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Rating: Discovered Covered (Gammon Records, September 2004) is a bizarre tribute album; indeed, Daniel Johnston seems to be doing just fine while looking at his tombstone with a disconsolate air and a big bunch of red roses.
A double CD featuring 18 of his greatest hits: in the first, The Covers, the tracks are performed by a great lineup of more or less indie artists, including some of our favorites: Sparklehorse with Flaming Lips, Bright Eyes, Mr. Eels, Beck, Mercury Rev, and Tom Waits; in the second, The Originals, the same songs, this time in their original version, sung and played by Daniel himself.
An admirable operation, as it's a tribute to Johnston's prolific talent, one of the first great lo-fi artists and an inspiration to many, who has always struggled to make a living from his music. Surely the prominent names on the cover have helped attract industry magazines and new listeners. Or at least we hope so.
Some song gems shine even more, faceted, and polished by new arrangements, like "Go" made even more sweetly dreamy by Sparklehorse and Flaming Lips, "King Kong" to which Tom Waits adds orangutan-like howls and a rhythmic "chatta boom" that make it less sing-song, "True Love Will Find You In The End" is well interpreted by Beck in a country style as in his latest album, and "Blue Clouds" becomes glorious and compelling thanks to Mercury Rev.
Other interpretations are less successful, like "Sorry Entertainer" flattened by the monotone voice of Calvin Johnston, "Love Not Dead" made too rocky by the Thistle, and "Walking The Cow" by Tv On The Radio for which I prefer the rendition from a few years ago by Eddie Vedder.
And anyway... anyway, in my opinion, they are perhaps all much more beautiful in their original form, because only when sung by Johnston, with his childlike falsetto climbing over crackling, noise-tainted backgrounds, do they truly reflect all their ramshackle poetry and the turmoil of his confused mind. Optimistic yet hopeless as they are, no one can sing them better than Daniel.
"I'm a loner, I'm a sorry entertainer" (x2).
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
05 Walking the Cow (04:44)
Trying to remember,
But my feelings can’t know for sure.
Try to reach out
But it’s gone...
Lucky stars in your eyes...
I’m walking the cow...
I really don’t know how I came here...
I really don’t know why I’m stayin’ here...
Oh, Oh, Oh. I’m walking the cow...
Tried to point my finger,
But the wind keeps blowin’ me around
In circles...circles...
Lucky stars in your eyes...
I’m walking the cow...
I really don’t know what I have to fear...
I really don’t know why I have to care...
Oh, Oh, Oh. I’m walkin’ the cow...
Lucky stars in your eyes...
07 Sorry Entertainer (03:01)
Where the wind blows
That's where I go
Where the moon is
That's where I am
And when I just
Have a problem
Always hoping the wind will blow me away again
I'm a loner
I'm a sorry entertainer
I'm a loner
I'm a sorry entertainer
Drove those demons
Out of my head
With an organ and a pencil full of lead
And when I'm dead
I'd like to have it said
He drove those demons out of his head
I'm a loner
I'm a sorry entertainer
I'm a loner
I'm a sorry entertainer
Now the curtain parts the stage
It's the dawn of a new and exciting age
And I'm free
Free at last
Like a monkey out of its cage
I'm a loner
I'm a sorry entertainer
I'm a loner
I'm a sorry entertainer
08 Devil Town (03:06)
I was living in a Devil Town
Didn't know it was a Devil Town
Oh Lord it really brings me down
About the Devil Town
And all my friend were vampires
Didn't know they were vampires
Turns out I was a vampire myself
In the Devil Town
I was living in a Devil Town
Didn't know it was a Devil Town
Oh Lord it really brings me down
About the Devil Town
16 Story of an Artist (04:20)
listen up and i'll tell a story
about an artist growing old
some would try for fame and glory
others aren't so bold
everyone in friends and family
sayin "hey get a job
why do you only do that only
why are you so odd?
"we dont really like what you do
we dont think anyone ever will
it's a problem that you have
and this problem's made you ill"
listen up and i'll tell a story
about an artist growing old
some would try for fame and glory
others aren't so bold
the artist walks alone
someone says behind his back
"he's got his gall to call himself that
he doesn't even know where he's at"
the artist walks among the flowers
appreciating the sun
he does this all his waking hours
but is it really so wrong
they sit in front of their tv
sayin "hey this is fun"
and they laugh at the artist
saying "he doesn't know how to have fun"
the best things in life are truly free
singing birds and laughing bees
you got me wrong says he
the sun don't shine in your tv
listen up and i'll tell a story
about an artist growing old
some would try for fame and glory
others aren't so bold
everyone in friends and family
sayin "hey get a job
why do you only do that only
why are you so odd?
"we dont really like what you do
we dont think anyone ever will
it's a problem that you have
and this problem's made you ill"
listen up and i'll tell a story
about an artist growin old
some would try for fame and glory
others just like to watch the world
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