FROGDaniel Johnston - Rejected Unknown Official Fan Site Hi How Are You.com - Daniel's official web site Official Site
Fan Message Board / Forum Fan Forum
Yip Eye Tunes.com - Daniel's Digital Download Site Digital Music Store
Rejected Unknown STORE Fan Web Store

DANIEL JOHNSTON

 biographies

Apr-4

 FAQ

Sept-7

 features Sept-1
 news

Sept-24

 movie

May-30

 rock opera Mar-12
 quotes

Jun-13

MUSIC

 covers Aug-30
 discography

Mar-25

 lyrics / chords

Jul-9

FANS

 membership
 fan art

July-31

 fan countries Mar-14
 fan forum

today

 fan letters

Sep-14

 fan links Oct-18
 fan list

July-1

 fan photos

Aug-14

 fan videos Feb-23
 myspace

 

MULTIMEDIA

 art

Feb-28

 photos

Apr-28

 audio

Mar-1

 video

Sept-17

DATES

 events June-16
 tour news Oct-18
 tour dates Sept-1
 exhibit dates Feb-22
 texas gigs

Feb-17

tour archives

Apr-28

posters

Aug-20

PRESS

 interviews

Apr-27

 articles

Jan-02

 reviews

Aug-9

 quotes

July-14

magazines

NEW!

STORE

 store  
  art  
  book/posters
  music
  shirts
  indie artists       Oct-26

SITE

 contact us  
 privacy policy
 links Dec-17
 radio links Jun-12
 link us  
 search  

Help YOUR RADIO STATION play Daniel's music HERE

Story of An Artist

- Don't Be Scared (1982), Discovered Covered (2004)

 

thanks to Tim Layton

CHORDS are BELOW (scroll down) thanks to Will Thompson

 

Listen up and I'll tell a story

About an artist growing old

Some would try for fame and glory

Others aren't so bold

 

Everyone, and friends and family

Saying, "Hey! Get a job!"

"Why do you only do that only?

Why are you so odd?

We don't really like what you do.

We don't think anyone ever will.

It's a problem that you have,

And this problem's made you ill."

 

Listen up and I'll tell a story

About an artist growing old

Some would try for fame and glory

Others aren't so bold

 

The artist walks alone

Someone says behind his back,

"He's got his gall to call himself that!

He doesn't even know where he's at!"

The artist walks among the flowers

Appreciating the sun

He does this all his waking hours

But is it really so wrong?

 

They sit in front of their TV

Saying, "Hey! This is fun!"

And they laugh at the artist

Saying, "He doesn't know how to have fun."

The best things in life are truly free

Singing birds and laughing bees

"You've got me wrong", says he.

"The sun don't shine in your TV"

 

Listen up and I'll tell a story

About an artist growing old

Some would try for fame and glory

Others aren't so bold

 

Everyone, and friends and family

Saying, "Hey! Get a job!"

"Why do you only do that only?

Why are you so odd?

We don't really like what you do.

We don't think anyone ever will.

It's a problem that you have,

And this problem's made you ill."

 

Listen up and I'll tell a story

About an artist growing old.

Some would try for fame and glory

Others just like to watch the world.

 

STORY OF AN ARTIST
(chords)  - there are SEVERAL CHORD interpretations - scroll down for more.


This is a two chord song: C and Dm.  In parentheses are the notes played by the right hand on piano.  These notes are played with each syllable of the lyrics beneath them, for the most part.  But the last note, as well as any chord change, always coincides with the last word of each line.
Peace,
Will Thompson (willthompson.net)

C (BCBGEDE)
Listen up and I'll tell a story
(BCBGEDF)        Dm
About an artist growing old
(BCBGFDF)
Some would try for fame and glory
(BCBGEDE)       C
Others aren't so bold
 
C (BCBGEDE)
Everyone, and friends and family
(BCBGEDF)         Dm
Saying, "Hey! Get a job!"
(BCBGFDF)
"Why do you only do that only?
(BCBGEDE)       C
Why are you so odd?


C (BCBGEDE)
We don't really like what you do.
(BCBGEDF)             Dm
We don't think anyone ever will.
(BCBGFDF)
It's a problem that you have,
(BCBGEDE)                        C
And this problem's made you ill."
 
C (BCBGEDE)
Listen up and I'll tell a story
(BCBGEDF)        Dm
About an artist growing old
(BCBGFDF)
Some would try for fame and glory
(BCBGEDE)       C
Others aren't so bold
 
C (BCBGEDE)
The artist walks alone
(BCBGEDF)           Dm
Someone said behind his back,
(BCBGFDF)
"He's got gall to call himself that!
(BCBGEDE)                              C
He doesn't even know where he's at!"


C (BCBGEDE)
The artist walks among the flowers
(BCBGEDF)       Dm
Appreciating the sun
(BCBGFDF)
He does this all his waking hours
(BCBGEDE)         C
But is it really so wrong?
 
C (BCBGEDE)
They sit in front of their TV
(BCBGEDF)        Dm
Saying, "Hey! This is fun!"
(BCBGFDF)
And they laugh at the artist
(BCBGEDE)                                     C
Saying, "He doesn't know how to have fun."


