The Cell, Part Three - 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.

It seems I've been depressed all my life I remember once when I was about eleven years old On a summer day I was aware of the nothingness of life I said to my mother, there's nothing to do She said, just go outside, you'll find something to do So I went outside and did things Now it seems there is more to do inside than outside But still there's nothing to do We simply manufacture circumstances that create a necessity to do something Except for the procurement of basic comfort as a human being Aside from manufactured circumstances And the resultant required activity regarding them Well, what is there The play of the mind The exercise of the body Simply escapes from the basic reality of life's nothingness ??? we humans are happy We're just in situations that force us to act The contemplation of beauty, is it enough To build a fire and simply watch it Why jump into the folly of the human mainstream It seems no use Onward we go Condescending to expend the energy of our own being The construction and deconstruction of a life And still there's nothing Well, just go outside The elements will teach you to respond