This stuff is for dancing, and not for analysis.

February 23, 2012 4:05 PM

Jonathan Richman Reads A Poem For MOJO.
posted by hot soup girl (24 comments total)

Thank you
posted by mojohand at 4:23 PM on February 23, 2012

He reads with gusto - damn, you bet.
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 4:25 PM on February 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

PSA, requires flash.
posted by -t at 4:30 PM on February 23, 2012

What a cool guy. He always seems like he's about sixteen to me. Jonathan Richman having sex is a weird thought, let alone Jonathan Richman getting old.
posted by stinkycheese at 4:51 PM on February 23, 2012

Jonathan Richman does not blink.
posted by photoslob at 4:52 PM on February 23, 2012

It's like he's all dignified.
posted by jwhite1979 at 5:05 PM on February 23, 2012 [3 favorites]

Repeating myself: Possibly the single best show I have ever been to was Richman playing an incredibly tiny club in Kensington Market in Toronto in 1989. It started off well with The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band getting everyone dancing, then Richman came out and killed in all his geeky awesomosity. I had never seen such an exchange of love and energy between an audience and a performer before. I commented to my friends as we were leaving that I had no idea that the man had such an ego -- and he was preening and showing off his guns as he played, smiling delightedly now and then as he got girls squealing -- meaning it as a complete compliment, but I was in the minority on that one.

There were more than 40 people -- maybe 100? - in a tiny, tiny room, and we were all incredibly lucky to be there. Everyone should see a Jonathan Richman show at least once in their life. Even if you're not 20 any more, you'll feel like 20.
posted by maudlin at 5:06 PM on February 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

I recently played Pablo Picasso on my iPod for some of my bar buddies who had never heard it before. They liked it.
posted by jonmc at 5:22 PM on February 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

Yeah. Small club. Maybe 50 - 60 people. That night he was a troubaudor. Strolling among the tables.
posted by DaddyNewt at 5:24 PM on February 23, 2012

I recently played Pablo Picasso on my iPod for some of my bar buddies who had never heard it before

You need some new buddies.
posted by escabeche at 5:51 PM on February 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

We have to learn to play with nothing, with our guitars broken, and it's raining.
posted by Kinbote at 6:20 PM on February 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

You need some new buddies.

Nah. It's much more fun introducing people to cool stuff, than trying to impress the jaded.
posted by jonmc at 6:30 PM on February 23, 2012 [4 favorites]

I've been lucky enough to have seen him about a dozen times and have been even luckier to get to hang with him almost as many times (we have shared a couple band members). He has been on perma-tour with his drummer Tommy for a couple decades now and it's easy to imagine the two of them completely crossing entire states without saying a word to each other.
posted by sourwookie at 7:08 PM on February 23, 2012

Reading faster miles an hour.
posted by clearly at 7:11 PM on February 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

Thanks for this.
posted by jessamyn at 7:26 PM on February 23, 2012

I love his voice. My favorite song of his is where he's talking about being in awe of some bar band in bermuda, and how he relized HE was the one who was really square.
posted by not_on_display at 7:30 PM on February 23, 2012

A good friend in high school was obsessed with Jonathan Richman, but was too young to see him play at the local club. She was devastated, especially since her dad was going to see him and she had to stay home. But her dad, who is a sweet and thoughtful man, told Jonathan that she was sitting at home pouting about being unable to come to the show, so midway through the concert, he called her from the stage, and played a song for her over the phone. That story is everything good in the world.
posted by to sir with millipedes at 8:09 PM on February 23, 2012 [10 favorites]

I've only just over the last month or so, gotten into a heavy jonathan richman obsession/listening binge. It's like every few nights I discover another "most amazing song in the world", over and over.
posted by stifford at 8:45 PM on February 23, 2012

Yeah, the Gen-Y and the Millenials are screwed - "I rebel! I'm, new! I'm young! I'm hip!"

Gen-X - "You are pure and awesome and beautiful. I learned how to play guitar and record albums and book shows just for you. I had to headbutt someone. Now drink your cocoa, dear."

Gen-Y - "Moooooom! No! I can do this by... oooh... hot cocoa! Ossum."
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:56 PM on February 23, 2012

thanks that was awesome.

I always loved that pablo picasso song. Does anyone remember the response song about "this did not happen to gertrude stein" very funny, don't know who it was by.
posted by chapps at 9:44 PM on February 23, 2012

That would be Phranc's Gertrude Stein.
posted by maudlin at 9:53 PM on February 23, 2012

Thanks, maudlin!!
posted by chapps at 11:09 PM on February 23, 2012

Heh. I never heard that Phrnac version before. That was fairly cool. I bet my friends need to get new friends.
posted by 3.2.3 at 6:52 AM on February 24, 2012

I'm just learning guitar.
I'm just learning to sing...

Wow. Thank you.

That Summer Feeling is my fave.
posted by swift at 12:01 PM on February 24, 2012 [1 favorite]