Jandek is American musician Sterling Richard Smith (born 26 October 1945 in… Read Full Bio ↴Jandek is American musician Sterling Richard Smith (born 26 October 1945 in Houston, Texas). Since 1978, he has self-released more than 70 albums of unusual, often emotionally dissolute folk and blues songs.

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

Twenty
Jandek Lyrics

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Just turn the page to twenty-three
Tomorrow be twenty-four
In the morning
A new day
Late at night
It's not the same
It's a mystery
A history

You're gonna live until you die
It makes you shake
It knocks you out
A blinding light
Black as night
Being born
You got no choice
You're gonna live until you die
Fifty-two years old today
Forty-four yesterday
It's all mixed up
Don't make no sense
Just turn the page to twenty-four
There may be a hundred
There been before
You might have been
Somebody else
Your world is shaking
It makes you shake
Might as well go on and shake

Just turn the page to twenty-three
You're gonna live until you die

Overall Meaning

The Jandek song "Twenty-Four" is a reflection on the inevitability of life and death. Beginning with the lines "Just turn the page to twenty-three/Tomorrow be twenty-four," the lyrics emphasize the passage of time and the fact that life is constantly moving forward. The song continues on to describe the mystery and history of life, reflecting on the fact that despite our attempts to plan and control our lives, there is always an element of unpredictability and surprise.

As the song progresses, it becomes apparent that the singer is wrestling with the idea of mortality, particularly in the lines "Being born/You got no choice/You're gonna live until you die." These lyrics suggest that despite our best efforts to control our lives, ultimately we all share the same fate - death. However, the song does not dwell on this fact, instead urging the listener to embrace life and not be afraid to "shake" in the face of its uncertainties.

Overall, "Twenty-Four" is a poignant reflection on the nature of life and death, encouraging the listener to embrace each day as it comes and to live life to the fullest extent possible.

Line by Line Meaning

Just turn the page to twenty-three
Start anew and let go of the past

Tomorrow be twenty-four
Embrace the present and anticipate the future

In the morning
A new dawn and fresh start

A new day
Another opportunity to live life to the fullest

Late at night
A time of reflection and introspection

It's not the same
Change is inevitable and constant

It's a mystery
Life is unpredictable and full of surprises

A history
Your past shapes who you are but does not define you

You're gonna live until you die
Make the most of your life and live with purpose

It makes you shake
The uncertainty of life can be both scary and exciting

It knocks you out
Life can be overwhelming and exhausting