Indie rock musician Sharon Van Etten has released a cover version of Daniel Johnston’s “Some Things Last A Long Time” for a Matt Furie documentary, as reported by Brooklyn Vegan.  The song is for a documentary entitled Feels Good Man which is focused on the cartoonist Matt Furie who, among many anthropomorphic characters, created Pepe the Frog – which was then appropriated by white supremacy groups.

Along with this cover, Van Etten also contributed another song entitled “Let Go” to the documentary.

There are immediate differences from the original; there isn’t any softness of piano. It’s now darker by the accompanying percussion. It’s now melancholic and sad as opposed to Johnston’s version where it felt sweeter. 

Earlier this year, Sharon Van Etten celebrated her 10th-anniversary of her album Ten by releasing epic Ten which features a handful of cover songs. 

Daniel Johnston – known for his outsider artistry (not just in music) had passed away in 2019 from an expected heart attack at the age of 58. Johnston suffered a string of mental health issues throughout his life and career, along with a severe plane crash in the 1990s that ultimately led Johnston to seek treatment for his mental wellbeing. Most notably, Johnston became extremely popular due to Kurt Cobain’s Hi How Are You? t-shirt. Many alternative and indie bands attribute to Johnston’s music.

Photo credit Kayln Oyer.