New Daniel (and Not Daniel) Song Online!

[notdaniel]

I suppose this might belong more properly in the [bi]Not Daniel Johnston[/b] section, but it does involve "am" Daniel, too:

www.imeem.com/middlenamewayne/music/w-rVvPOk/not-daniel-johnston-lend-me-a-penny-d-johnstonk-lieck/

This is a rough mix of a song which Daniel started and abandoned in the early 1980s (it appears on the unreleased February 1983 cassette New Songs, New Pain). I completed the song with Daniel's blessing a few months ago.

For the record, Daniel's version lasted 20-30 seconds, was recorded with piano accompaniment, and consisted of only the following lines...

 "Lend me a penny,
  Lend me a penny,
  Lend me a penny for every time
  You put me down.

  Lend me a penny..."

I added the chorus and wrote new verses (or vice versa) with Daniel's sensibilities in mind, and I also changed the chords very slightly to accommodate my limited abilities on the guitar. This recording also features ex-Sincola drummer Terri Lord on piano.

To continue into my own lyrics, the song continues:

  "...Lend me a penny,
  I'll have so many I could
  Buy and sell this town.

  I never was what you'd call a Richman,
  My pockets were only full of hope.
  I never had nothin' to get hung about --
  Can't afford the rope!

  Lend me a penny,
  Lend me a penny,
  Lend me a penny for every time
  You made me cry.

  Lend me a penny,
  Lend me a penny,
  You won't need any except a pair
  For on your eyes.

  I never had nothin' to look forward to,
  Except forgettin' 'bout the past,
  [But] when I've got enough pennies,
  There will be 'change' at last!

  So lend me a penny,
  Lend me a penny,
  Lend me a penny for every time
  I was your clown.

  Lend me a penny,
  Lend me a penny,
  Lend me a penny for every time
  You... Put... Me... Down!!!"

 -- NotDan

PS: Oh, I also recently posted a segment from Daniel's call to WFMU-FM that led to his historic long-form on-air epic on that station [see here for info and a download of the show itself: http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2006/04/from_the_wfmu_a_1.html]

Here's the segment, which any SubGeniuses here can expect to hear as part of an upcoming "Hour Of Slack" radio program: http://www.imeem.com/middlenamewayne/music/D8SLwD_u/djndj-i-am-not-bob/

Finally, the otherwise-unheard song "That Weary Rock and Roll" (taken from Dan's 2002 "Meltdown" performance) is still up on my page. Check it out: http://www.imeem.com/middlenamewayne/music/OF-XuvXe/daniel-johnston-that-weary-rock-n-roll/

[notdaniel]

Come on! SOMEBODY tell me you liked the song! (Or at least tell me that I've got a heckuva lot of nerve touching the sacred words and notes of the Great Sorry Entertainer himself!!!)

  - notdan

[chonk]

I like it a lot!  Great job.

[ItsHardToFindAFriend]

It really was very well done
sorry i didnt respond. Im super busy with school right now. =/


you do have a lot of nerve to touch those words, but it looks like you have the talent to back it up 

[Green Monkey]

This is a rough mix of a song which Daniel started and abandoned in the early 1980s (it appears on the unreleased February 1983 cassette New Songs, New Pain).

Where could I get my hands on this "album"?

[Henry Long]

Love it. The Batman intro was cool too. The bicycle bell got a wee bit distracting if only because it was so loud! But really cool song, and great lyrics, NDJ!

[notdaniel]

The bicycle bell got a wee bit distracting if only because it was so loud!

That's cuz I had to do the bells & vocals "Dan style" ie recording on one tape deck while playing the instro tracks on another. The bells were actually an angel statuette w/wind chimes, which I totally smashed in the process of recording! I will eventually add proper vocals and more instrumentation to the basic piano/guitar track that was recorded at Terri Lord's home studio (which led to her getting the job as drummer for the Austin production of "Speeding Motorcycle" by the way).

February 1983 cassette New Songs, New Pain).

Where could I get my hands on this "album"?

It's a unique variant of the "More Songs of Pain" album w/added tracks. You can't get your hands on it, though Jeff Tartakov and Jeff Feurzeig have copies they made from the original (which I was forced to sell for around $1000.00 to pay some medical bills) and I made its current owner agree to make it available to the Johnston family upon request, so if and when it comes time to release the tracks, they will most likely come out on Daniel's private label Eternal Yip Eye.

  - notdan