Jed the Humanoid
Encyclopedia
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 an android who drinks himself to death
, and is taken to be central to the nature
versus technology
parable of the band's second album. A music reviewer for The Guardian
, Dorian Lynskey, called it "the saddest robot
song ever written."
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."
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
.
"Jed is a mechanical martyr with a message," said Lytle. "And his message is that alcohol and electronics do not mix."
The character of Jed also appears in two other songs by Grandaddy: Jed's Other Poem (Beautiful Ground) from the same album, and in the song Jeddy 3's Poem from the EP Signal to Snow Ratio
.
The Sophtware Slump
The Sophtware Slump is the second studio album by American indie rock band Grandaddy, released in 2000. The album received strong reviews from most critics. It is seen by some as a concept album about problems concerning modern technology in society. The title is a reference to the sophomore slump,...
released by the Modesto, California
Modesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
indie-rock band Grandaddy
Grandaddy
Grandaddy was an American indie rock band, formed in 1992 in Modesto, California by singer, guitarist, and keyboardist Jason Lytle, bassist Kevin Garcia, and drummer Aaron Burtch. Guitarist Jim Fairchild and keyboardist Tim Dryden later joined the band in 1995...
. The song is a eulogy for an android who drinks himself to death
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, and is taken to be central to the nature
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
versus technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
parable of the band's second album. A music reviewer for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, Dorian Lynskey, called it "the saddest robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
song ever written."
Songwriter Jason Lytle
Jason Lytle
Jason Lytle is an American musician best known for his work in the indie rock group Grandaddy. He released a solo album in 2009 and is currently in the band Admiral Radley.-Biography:...
explained that much like Modesto's famous former resident, George Lucas
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
, growing up "he had nothing better to do than dream up robots."
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
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
"Jed is a mechanical martyr with a message," said Lytle. "And his message is that alcohol and electronics do not mix."
The character of Jed also appears in two other songs by Grandaddy: Jed's Other Poem (Beautiful Ground) from the same album, and in the song Jeddy 3's Poem from the EP Signal to Snow Ratio
Signal to Snow Ratio
Signal to Snow Ratio is an EP by American indie rock band Grandaddy, released in 1999. It is included in the 2CD edition of their album The Sophtware Slump.- Track listing :# "Hand Crank Transmitter"# "Jeddy 3's Poem"# "MGM Grand"...
.