Track of the Day: Jerry Fish feat. MayKay, 'Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Your Grievances'

Irish indie legend and cabaret provocateur Jerry Fish today unleashes his latest single ‘Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Your Grievances’, a joyous cover of a Daniel Johnston song in collaboration with singer MayKay (Fight Like Apes) on November 1st. The release is followed by an album of Johnston covers, Dreaming of Daniel, which lands on 15th November. Pre-order the forthcoming LP here.

‘Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Your Grievances’ is a powerful tune, fortifying Johnston’s raw original take with big band, rock cabaret sensibilities.

A long-time fan of Daniel, Jerry has been performing ‘The Story Of An Artist’ for years. When Daniel died in 2019, Fish released ‘True Love Will Find You In The End’. His version caught the attention of Daniel’s manager Tom Gimbel, who asked if Jerry could run "Hi, How Are You Day" in Dublin on January 22nd 2020 (Daniel’s birthday). Jan 22nd is "Hi, How Are You Day" all over the world, a day to celebrate Daniel’s life and legacy and to have open conversations about mental health and wellbeing. Since 2020, Jerry has co-hosted ‘Hi, How Are You Day’ in Dublin with MayKay and pianist/arranger Cian Boylan.

“This is my first vinyl record in thirty-four years and my first LP in fifteen years,” Jerry says. “A labour of love, five years in the making. I am very proud of it. It’s a record full of amazingly talented musicians, a fourteen-piece orchestra, a three-piece brass section, backing vocals from some of the best vocal talent in Ireland, praising one of the greatest songwriters of all time.

“Not alone is his lyrical wit and honesty an inspiration to me and a multitude of artists the world over, we also have so much fun performing his songs live. The album Dreaming of Daniel captures the joy we experience on stage performing Daniel’s songs.”

‘Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Your Grievances’ certainly conveys that sense of joy in spades. With heart-rending lyrics imploring listeners to ”do yourself a favour, become your own saviour”, Jerry and Maykay share the vocals backed by a full band and a vibrant brass accompaniment. The song was originally contained on the fifth self-released music cassette album by Daniel Johnston, recorded over the summer 1983.

Fans of Jerry Fish and Daniel Johnston alike will be delighted to beat the January blues by going to the ‘Hi, How Are You Day’ celebrations on 26th January 2025 in The Grand Social in Dublin where Jerry will be showcasing more of the music from Dreaming of Daniel.

Listen to the new single below: