Where to start with Daniel Johnston

Starting to get into Daniel Johnston a little bit. I admit that you have to be in a certain mood to listen to it, yet I don't know if music gets as pure as a guy playing a piano and singing into a boombox for pretty much his own satisfaction. Should I just start with a 'Greatest Hits'? Or maybe those early cassettes (which I think you can still buy from his website).

 

It’s been awhile, but the album “Yip/Jump Music” was my intro...

 

What I'd do is play some of the songs on YouTube and see how much the sub-standard sound quality of the early home tapes bothers you. While many people focus on Daniel's early home recordings, he's done many wonderful songs throughout his career. Personally, I'd suggest something like "Fun" - which is probably his most commercial album (which doesn't mean it's actually commercial!) recorded for Atlantic in 1994. I think "1990" (recorded in 1987) might be his best album, but that one's very hard to take, and kind of makes "John Lennon Plastic Ono Band" come off like the Partridge Family. There's a couple of albums I'd avoid at all costs, too - his collaborations with Jad Fair ("It's Spooky" and "Somewhat Humorous") don't work at all, IMHO and I never listen to them. Also, "Beam Me Up" is pretty bad. I'd avoid the collaborations (including his Danny And The Nightmares CDs).

 

I just spent some time last week with Songs Of Pain, his first tape from 1980-81. There is some really good stuff on there.

 

A tip -
There’s at least 2 other threads here with “Daniel Johnston” recommendations...
They’re now closed.

You’ll be able to get a consensus from the 3 or 4 fans....

 

Maybe if I mentioned that he's a big Beatles fan it will get people's attention!

 

True!

But, then there will also be a response or three, complaining, “Oh Goodness Sake!!! There’s the Obligatory The Music World Revolves Around The Beatles” comment....

 

Was this the first cover of DJ? ('85)



This song actually has a Wiki page:
Walking the Cow - Wikipedia

 

Hi, How Are You? is the classic in my books.

This is a hard listen. Of course the quality of the recording is pretty primitive but the real challenge is the content. The raw suffering of a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown expressed with absolute honesty. This is the definitive Johnston disc. All the songs are masterworks of an entirely unique nature. Little one minute vignettes that convey more emotion and mood than the entire careers of others.

I only listen to this disc now and again, for it is incredibly powerful stuff.

 

^Hi, How Are You is my pick too. It gets better and better as it goes on. "Desperate Man Blues" is the emotional climax of the album -- both brilliant (in its repurposing of a big band song) and harrowing (in its unflinching look at the depths of depression). For all his air of childlike innocence, there's a keen, deceptive intelligence in his music, and a wicked sense of humor.

 

I would start with K(athy) McCarty's abum of Daniel's songs - 'Dead Dog's Eyeball'

 

Artistic vice cd is a great bridge between the informal and professional, with great songs in a band context, and maybe a good starting point for the cautious toe tipper.

 

Happy Hi, How Are You Day, everyone!

 

So far Artistic Vice is my favorite, but there are a few that I haven't heard yet. I remember the first time I listened to this on cassette back in the day, I never knew he was atypical or had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. That's a testament to his enormous talent and candor in songwriting. If John Lennon were alive, I swear that he would be a fan. I just know it. I read Lennon's 1970 Rolling Stone interview a couple of years ago for the first time. It seems that Johnston's music is precisely the kind of songwriting and performance that he was getting at when he talked about real music that was intensely personal.

 

The last laugh is on you, my friend. The music of Daniel Johnston has been interpreted and copied by many a performer. Maybe you'd prefer to listen to Adèle, Norah Jones, or Pearl Jam. I find them all very boring and uninspiring but YMMV.

 

FUN one of his higher budget poppier outings.

 

BS, my friend, if you’d read the whole thread you’d noticed that I was the first response to the OP.
Daniel Johnston was one of the first artists that I’d bought a record “sound unheard” ...back in 1988.
That was quite rare for me, being on a tight budget.

BTW, since you mentioned Pearl Jam, Norah Jones, and Adele, I feel it’s worthy to mention that music listening isn’t a “binary choice”, of “either This or either That”...but NOT both.

Given the right circumstances, I can easily enjoy any of these artists.
YMMV

 

Perhaps I misunderstood. If so, I'm sorry. I developed the impression that you were taking a dig at him. It appears that you weren't so sorry. I still stand by my statement that some folks just like serious music that makes a statement and those folks only like that kind of music. They are totally turned off by Daniel Johnston, Captain Beefheart, Sun Ra, Edgar Varèse, Stravinsky, Mad Lib, or Robert Nighthawk. It's just been my experience with people. Some like to go out of their way to discover wonderful and unique pieces of music, and then some like to just coast along contemporary radio waves. It has nothing to do with how perceptive one is. If this is binary, then that tells me it's all so digitawl.

 

Hi Barnyard, completely understood; no offence taken, thanks for your explanation!

When I first eyed this thread, it was great to know that other forum members were familiar with Daniel Johnston - who is a very unique and complex talent.

My prior jest wasn’t aimed towards his music, but only a reference to the fact that he’s not as well-known, nor recognised as much as he should be - even here, on this forum that has many music aficionados that appreciate a wide range of music.

One hopes that our conversation around his singular talent will peak the uninitiated interest of at least a few intrigued listeners.

 

The most interesting thing he has done is throw the airplane keys out the window while flying. Genius.

 

I have a soft spot for Jason Pierce's cover of "True Love Will Find You In The End" so for the newcomer I would recommend starting with that and the covers album "The Late Great ...", get a sense of his range (and limits) as a writer and, unless completely captivated, I would maybe leave it there. Though I say that as someone who finds the "Like A Monkey In The Zoo" thing deeply problematic. Rock's ghoulish voyeurism and fetishisation of mental illness (and of course addiction) seen from the other side of the glass. Very few artists are actually able to create anything at all when in the thrall of either.

 

So it wasn't enough for you to think to yourself when you saw this thread 'you know, I don't like Daniel Johnston. I think I'll go in and let them know that I don't like him!'. Brilliant! Give yourself a pat on the back.

 

Do try and watch The Devil and Daniel Johnston documentary as well. One of my top 10 docs.

 

There was a two-disc set comp.
Disc 2 was a 'best of'.
Disc 1 was well-known bands doing cover versions of the songs on Disc 1...
I'd say that's a pretty good place to start.