Singer-songwriter, whose latest release, Ghost of David, is just marvelous, beautiful, and sorrowful.
EVENT: Damien Jurado plays with Aimee Mann and Crooked Fingers at the UW Hub Ballroom on Fri Dec 8.
You work at a day care?
"It's actually more like a pre-school. It's not really a day care, because we actually give lessons."
What do the kids think of your songs?
"Well, they know I'm pretty well known, but they actually haven't heard too much of my stuff. Most of the stuff I play for them are, you know, kids' songs."
What are your favorite kids' songs?
"Let's see, there's this one called 'Car Song' written by Woodie Guthrie--he's one of the greatest kids' songwriters, I think. And he talks about how the boys and girls jump around in the back seat and the front seat, honk the horn--you know, it's basically about kids going apeshit in the car. And I wrote one called 'Put Your Finger in the Air,' and it eventually leads to putting your butt up in the air, and the kids love that."
Do you not play them the serious stuff because it would be too difficult?
"I don't think they'd really get it. But actually, before the record came out, I had an advance copy, and I played it for this class during the painting hour and they had to interpret what they heard. And I told them I'd use [their interpretations] somewhere in the cover art, so I used [them] underneath the CD tray."
Oh! That's what that is.
"Yeah, it's kids' art. So definitely it's somber [laughs]. The kids just think of death and think, 'Okay, this is good, I can go with that.' So that's where the picture came from."
Do you remember some of your favorite kids' songs when you were young?
"I actually have the same 45, from when I was a kid, of 'The Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly.' That's an awesome song. Because eventually she dies, you know, and it's all just so absurd. It's great."
So have you thought about doing a kids' record?
"I've thought about it. I'd like to do one eventually. My wife and I have a seven-month-old and I've definitely been writing songs for him."
