a compilation type thing...

[The Spook]

okay, if you had to make a CD of songs to play to someone who had never heard anything by Daniel before.. to convince them of his genius.. then which songs would you choose? Sort of like a 'Best of' so keep it to about 12 - 15 songs..

[DWJ]

One thing to consider is that his works have varied in content, style, and genius over the years, such that each "era" might have a different list.

Not an attempt to answer that question, but I wonder who picked the songs on the 1994 "Best of Daniel Johnston" CD called "Please Don't Feed the Ego".

They are (with my comments)

01 Speeding Motorcycle - yes, certainly
02 Sad Sac + Tarzan  - yes
03 Impossible Love - yes
04 Casper the Friendly Ghost - yes, certainly
05 Come See Me Tonight - very good song, but not normally considered one of his genius works - still it appeals to general idea of what a song is and should be
06 Funeral Home - definitely powerful - may be hard for a newcomer to appreciate
07 Since I Lost My Tooth - no opinion
08 Don't Play Cards with Satan - yes - powerful
09 Big Big World (w/ Rhythm Rats) - this one surprised me - this IS a very very good song - but very different - very "polished" production for Daniel - still, not normally held out as one of his big ones - but it has an appeal
10 Bloody Rainbow - yes
11 More Dead Than Alive - no opinion
12 Joy Without Pleasure - no opinion
13 Fly Eye - no opinion
14 My Life Is Starting Over - yes - very Daniel Johnston
15 Running Water - wildly original and genius - but again, may be hard for a newcomer to appreciate
16 The Story Of An Artist - undecided
17 Walking the Cow - certainly a well received song
18 I Killed the Monster - highly representative of his honesty and depression
19 Casper The Friendly Ghost #2 -
20 Rock 'n' Roll / ega - "yes" - this is also very very different - and used in the movie "The Majestic" -

[Syrupoftears]

Hate Song
Syrup of Tears
Casper the Friendly Ghost
Phantom of My Own Opera
Impossible Love
Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Your Grievances
Rocketship
Speeding Motorcycle
MY Baby takes care of the dead
a little story

[jean astro]

everlasting love
desperate man blues
silly love
museum of love
love not dead
love wheel
happy talk
walking the cow
favourite darling girl
like a monkey in the zoo
bloody rainbow
grievances

[timmel78]

let them listen to tracks 1-7 off "Songs Of Pain".
if they like it or wanna hear more after that, here are my suggestions:
1) Museum of Love
2) Sad Sac and Tarzan
3) Mind Contorted
4) I Did Acid W/ Caroline

if they like them, then they're hooked as a fan

[Disfranchise]

I've actually done such compilations which I called "Daniel Johnston - Boom Box recordings" with a volume 1 & 2. And later on I had "Daniel Johnston - Studio" with some of his best studio work. All these CD's had about 20 songs each on them and they've circled among my friends and some of them are fans of Daniel now.
If you're really interested (which I doubt) I could post the songs I used.

[notdaniel]

okay, if you had to make a CD of songs to play to someone who had never heard anything by Daniel before.. to convince them of his genius.. then which songs would you choose? Sort of like a 'Best of' so keep it to about 12 - 15 songs..

Here's the listing for my personal "Piano Favorites" comp:

Some Things Last a Long Time
Going Down
Evening Stars
It's a Cold Hard World
I Had a Dream
Funeral Girl
Fighting With Myself
Strange Boy
Held the Hand
You Put My Love Out the Door
Monkey In a Zoo
An Idiot's End
I Save Cigarette Butts
Love Will See You Through
A Long Time Healing
Everlasting King of Love
Try To Love
I Lose

  - Not Daniel

[Disfranchise]

One of his best songs is in my opinion Just Like A Widow. People rarely speak of this song, perhaps because there is alot of hiss on the recording but it's really great.
Anyone agree with me?

[Stallion]

Which tape is it from?  I haven't listened to the tapes in a while.

[dejected]

I know I've heard that song, but it isn't listed by that title in DISCOGRAPHY.  Does it have another title?

[raphneck]

it's on "Respect"

[Disfranchise]

I'm pretty sure it's the correct title. It's no. 13 on Respect (side 2)
The chorus goes like this

Just like he's a widow
his poor heart has died
His mind is like jello
in the ghetto
of love

(and then the second verse starts out like this)
It will work out
everything does

Another favorite is Tuna Ketchup and No Fun and Museum Of Love and Tell Me Now and Poptunes and Evening Stars and The Stars Shine Down On Me. Hell, I could just go on and on, it's impossible to make a list of my favorites because there are so so many great songs. Usually I have a couple of favorite songs by each artist but when listening to all Daniel's 80's stuff it's hard to leave anything out! That's pretty amazing when you consider the fact that he's made so many albums. He truely is up there with the Beatles if you ask me. As I see it Daniel's 80's stuff is like Beatles 60's stuff and the albums in the 90's and 2000+ is like Paul and Johns solo stuff. Not as amazing as the earlier songs but still good.
Hope the comparison wasn't too far out, but I guess you understand my point here. I don't mean that the songs are alike but how the work has progressed.

[Stallion]

it's impossible to make a list of my favorites because there are so so many great songs

This is very true.  One of mine that I think someone not familar with Dan would like and hardly ever gets mentioned is "I'm a Song."  Incredible melody.....I just wish it didn't get cut off and end so abruptly.  

[Disfranchise]

I agree Stallion, "I'm a song" is great! The reason why it's not too often mention is beacuse it's on the lost recordings (1).  Speaking of the lost recordings; "I'm gonna buy me a car", "mean to me" and "burn baby burn" are other "hits" aswell that should be more in the spotlight.