A Deep Dive Into Hi, How Are You? - A Strange Lo-fi Masterpiece (Daniel Johnston)
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- Опубликовано: 2 июн 2024
- Hi, how are you?
I only found out about Daniel Johnston's music a couple months ago, and I am so glad to have found out about it, so much that I had to make a deep dive on his works (and also because the geogaddi deep dive did so well!). Daniel Johnston (1961-2019) was an american singer/songwriter that released dozens of self-made tapes during the 80's, by giving them out to random strangers on the street. None the less, the strange nature of these tapes was intriguing enough to make Johnston an underground legend in his city, and later on, internationally with such songs as True Love Will Find You In The End, The Story Of An Artist and Walking The Cow. Today, Johnston is considered a pioneer of the Lo-Fi / Art-Pop / Outsider music genre and his music lives on.
But this video is about one of his tapes in particular: Hi How Are You, which is mainly recognized as his best work and certainly his most famous, because it's the only album in his discography that is "unfinished", and we will see why... The music from this tape can be unsettling, yet strangely human and recomforting, and in this video, we'll analyze this album track by track.
This is a very different video compared to what I've released this far on the channel, and I'd love for you to tell me what you think of it. I've put so much effort and time into this video and I'm SO PROUD of how it turned out!
So if it doesn't bother you to like this video and subscribe to the channel this would really mean a lot :)
*Of course, some parts of the video are based on my interpretation of the record so if you disagree with whatever part/concept I said, (as always)I ask you to *RESPECTFULLY share your own opinion or correct me in the comments ;)
Extra Links:
Daniel Johnston's official website:
- www.hihowareyou.com/
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Twitter: @TennisThom
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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
3:53 Poor You
5:48 Big Business Monkey
8:14 Walking The Cow
10:13 I Picture Myself With A Guitar
11:40 Despair Came Knocking
13:49 I Am A Baby (In My Universe)
16:24 Nervous Love
18:03 I'll Never Marry
19:02 Get Yourself Together
20:08 Running Water
21:36 Desperate Man Blues
24:18 Hey Joe
25:46 She Called Pest Control
27:02 Keep Punching Joe
30:41 No More Pushing Joe Around
37:46 The Cycle
40:13 Outro
*I do not own any of the music, photos or videos used in this video. They are used for
analysis and discussion purposes under fair use law. 
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I actually find music like this pretty disturbing. The lofi, minimalist nature of it along with the very undeniably real, raw emotion is just really jarring to me. It makes me uneasy. I dont know.
I also find low quality albums like this one kinda creepy, it's sounds, hard to tell what's going, and you can only hear it you can never see it, while being unfinished meaning it was never supposed to come out to the public but it did
I'm a big nerd when it comes to audio recording, so I've done as much research as i can into the recording process of this album. There's not a whole lot of info out there, and the recording was very simple to begin with, but I still think it's worth sharing here.
This was recorded on a cassette boombox. No effect pedals or anything were used at all on the album. Daniel had dropped and broken his cassette recorder, resulting in it recording at a slower speed. This means that when the tape is played back on a deck set at the correct speed, the pitch is raised slightly. The motor was damaged, resulting in that sort of wobbly sound. That rhythmic clicking sound that occurs throughout the album is the busted mechanism of the cassette deck.
Also, the boombox could only record in mono with no way of overdubbing. Daniel got around this by recording something on the boombox, playing it back on another player, and singing along with it. This is what he did on I'll Never Marry, Nervous Love, and No More Pushing Joe Around.
On Daniel's previous albums, he would always rehearse the songs before he recorded them. On this one, however, he did not rehearse them, giving it a more spontaneous feel.
Anyways, I enjoyed your analysis. You did a great job of explaining how all of these tracks work together as a whole. Frankenstein loves you.
So wait, does this mean that to listen to it as Daniel intended it, we should really slow it down 10, 20, 30%?
This album made me realize that life keeps on going, no matter how hopeless and weak you feel. I was in an awful state of mind for years, and Daniel made me feel a little less alone through it all. Whenever I felt like I wanted to end it all, I though of his words:
"And when you wake up in the morning
You'll have a brand new feeling
And you'll find yourself healing
So don't let the sun go down on your grievances."
Great video man, keep it up.
Man.. I seriously couldn't imagine the normal every day drags of life like that, but also be dealing with the mental illness that Daniel was. That seriously had to have been hell. Unless he wasn't dealing with that at this point, but it seems as he was.
