Earworm (cover with Yo La Tengo) ahead … I’ve known this version for 20 years, but never knew the full context until linking this clip … bizarrely, i’d specifically played the track for my son only a few weeks ago, I was touched that he was singing it to me in the car the next day
Austinite here. This one hits. Not just because of Austin… but because of all the artists I’ve been drawn to over the years who clearly display his influence. Luckily, I got to see him twice, and a few of my friends have played with him.
I always have to remind myself to take off my worried shoes.
Glad to see this here, I’m not usually one to be overly emotional over the death of celebrities etc but Dan Johnston meant a huge amount to me, and I’ve felt his passing a fair bit today. Weirdly, I found out from an ex-fiancé last night as she and I shared a huge love of his music and art in the years we where together. We don’t talk often, as things didn’t end too great but it felt doubly meaningful that she got in touch just to talk to me about his death, kinda speaks for the complex feelings we both share I guess. We talked about the one and only time we saw him in London together, which is a lovely memory.
Got me a coffin all shiny and black, going to the funeral and I’m never coming back…
I hesitate to link another ‘cover’ without first letting Daniel do what he did best himself, the performance on Life In Vain is incredibly moving and then the straight and low key Wilco cover of True Love Will Find You In The End shows that the songs are so good, it was just that Daniel performed them in an inimitable peerless way - beautiful music
Now it really is the Ghost of Daniel Johnston. The thing I loved most was that he would just constantly record. The prolific but humble craftsman with a vision to share.