European Jewel

"European Jewel" is a song written by Sterling Smith for his Jandek music project. The song was originally released on his debut album Ready For The House on August 31, 1978. The song was incomplete at its first release, and was listed as "European Jewel (Incomplete)" as the ninth track on the album. In Ready For The House the song just ends very abruptly. The rest of the song (literally) was released in Jandek's fourth album Chair Beside A Window as the second track. The rest of the song in Chair Beside A Window, was recorded in a different session. The song was sung in its entirety in Jandek's eighth album The Rocks Crumble in three versions, "European Jewel 613", "European Jewel II", and "European Jewel 501". The versions of the song as released in The Rocks Crumble are all just snippets of the lyrics all recorded in different sessions.

Original incomplete version (from Ready For The House)
You sure are cool, a European jewel

I dig you most

A letter came, its not the same

The ink was blue

A relative stopped by to say he saw you, hey

A walkin' down a lonesome town

Some time ago

He said you had a mouth so bad

The lips were rotting off

You dropped a tear to end his fear

You seem quite well

It's a long time spell

I'm wondering where you got that infection

There's bugs in my brain

I can't feel any pain

Just a shaking sha—

[song ends abruptly]

The other half of the song (from Chair Beside A Window)
There's bugs in my brain, I can't feel any pain

Just a shaking shake

Just a breaking break broke me today in the afternoon

No matter who you fool, it's a European jewel all in the sky

"European Jewel 613"
You sure are cool, a European jewel

I dig you most

A letter came, it's not the same

The ink was blue

A relative stopped by to say he saw you, hey

A walkin' down a lonesome town

Some time ago

He said you had a mouth so bad

The lips were rotting off

You dropped a tear to end his fear

You seem quite well

It's a long time spell

I'm wonderin' well

You got an infection

There's bugs in my brain, I can’t feel any pain

Just a shaking shake

Just a breaking break

Broke me today in the afternoon

No matter who you fool

It's a European Jewel, aw, in disguise

"European Jewel II"
You sure are cool, a European jewel

I dig you most

A letter came, it's not the same

The ink was blue

A relative stopped by to say he saw you, hey

A walkin' down a lonesome town

Some time ago

He said you had a mouth so bad

The lips were rotting off

You dropped a tear into his ear

You'll sing quite well

"European Jewel 501"
You sure are cool, a European jewel

I dig you most

A letter came, it's not the same

The ink was blue

A relative stopped by to say he saw you, hey

A walkin' down a lonesome town

Some time ago

He said you had a mouth so bad

The lips were rotting off

You dropped a tear to end his fear

You seem quite well

It's a long time spell

I'm wonderin' well

You got an infection

There's bugs in my brain, I can’t feel any pain

Just a shaking shake

Just a breaking break

Broke me today in the afternoon

No matter who you fool

It's a European Jewel, aw, in disguise