My cousin Jason played music with Daniel in Waller , Tx. Before my cousin died , he brought Daniel over for thanksgiving at my grandmothers house. She lived near Daniel. He showed up with a white Tshirt with spaghetti stains on the front. He had a photo album and everything in it were drawings he made of captain America. As a musician , I didn’t get anything out of our minimal conversation. He was on his meds. One thing that Daniel represents for me is the fact that music has no rules. Follow your dream no matter what.
People analyze him and his music but like most of us who are creative , it’s a blessing and a curse. He had no choice but to do it. He did it the best he could.
With reguards " I picture myself with a guitar". I remember his mother once saying that Daniel was so disappointed when he got his first guitar, because he thought he would be able to make it sound just like The Beatles streight away. So maybe this song refers to that very thing. How he pictured how his guitar playing would be, to how it sounds in reality.
I know who spoke the final words... "Getting appointed with yourself. You who are now starting on the greatest adventure of your life.... Why have you listened?"
Sounds like Alan Watts
@@steel3892 Yes it's Alan Watts!
the ending of this video is actually genius, you took the meaning of the end part of no more pushing joe around and interpolated it into your video... amazing work
“I see your face, I picture myself with a guitar.”, I feel like that’s him saying “this individual inspires me on some level to pick up my guitar and write.”, but idk.
this needs way more recognition than it has, this is beautiful, thank you
After watching this again and listening to the album I totally agree on everything, especially on the “I take it all back” line.
This album changed my life when I first heard it in September 2019, about 4 years ago shortly after his death. There was absolutely nothing else like it, and to this day it's my go-to album whenever I just want to turn off the light and be alone in my room.
I always have such a hard time listening to anything after 'Hey Joe'. Actually have a theory about that though. 'Hey Joe' seems to be such a perfectly obvious closing track with its hopeful lyrics and sense of finality, except that it's followed by three other tracks. The way it appears to me, 'Hey Joe' would have been the closing track if Daniel had his happy ending, but since he didn't- we're shown the downtrodden nightmare of 'No More Pushing Joe Around' instead. There's some poetic mastery to that which frankly terrifies me. Great album, but its one of those I need to listen to only at the right moments.
DANIEL JOHNSTON MENTIONED I FUCKING LOVE THIS CHANNEL NOW, BEEN A DAN FAN FOR 8 YEARS NOW
This video really deserves more views. This is an insane video that legit blew my mind.
Why is the audio cutting out during Keep Punching Joe?
copyright
@@co5oo____ Oh, that makes sense
Watched this for the first time on Hi How Are You day. I just learned that was today. Kind of poetic that I learned about it on the very day, isn't it? Great video by the way :)
Thank you for making these videos they’re amazing and open my ears to new sounds
I love this video dude. This is one of the most inspiring albums I've heard, you can make art however you can as long as you give it value. Dan has been a big inspiration and it's so good to see someone talking about his work. Thank you so much!!
I love this album thank you for covering it!
Wake up babe, new tennisthom video
This video was beautifully ended
funny I was just thinking this week for the first time that maybe social media is 'evil' and maybe it needs to be abolished. Super video dude!
i think "i pcture myself with a guitar" is daniel expressing he wants to play the guitar for that person, the one with that face, maybe a lover, but can only picture himself doing so, as he is too shy or he just can't play the guitar for this person who is important enough to desire to do so.
like a "silly" conflict that still bugs him
the way i see it, i kinda "used" the album to feel sorry for myself, so that's the reason i listened. and now i'm questioning my situation, so
Hey man, just wanna tell you that I really like your content, been watching since the first video. Keep it up!
First time watching this video and it's become one of my favorite deep dives of the year. Daniel Johnston is an enigma in the musical world, and I loved every second of getting to know more about him.
Thank you!
Great videos...I hope to see more
To me, "I Picture Myself With A Guitar" sounds like Daniel seeing the girl he loves (his muse Laurie perhaps) and picturing himself as the sensitive yet suave folk singer or rock star he'd need to be to win her heart. Daniel was a gifted piano player, but preferred to play guitar on stage despite being much worse at it, probably because playing guitar and singing is...well, just what a big-time live musician does.
Sort of what I thought too. He sees someone, and it makes him want to write music for whatever reason because he can't express himself to her or them. Or even himself.
