or unclear.
The sky is black in a blue night
Sometimes, the world looks gloomy and dark even when it should be peaceful and serene.
The winter is true or so it may seem
During cold, harsh winters that feel hopeless, the truth can be ambiguous.
Carnival tricks in the corners
Your life is beginning to look like a chaotic carnival.
The floor is made of tracks
It feels like you're stuck in a pattern that keeps repeating itself.
That follow your footsteps
And you're finding it hard to break away from this cycle.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
thesunthesundried
i don't know why , but I think this is a special song
Virgo Sagittarius
You got real fancy instincts
But your mouth is so large
I think I see a hundred people in it
I guess you like it that way
Because you're a flop
And there ain't no more wringer washers
To roll your fingers through
I see your insides aren't the same since 1951
You're dying inside a window
I saw your face all cut with glass
And underneath the window
The hands you dug your grave with
You could have built an empire
He would have helped you now you know
You're going to fetch the wind
On a unicorn
Feet all dangling down
Wish them well at the marketplace
I fear a fiery face
Is staring from the future
It's not the way
They told me I was a fool
Well it's your friend and mine
And ???
The sky is black in a blue night
The winter is true or so it may seem
Carnival tricks in the corners
The floor is made of tracks
That follow your footsteps
Stalemar OfficialChannel
Congrats! You've been added to the infamous playlist 'Things That Sound Like Stalemar'
rowlffffff
70 albums?!? Is there a box set?
Jack Obora
Kind of like a ransom note set to music.