[Jandek] The blues and sexual innuendo

[Gavin]

Tuesday, December 26, 2006, 4:17:06 PM, you wrote:

TET> Hmmm...but it's NOT insulting and sophomoric to react as though the mere 
TET> insinuation/interpretation of a song/title were the most insulting thing in 
TET> the world?  (Given Jandek's fondness for the blues, one should point out the 
TET> song 'Back Door Man' ;) )

I think the blues analogy is a valid defence of what *was* a pretty
lame innuendo, but I can't think of any other Jandek lyric or title
that seems remotely concerned with sexual innuendo of any kind - in
fact, if one wants to consider (just for the sake of argument) that
Jandek has anything at all to do with 'rock music', I think that the
entire body of work is pretty unique in its absence of sexual
reference, use of profanity etc...the word 'genitals' is used in two
lyrics, which is unusual in itself in that it's a 'formal' reference
that's not normally used in everyday speech (at least not these days -
euphemisms are so much more expressive!) - I think what people might
find offensive is the same thing that the (utterly cretinous) 'Butts
For Jandek' offends: a sense of an inherent propriety, and a
politeness - and that this elicts a likewise response in a
listener...I can see the 'Door Behind' analogy now that it's been
pointed out, but it would never have crossed my mind, and it adds
nothing to my understanding of Jandekian metaphor. But obviously I'm
only speaking for myself here; as far as I'm concerned, this kind of
'lowest common denominator' critical thinking detracts from any kind
of proper understanding of anything, be it music, literature or art,
but it works for some people - but I personally think, life, art and
metaphor is much richer than just bringing everything down to sex.

Gavin



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