I Knew You Would Leave - 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.

The rocks crumble Unto dust they die Once hard stuff of mountains Now soft powder among the sand Who dares crush a rock Oh rock, no rock Reduced to the winds Scatter your parts You are not one but many To those shall you succumb Beast of time, you hurl your heavens sporadic Falling in the great parade March unto your death And into what arms will you go Surely not your own Oh God, oh God, be you my hope And all else ruffles in the winds Magic carpets fly to your planets You have no place on earth Who is it creates sand soliloquy Is it everyone Nay, you are a heathen Erupting words of pretense Oh Lord let my hand be guided Sometimes I know it not As the air, no air is still And the weary sounds refrain Now the hyena cackles His clutch has found my heart bleeding And now you are gone Where you hear it all Wide awake from a long sleep Myself on my hands Tomorrow in the gallows Trees in skies Empty alliterations replenished By the hand of one who would fall down And make a light to shine somewhere What is this The cavalcade of misery What depths How could we think of distances Ah, it is the gift of man To live, the days long The nights longer Journey to the stars They worship the sun Come down treasures And I like to see a smile On your lips as we meet On a journey to the stars