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
sailors
Jandek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They leave someplace
They'll come again
And if you're there
You might see them
Carefree as the summer wind
Way up high
Up in that cloud
The lyrics to Jandek's song "Sailors" evoke the image of sailors who spend their lives sailing the seas. The first line establishes the theme and sets the mood for the rest of the song. The second line clarifies that the sailors, although they leave, always come back. The third line, "And if you're there, you might see them," creates an almost nostalgic tone as if to say that seeing the sailors would be a special moment. The fourth line compares the sailors to the carefree summer wind, implying that they enjoy their lives despite the dangers of their profession.
The last two lines of the song contain the most enigmatic language, "Way up high/Up in that cloud/The seaway of the sky." The imagery is striking, and it is unclear whether Jandek is referring to the sailors or the sky. The suggestion of a "seaway of the sky" provokes a sense of mystery and intrigue. Overall, "Sailors" is a haunting and contemplative song that leaves much open to interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
Sailors sail the seas on end
Adventurous seafarers traverse vast oceans without end
They leave someplace
They depart from one location in search of another
They'll come again
They will return to their starting point eventually
And if you're there
If you happen to be nearby when they arrive
You might see them
You may catch a glimpse of these wanderers
Carefree as the summer wind
They are unburdened and lighthearted like a warm breeze
Way up high
Elevated to great heights
Up in that cloud
Amongst the billowy formations in the sky
The seaway of the sky
The oceanic paths that only birds and planes can take
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind