Daniel Johnston - "Speeding Motorcyle" (forgotten song)

Daniel Johnston died this week, and although his passing was marked by many major outlets (for example, NPR and Pitchfork), most people won't recognize his name.  I know him because Yo La Tengo covered "Speeding Motorcycle" on their 1990 "Fakebook" LP, but other people might know him from Kurt Cobain wearing a "Hi, How Are You" t-shirt, or Pearl Jam covering "Walking the Cow".  Combine that with the list of artists who contributed to his 2004 tribute LP "The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered" and you'll get an idea of how he was a songwriter's songwriter. 

Although for a while he had a deal with a major label, most of his early discography were home recorded tapes that he distributed in Austin and other places.  "Speeding Motorcycle" came from his 1983 LP "Yip/Jump Music", his fifth self-released LP and is one of his more "popular" songs due to Yo La Tengo's cover.

His child-like wonderment made him an icon in the lo-fi, DIY scene, similar to another Kurt Cobain favorite, Calvin Johnson/Beat Happening/K Records.  Although they don't explicitly claim an influence, the appeal of Johnston comes from the same lo-fi / garage source that makes "American Weekend" and "Dancer Equired!" mesmerizing to me.

Daniel Johnston - "Speeding Motorcycle"
Yo La Tengo - "Speeding Motorcycle"
Daniel Johnston & Yo La Tengo - "Speeding Motorcycle", 1990*


* Johnston sings over the phone from a mental institution in West Virginia while accompanied by YLT in a radio studio; from Jay Lustig: "Yo La Tengo had just recorded its own version of “Speeding Motorcycle” for its Fakebook album, and WFMU DJ Nick Hill arranged for the collaboration. So Johnston sang over the phone, Yo La Tengo played in the studio, and the results were pretty magical."  Johnston drew the cover art for the resulting single.