Watch The Flaming Lips pause their concert at Riot Fest’s 15th anniversary celebration in Chicago to mourn the life of recently passed songwriter, Daniel Johnston, in a truly heart-wrenching cover of ‘True Love Will Find You in the End’.
This Friday in Chicago, The Flaming Lips performed their 2002 classic Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots in full for the first time in years, pausing midway through to pay tribute to songwriter Daniel Johnston who died of natural causes this week at just 58.
“This is something we feel we must play for you tonight,” said Lips frontman Wayne Coyne on stage Friday at Riot Fest. “Some of you may know the songwriter Daniel Johnston. We were lucky enough to do a show last February raising money and awareness for mental health. Daniel struggled with schizophrenia and, sadly, he died just two nights ago,” Coyne explained.
“We had been singing this song as a joyous occasion. It’s kind of an encouraging song. But tonight I think it’s slightly a sad song. I think the message is if you know anyone in your life having a private struggle… please reach out to them,” he continued. “This is one of his – and he’s had a lot of them – but this is one of his most encouraging and beautiful songs,” said Coyne, setting up a Flaming Lips cover of Johnston’s impeccably beautiful True Love Will Find You in the End.’
“Don’t be sad while you’re here,” sang Coyne during the cover, seemingly on the verge of tears. It was a truly emotional moment in the festival, as the cheering crowd put down their phones for but a single moment, and paid full attention to the tribute. Coyne noticed, looking down at the stage as he pumped his right fist in the air, working an improvisational reference to Riot Fest and Chicago into Johnston’s lyrics.
