iloveshortsongs

Lock Your Door - Bob Dylan & The Band (1967)

Echoing out from the deepest recesses of the Big Pink basement, Dylan & his brilliant cohorts belt out this ragged fragment. Sounds like it was recorded three rooms away. 

While far from being the most revelatory or compelling track cut during the reclusive sessions, I think it wraps up the spirit of their process pretty well in an untidy ball of rags. If that makes any sense. 

Anyway, let me apologize to all 124 of you who wait attentively at your Dashboards day after day for the newest shortsong. We’ve been busy with our respective lives, apparently and will try to keep up with each and every one of our loverly followers…. 

Get Yourself Together - Daniel Johnston (1983)

The sweet tortured prince of lo-fi home music.

This short tune is pinched from his sixth self-released cassette album Hi, How Are You. Over the years, Johnston’s tender and vulnerable songs have won over various movers and shakers in the independent music scene. He’s collaborated with Yo La Tengo, Paul Leary and iloveshortsongs alum Jad Fair.

In 2004, a number of Johnston friends & fans, including Eels, Beck, Bright Eyes, M. Ward, Death Cab For Cutie, The Flaming Lips & Tom Waits contributed to the tribute album The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered. The variety of the talent featured on the compilation speaks volumes to the effect and influence that Johnston has had on his peers in the music world.

In 2006, Johnston was the subject of the massively successful documentary The Devil & Daniel Johnston, documenting his life, music and various mental states. If you’ve yet to see it, put it on your queue. I promise you won’t be disappointed.