I DONT understand 😕 how he didn't do his research....Daniel johnston suffered from schizophrenia and manic episodes..and was deeply in love with laurie who he knew could never truly be with her because he was ill while she was normal
You are an absolute fucking legend for getting me with the way you ended your video lmfao The cheesy ass grin on my face when I realized. 10/10 content man. Keep up the good work 💕
The cycle sound you discussed has a melody similar to the 2001: a space odyssey soundtrack (also sprach zarathustra). Btw: dig your content man. I loved both BoC deep dives and was pleasantly surprised to find out you took the time to look into this obscure gem of an album. If you haven't yet, check out the documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston. It's my most favorite musical documentary.
By the way, there seems to be an error in the Keep Punching Joe part. There was no sound for a bit.
The animations you made for this video fit perfectly
Very underrated youtube channel m8. This was a really great analysis and you articulate your ideas so well, I definitely subscribbed for more :~)
congrats for your content and the way you expose your ideas! keep going man
Despair Came Knocking was the first Daniel Johnston song I ever heard. Check out more of his '80s material (Don't Be Scared, Songs of Pain, etc.) or his album 1990. He was a great artist.
Why does this video’s audio cut out? And it ended abruptly too
First is most probably because it got claimed, second is because the whole point is that his depression keeps cycling back, the video if put on loop comes back to the start covering the start of the album and so he yet again comes back to his worse mental state again despite the previous hope.
Another banger bud, keep up the good work.
What happened to the audio?
Video loops. Cool 😎
Keep up the great videos!!
Some of the audio is silenced out for the Keep Punching Joe part and at the very end of Pest Control
I had that same thing too, I thought it was intentional when it was just text and then I saw that he started talking again.
love your videos!
Underrated channel keep it up bro!!!!!
love this vid
26:25 Oof there goes copyright
So I heard the song just randomly play whilst my Spotify was playing. Tell me why I just so happen to wake up the second the song starts and says "Hi, how are you?" This moment quite literally gave me a heart attack so much so I could've died.
There is a weird quality to this album to me that kinda makes what you just said make sense
Nice ending
That is- insane, for 1983! Give it that I havent heard political music outside of some concious rap/hip hop and some rock songs, but in 1983? Its interesting. And suprising to see a 22 year old, brave enough to get this discriptive and darkness.
Just the mention of car seat headrest is worth watching the video
I love you. you will be famous someday
BRILLIANT ! ~~~ I'm not sure why but my version of this video is only 37:20 ! It justs ends abruptly and I didn't get "The Cycle" or "The Outro". ???
Please do deep dive on Trout Mask Replica next!
i think i picture myself with a guitar is about him wishing he could play or express himself to others so theyd understand
10 mins into this video, and I think I found my people.
Rule 17 gotta be coincident
Experimental Video. Im saying that because of the silence in some parts
That was cool, and too relatable
True love will find you in the end is such a Beautiful song Makes me Cry. And Don't play cards with Satan makes me Laugh my Ass off.
Yip Jump Music is his best album. Hi, How are You is a close second
Fun fact the first true lofi alblum i heard was the solo project of death cab for cutie singer all time quaterback it had a few simple indie rock songs and then a few really lofi solo ukulele songs which are like so sad sounding and like deal with the sadness of life and like god its so sad its so sad you can hear a tape hiss in the background wind comes through the hissing his voice is so freaking sad sounded he mentions i hear its cold in Cleveland and then says but it cant be as cold as it is here which is obviously refering to depression
I personally really like lofi like for example some of this is like incredibly sad sounding and super mimimal and like yes it has a very low quality it reminds me of my quite frankly horrible ukulele songs which i recorded in my bedroom and were just incredibly out of tune but like i mean well someone liked it
big business monkey rocks
26:30 what's hapening with the audio.
It’s probably copyright
The jazz sample isnt just pitched down its heavily reverbed and slowed way down
do you have 3 boxes of cheese itz in the back
dope
You missed KEY information for his character
What do you mean you got a headache listening to this record?
I've listened to this record multiple times and always found it beautiful. Fell in love with it the very first time I listened to it.
Small detail but It was McDonalds not pizza delivery
37:19 "so basically" *video ends*
Im pretty sure that ill never marry is also about his depression he is saying he believes he so depressed that he will comitt suicide before he ever gets any chance
to get married due to his depression
Jeremiah the innocent > little froggy guy
Death Grips?
Mac Miller gave me the same energy as Daniel, just saying
alenu 😂
I also just cant get over this is like someone who had no music experience just a guy using random instruments to make minimal muffled lofi rock and blues which is just so sad and like bad sounding but like its not cause like its still good to listen to so there is no like awnser
I don't think it's bad sounding, it's a really good record to listen to.
Whys the example gay marrige 😂