The Cell, Part One - Lyrics - Jandek
Jandek is the musical project of Sterling Richard Smith, an outsider musician who operates out of Houston, Texas. Since 1978, Jandek has self-released over 70 albums of unusual, often emotionally dissolute folk and blues songs without ever granting more than the occasional interview or providing any biographical information. Jandek often plays a highly idiosyncratic and frequently atonal form of folk and blues music, often using an open and unconventional chord structure. Jandek's music is unique, but the lyrics closely mirror the country blues and folk traditions of East Texas. The name "Jandek" is most commonly used to refer specifically to the mainâoften soleâperformer, rather than to the project.
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All the phone rings are alarming
It doesn't matter
I can't escape the weight of these days
Nothing is special
No bad things
Even good things
But it's a swamp I'm stuck in
And the boggy crevices and the steep banks
And all the difficult terrain
So why do I want to (signal?) ??? time
Why do I need to smash in the brain
I don't know
It keeps on and I watch the scope of the periphery
Hoping I don't have to do anything
Because I'm not up to it
Or for that matter
Not up to nothing as well
Take my mind
Take my life and give me yours
Even success is not success
Even failure is not failure
There's just this empty time I must persevere through
And what is at the other end of the moment
As if it mattered right now
Little joy pockets are hardly enough
I support the stretch of time
Keep busy of course
Struggle to survive of course
Whatever takes your idea of the abyss and postpones it
Because the unbearable state of affairs is unsustainable
You don't have to do anything
It's obvious I suppose
Jump into the fire and then respond to that place
