Jonathan Richman

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singer-songwriter, rock, punk, indie, proto-punk… see all

Jonathan Richman was born to a Jewish family in Natick, Massachusetts. He began playing music and writing his own songs in the mid-1960s. In 1969 he moved to New York City, where he spent time living on the couch of The Velvet Underground’s manager and working odd jobs while trying to break in as a professional musician. Failing at this, he returned to Boston. Having moved back, he formed The Modern Lovers, a proto-punk garage rock band. Other notable members of the group were keyboard player Jerry Harrison and drummer David Robinson, who later joined Talking Heads and The Cars, respectively. In 1972 they recorded a series of songs, including the seminal “Roadrunner,” which were eventually released on the group’s sole album, Modern Lovers, in 1975.

Shortly after these recordings were made, Richman broke up the band and embarked on his long and eclectic solo career. For a while he continued recording under the “Modern Lovers” name (or rather, the more telling “Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers” appellation), but all the members were different, and in the new incarnation were essentially his backing band. The sound of the new group was considerably different as well, focusing on acoustic instrumentation rather than the prior electric guitars and drums. The album Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers was released in January 1977, Rock and Roll with the Modern Lovers followed a month later, and Modern Lovers Live in 1978.

1	Egyptian Reggae	162
2	I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar full track	127
3	That Summer Feeling full track	125
4	Velvet Underground full track	98
5	Because Her Beauty Is Raw and Wild	95
6	Roadrunner	94
7	No One Was Like Vermeer	71
8	When We Refuse To Suffer	69
9	You Can't Talk to the Dude full track	68
10	The Lovers Are here And They're Full Of Sweat	67
11	The Neighbors full track	66
12	Parties in the U.S.A. full track	64
12	Our Drab Ways	64
14	Time Has Been Going By So Fast	59
14	When She Kisses Me full track	59

Top Albums

I, Jonathan
Jonathan Richman
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Action Packed: The Best of Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Richman
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Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love
Jonathan Richman
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Buzz Buzz Buzz
Jonathan Richman
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kivitel wrote:
10 days ago

May Jonathan recieve all His blessings.

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fazz93 wrote:
last month

im new to lastfm, so can someone tell me why after about 5 listens to a song, it suddenly stops becoming fully available and turns into a preview? thanks

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BCThunderthud wrote:
June 2008

I think I'm gonna retag everything as "...and/or the Modern Lovers", what do you think?

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covo-s-greskom wrote:
June 2008

don't you think beat happening should be higher in similar artists list?

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deadjoe wrote:
June 2008

Download the very, very rare JONATHAN GOES FUNKY demo tape from the early 80's on http://www.boxingduck.co.uk now!

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BillStrange wrote:
June 2008

This guy is the one who made me pick up a guitar and try to strangle it right after I got "The Modern Lovers" L.P. [produced by John Cale] in the late seventies. When is he going to play a gig in Massachusetts?

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chairsmissing wrote:
May 2008

Happy Birthday to Jonathan!

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birdwhistle wrote:
May 2008

He was lovely at Shepherd's Bush Empire the other night. He gives me hope.

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rokkoralph wrote:
May 2008

That Summer Feeling ruined my day

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intoxicant26 wrote:
April 2008

and you is god

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covo-s-greskom wrote:
April 2008

i wish i could meet him.or even better i wish he were my neighbour so i could annoy him...XDXD

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covo-s-greskom wrote:
April 2008

thanks

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[deleted-user] wrote:
March 2008

I like the new album :) So warm!
saltandblues wrote:
March 2008

jonathan is pretty incomparable, but you can get a poor man's version from some of jens lekman songs, maybe a few of adam green's too. because her beauty is raw and wild is great!

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Infra-Pop wrote:
February 2008

maybe you like daniel johnston or jad fair? maybe try it here when you want to write him: http://www.myspace.com/pablopicassowasnevercalledanasshole

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covo-s-greskom wrote:
February 2008

anyone know how could i contact him like mail or adress?thanks a lot. p.s. any really similar band??? thanks a lot

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covo-s-greskom wrote:
February 2008

i, jonathan is a great album. if you want to fly through his career try some best of like action packed or radio on.but, in the end when you get crazy about his music you'll realise that his all albums are great ;)

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WhoMadeCookies wrote:
January 2008

Can anyone recommend a starting point? I was considering I, Jonathan. Good starting point?

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Infra-Pop wrote:
January 2008

mh, he should come to germany, wanna see him *sob*

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HauntedBanana wrote:
January 2008

His camero in 'Something About Mary' is memorable!

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deathless
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Events

Sep 30 Jonathan Richman Continental Club, Austin, United States
Add shout | 2 attendees
Oct 1 Jonathan Richman The Parish, Austin, United States
Add shout | 2 attendees
Oct 2 Jonathan Richman RUBBER GLOVES, Denton, TX 76205, United States
Add shout | 5 attendees