Songs of Pain

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Songs of Pain
Songs of Pain cover
Studio album by Daniel Johnston
Released 1981
Recorded 1980–1981
Label Self-released
Stress Records
Dual Tone
Producer Daniel Johnston
Daniel Johnston chronology
Songs of Pain
(1981)		 Don't Be Scared
(1982)

Songs of Pain is the first album by indie singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston, recorded on a simple tape recorder and released on Compact Cassette. Johnston recorded these songs in the basement of his parents' house in West Virginia.[1] It was recorded in 1980 and 1981, and handed out to friends by Johnston. It was rereleased on cassette by Stress Records in 1988, and on Compact Disc in 2003 by the label Dual Tone, together with More Songs of Pain as Early Recordings Volume 1.

[edit] The songs

All songs feature Johnston on vocals and piano, except for "Premarital Sex" where he plays organ. The opening track, "Grievances", introduces themes that reoccur throughout Johnston's career. He sings about his unrequited love to "the librarian", which is referring to a girl named Laurie Allen who has functioned as a muse in many of Johnston's songs. This song has been described as the quintessential Daniel Johnston song, including by Johnston himself.[2] Not only the lyrical but also the musical theme of the song has been alluded to in later works. The word "grievances" has also been reused in other song titles, like on More Songs of Pains "Mabel's Grievances" and Yip Jump Musics "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Your Grievances".

Other themes on the album are premarital sex ("Joy Without Pleasure" and "Premarital Sex"), Christianity ("A Little Story") and the dangers of marijuana ("Pot Head").

Between some of the songs are recordings of Daniel's mother screaming at him that he will never make anything of himself.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Grievances"
  2. "A Little Story"
  3. "Joy Without Pleasure"
  4. "Never Relaxed"
  5. "Brainwash"
  6. "Pot Head"
  7. "Wicked World"
  8. "Lazy"
  9. "I Save Cigarette Butts"
  10. "Like A Monkey In A Zoo"
  11. "Wicked Will"
  12. "An Idiot's End"
  13. "Wild West Virginia"
  14. "Since I Lost My Tooth"
  15. "Urge"
  16. "Living Life"
  17. "Tuna Ketchup"
  18. "Premarital Sex"
  19. "Don't Act Nice"
  20. "Hate Song"

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Austin Chronicle: Songs of Pain Was Not in Vain, Louis Black
  2. ^ The Austin Chronicle: The Continuing Story of Daniel Johnston - Genius of Love, Ken Lieck