If you think about it long enough no one really dies because as long as we feel their presence within us they live on forever Daniel is never truly dead he simply lives on within us all
He’s such a genius man - he’s directing saying “when you make a joke make it serious that’s what I mean by a joke” he understands comedy as well as rock and roll. What a legend man
He was a big Jerry Lewis fan. He saw him at Astroworld - hosting the big telethon - and was disappointed to discover he was a fat, mean man, yelling at people from his golf cart.
Often singers will pitch slightly higher during a melody for certain effects and emphasis. You see this a lot in opera because the live orchestra is naturally ever entirely in tune with itself at any give time. But Daniel Johnston is the ONLY signer who I have ever hear use singing FLAT as part of melodic technique. Here, it's right the opening line: "WHEN I saw you staring there // WAS the start of my hard times." The effect this, thus, that he's being "dragged down" in those "hard times." // One of his most amazing usage of flat sining is in his song "I'm a Loner." I write this commentary in 2024 where this upload has received 750 thousand views in 11 years. That's pretty low for 11 years, and I can think of other bands today (Beach House, Wise Blood) who's exceptionally raw, original music only exists on the cusp of the media's eye. Yet, they don't care. They know that is the cult that will survive! What else WOULD be The Spirit? I am a music synesthete who see's a color shape for each note, and I have begun to finally document my work after many years of running away from myself and extreme child abuse by a Narcissistic mother and enabling father. I am happy to use extra-authentic artists like Daniel Johnston for many of my examples of what I call Pitch Psychology, and why composers choose specific keys. My greatest fear is that I would not have documented enough and that my discoveries would be lost. I think of my hard life, and then I think Daniel's life having been so difficult, so scattered and unpredictable. And often self-destructive. We are lucky to have this footage of he and his band. I am inspired BY Daniel not just because of the startlingly original songwriting any lyrics, but because he was able to persevere, even despite time, fate, and his own inner-demons. He always remained true to his vision, and treated and presented his work lovingly. God bess the fans! And God Bless you, Mr. Daniel Johnston! - _The Acoustic Rabbit Hole_
It is an interesting theory, and I've been pondering over it off and on for several days. Since then, I've heard 2 examples of professional singers doing something like that: Mark Lindsay on "Cherokee People" and Stevie Wonder on "Superstition."That said, it might be of interest that this version was the 3rd take. Take 2 was sung almost entirely in that flat, wimpy nasal whine. Personally, I don't think it was intentional. I think he was still warming up; it was still early afternoon, and DJ was a nocturnal animal. After I left they went on to record "Worried Shoes". These songs were intended as demos, not final versions, but his story would soon take a different turn.
It is on an EP called "Big Big World" released in early 90's, European release only. The audio on this video comes straight from the camera mike. The EP is from that 4-track cassette machine you see in the video.
I had a magical introduction to Daniel back in the 80's (I lived in Houston). I had read about him from an article in SPIN magazine. Likely one of the first mentions of him in a national publication. This story fascinated me. Bypassing the traditional music merry-go-round by just handing out cassettes to any and everyone. This was the most brilliant thing I had ever heard and made me rethink my own (visual) art and exposure. - - Anyhoos, about a year later I am living in San Diego and popped into a Tower Records store, and as usual I dug through the cut-out bin for interesting $1 cassettes. There I found one of Daniels' home-grown, hand-decorated cassettes, "More Songs of Pain". I nabbed it and thus began my adventures into manic magic. A few years even later, I found myself living in Houston again when I discovered that he lived less than 20 miles (down the highway in Waller TX) from where I lived. After a little more spelunking I found his address and drove out there one day. I wasn't going to knock on his door or anything but if I saw him outside, I would stop and say hello. He wasn't so I didnt but that was ok. he's been in my soul ever since I first touched that Cassette. Which I still have BTW.
A little Daniel Johnston in the morning. Flying with Casper now. The first time I heard Daniel Johnston music was in the late 80's or early '90's. I was working at The Joyce Theatre in Chelsea, NYC and working follow-spot up in the catwalk for one the dance company's that came in and had choreographed a Dance to "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Your Grievances". The music was and still is captivating and a "new genre" of music.
How emotionally true, and ironic, this song is: "When I knew / you didn't love me / It was the end of the hard time." What a brilliant surprise at the end. It's false hope that is "the hard time."
Wen u think of Daniel n his personality. U don't think of some one that would market him as " Daniel n the devil" that came after . I would put my last dollar on Daniel never would associate him with devil. Jews
Daniel was a complex person, and his severe mental illness complicated that. There are a lot of 'opinions' about Daniel: the better informed are worth sharing. Others, maybe not. And some...best swallowed whole.
