Archive Panic: The man has a giant library of released music.
Someone interviewed in the documentary The Devil And Daniel Johnston asserts that early in his recording career Daniel didn't know tapes could be copied and would re-record an entire album in order every time he made a copy, thinking it was how everyone did it. If this is true, every copy of his early hand made tapes was a unique performance, making them even more collectable.
Big-Lipped Alligator Moment: Some tracks off his older albums are pretty out there, IE, "Something More", from Don't Be Scared which is a 3 minute long audio collage of various noises, background chatting, etc. Also, the random keyboard fills from the Fun album.On the song "Catie", also from Fun, Dan casually burps into the microphone.
Cult Classic: Became a cult favorite in the 1980s.
Friendly Fandoms: He shares one with The Beatles and Brian Wilson, both of whom he's often compared to by music publications and his fanbase. Helps that Johnston has frequently acknowledged the Beatles as an influence, covered some of their songs, and has claimed his earliest attempts at songwriting started by learning Beatles songs on piano and changing the order of the chords until they were less recognizable.
Mainstream Obscurity: He is possibly one of the most well known Outsider Music artists in existence and has gained some fame in alternative music circles, but you won't find him in the hit parade soon, left alone a household name with the general public.
Hoo, boy..."Poor You", the opener for Hi, How Are You, is just one example.
"Like a Monkey in a Zoo" from Songs of Pain is a real killer, if you can relate.
"Some Things Last a Long Time" from 1990 is almost ethereal in its sadness, with Johnston singing about a portrait of a (presumably deceased) individual, musing on how even when we die we leave reminders for those who care. And that's not even getting into the Harsher in Hindsight value added by Johnston's own death in 2019.
The Woobie: If you read about the man's life, you'll be thankful that you have it easier.