C (BCBGEDE)
The best things in life are truly free
(BCBGEDF)            Dm
Singing birds and laughing bees
(BCBGFDF)
"You've got me wrong," says he.
(BCBGEDE)                       C
"The sun don't shine in your TV"
 
C (BCBGEDE)
Listen up and I'll tell a story
(BCBGEDF)        Dm
About an artist growing old
(BCBGFDF)
Some would try for fame and glory
(BCBGEDE)       C
Others aren't so bold
 
C (BCBGEDE)
Everyone, and friends and family
(BCBGEDF)         Dm
Saying, "Hey! Get a job!"
(BCBGFDF)
"Why do you only do that only?
(BCBGEDE)       C
Why are you so odd?


C (BCBGEDE)
We don't really like what you do.
(BCBGEDF)             Dm
We don't think anyone ever will.
(BCBGFDF)
It's a problem that you have,
(BCBGEDE)                        C
And this problem's made you ill."
 
C (BCBGEDE)
Listen up and I'll tell a story
(BCBGEDF)       Dm
About an artist growing old.
(BCBGFDF)
Some would try for fame and glory
(BCBGEDE)                        C
Others just like to watch the world.

The Story of An Artist

 

If you just want to strum the chords, then this tab works well. 

Use either Dm or Dm7

 

C      X-3-2-0-1-0

Dm   X-0-0-2-3-1  or Dm7  X-0-0-2-1-1

 

                                C

Listen up and I'll tell a story

                                 Dm(7)

About an artist growing old

Some would try for fame and glory

                       C

Others aren't so bold

 

…and so on

 

 

If you want to play the piano melody on guitar this works pretty well.

 

  1      2  +   3   +  4   +    1    2     3     4

E------------------------|     followed by C chord

B------0--1--0-----------|

G---------------0--------|

D------------------2-----|--2--

A---------------------3--|

E------------------------|

 

  1      2  +   3   +  4   +    1    2     3     4

E------------------------|     followed by Dm or Dm7

B------0--1--0-----------|

G---------------0--------|

D------------------2--0--|--3--

A------------------------|

E------------------------|

 

Then repeat them in reverse. 

The whole progression is C - Dm(7) -Dm(7) – C

 

Note: sometimes the Dm(7) lick has one note different.

 

  1      2  +   3   +  4   +    1    2     3     4

E------------------------|     followed by Dm or Dm7

B------0--1--0-----------|

G---------------1--------|

D------------------2--0--|--3--

A------------------------|

E------------------------|

 

 

I like using a drop-D tuning on this one with these chords.

 

C    X-3-2-0-1-0

Dm   0-0-3-2-3-1   or Dm7   0-0-3-2-1-1

 

 

For piano players:

 

The melody before the C chord is       b-c-b-g-e-c-e

The melody before the Dm7 chord is   b-c-b-g-e-d-f and sometimes

                                                   b-c-b-a-e-d-f

 

 

The Story Of An Artist

 

  C                                        Dm(7)

| 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  | 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  |

  Dm(7)                                 C

| 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  | 1   2   3   4   |  1   2   3   4  |

 

Listen up and I'll tell a story

About an artist growing old

Some would try for fame and glory

Others aren't so bold

 

Everyone and friends and family

Saying, "Hey! Get a job!"

"Why do you only do that only?

Why are you so odd?

 

We don't really like what you do.

We don't think anyone ever will.

It's a problem that you have,

And this problem's made you ill."

 

Listen up and I'll tell a story

About an artist growing old

Some would try for fame and glory

Others aren't so bold

 

The artist walks alone

Someone says behind his back,

"He's got his gall to call himself that!

He doesn't even know where he's at!"

 

The artist walks among the flowers

Appreciating the sun

He does this all his waking hours

But is it really so wrong?

 

They sit in front of their TV

Saying, "Hey! This is fun!"

And they laugh at the artist

Saying, "He doesn't know how to have fun."

 

The best things in life are truly free

Singing birds and laughing bees

"You've got me wrong", says he.

"The sun don't shine in your TV"

 

Listen up and I'll tell a story

About an artist growing old

Some would try for fame and glory

Others aren't so bold

 

Everyone, and friends and family

Saying, "Hey! Get a job!"

"Why do you only do that only?

Why are you so odd?

 

We don't really like what you do.

We don't think anyone ever will.

It's a problem that you have,

And this problem's made you ill."

 

Listen up and I'll tell a story

About an artist growing old.

Some would try for fame and glory

Others just like to watch the world.

 




 

MEMBERS OF THE MONTH

Missing Photo

August 2010

Alastair Ottesen
what is this?
 

RECENT MP3s

Polka Dot Rag
The What Of Whom

The Beatles

Lost And Found

Speeding Motorcycle
Live with Smutfish in The Netherlands

Casper
Kids
 
Honey I Sure Miss You
Artistic Vice
   
Dead Dog Laughing In The Cloud
Continued Story
 
OTHER MP3s
FEATURED PHOTO

Daniel Johnston backstage in Boston 2009-10-15

Sept 4
what is this?
 
   
Yip Eye Tunes.com

© RejectedUnknown.com 2002-2010