Jed the Humanoid

Last updated
"Jed the Humanoid"
Song by Grandaddy
from the album The Sophtware Slump
ReleasedMay 29, 2000
Recorded1999–2000
Studio Little Portugal, Modesto, California
Genre Indie rock
Length4:18
Label V2
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Jason Lytle

"Jed the Humanoid" is a song on the 2000 album The Sophtware Slump released by the Modesto, California indie-rock band Grandaddy. The song is a eulogy for Jeddy 3, an android who drinks himself to death after his creators neglect him, [1] and is taken to be central to the nature versus technology parable of the band's second album. [2] A music reviewer for The Guardian, Dorian Lynskey, called it "the saddest robot song ever written." [3]

Songwriter Jason Lytle explained that much like Modesto's famous former resident, George Lucas, growing up "he had nothing better to do than dream up robots." [1]

In the song, the inventors of the bona fide thinking, feeling robot lament leaving town and returning to find that Jed has raided the liquor cabinet and killed himself. [4]

"Jed is a mechanical martyr with a message," said Lytle. "And his message is that alcohol and electronics do not mix." [5]

The character of Jed also appears in three other songs by Grandaddy: Jed's Other Poem (Beautiful Ground) from the same album, in the song Jeddy 3's Poem from the EP Signal to Snow Ratio , and in the song Jed the 4th (which deals with Jed's alcoholic son) from the album Last Place .

Personnel

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References

  1. 1 2 "Bearded and proud". Telegraph (UK). February 2002.
  2. ↑ Moran, Charlie (2006-05-09). "Still sort of purring -- CD Review - Grandaddy: Just Like Fambly Cat". The Daily Iowan.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. ↑ Lynskey, Dorian (2006-01-27). "Readers recommend: songs about sci-fi and space". The Guardian (UK).
  4. ↑ Harvilla, Rob (2003-11-17). "Best Band on the Planet: Sometimes, even a jaded critic gets to be a fan". East Bay Express. Archived from the original on 2007-12-05.
  5. ↑ Athitakis, Mark (2000-06-28). "The Modesto Invasion: The San Francisco rock scene is alive and well -- 90 miles from San Francisco". SF Weekly.



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