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
Today
Jandek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
???
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McCain
McCain was my name
God is now alive in the world today
God it?s so hard
God is still alive
Jandek's song "Today" is a haunting exploration of spirituality and identity. The opening lyrics of "Good night" create a sense of closure, as if the singer is bidding farewell to something important. The lines "McCain / McCain was my name" suggest that the singer is grappling with their own sense of self, perhaps questioning their identity or struggling to come to terms with their past.
The repeated refrain "God is now alive in the world today" suggests that the singer is grappling with questions of faith and spirituality. The following line, "God it's so hard," could be interpreted as a cry of frustration or despair, highlighting the difficulties that the singer is facing in their spiritual journey. However, the repeated assertion that "God is still alive" suggests that the singer has not given up hope entirely.
Overall, "Today" is a complex exploration of identity, spirituality, and the difficulties of grappling with these concepts. The repetition of certain lines and phrases serves to highlight the emotional weight of these themes, giving the song a haunting, almost hypnotic quality.
Line by Line Meaning
Good night [3x]
The day is ending and it is time for rest
???
The singer is unsure or hesitant in their thoughts or feelings
???
There is no clear message or intention conveyed in this line
McCain
The artist references the former US Senator and presidential candidate John McCain
McCain was my name
The artist identifies with or relates to John McCain in some way
God is now alive in the world today
The singer believes that a positive force or presence, specifically God, is currently active and present in the world
God it?s so hard
The singer struggles with their belief or understanding of God, finding it difficult to reconcile with their experiences or worldview
God is still alive
The artist affirms their belief in the continued existence of God
God is now alive in the world today
The artist restates their belief in the presence of God in the current moment
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Randy Sparks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind