Jonathan Michael Richman (born May 16, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970, he founded

the Modern Lovers The Modern Lovers were an American rock band formed in Natick, Massachusetts in 1970 by Jonathan Richman. The original band existed from 1970 to 1974 but their recordings were not released until 1976 or later. It featured Richman and bassist ...

, an influential

proto-punk Proto-punk (or protopunk) is rock music from the 1960s to mid-1970s that foreshadowed the punk rock genre and movement. A retrospective label, the musicians involved were generally not originally associated with each other and came from a variet ...

band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman has worked either solo or with low-key acoustic and electric backing. He is known for his wide-eyed, unaffected, and childlike outlook, and music that, while rooted in

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

, is influenced by music from around the world.

Biography

Early life

Born into a

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

family in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

, and raised in

Natick Natick ( ) is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 37,006 at the 2020 census. west of Boston, Natick is part of the Greater Boston area. ...

, Massachusetts, Richman began playing music and writing his own songs in the mid-1960s. He became infatuated with

the Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1964. Its classic lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Lou Reed, Welsh multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and percussionis ...

and, in 1969, he moved to New York City, lived on the couch of their manager,

Steve Sesnick Stephen Eugene Sesnick Jr. (September 8, 1941 – October 27, 2022) was an American rock club and rock band manager, and later a businessman. Sesnick is known for being the manager of the Velvet Underground. Early life Sesnick was born in Hoboke ...

, worked odd jobs, and tried to break in as a professional musician. Failing at this, he returned to Boston.

The Modern Lovers

Richman formed the Modern Lovers, a

garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock music that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The style is ...

band, in Boston, Massachusetts. Other notable members of the group were keyboard player

Jerry Harrison Jeremiah Griffin Harrison (born February 21, 1949) is an American musician, songwriter, producer, and entrepreneur. He began his professional music career as a member of the band the Modern Lovers, before becoming keyboardist and guitarist for ...

and drummer

David Robinson David Maurice Robinson (born August 6, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who played for the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1989 to 2003, and minority owner of the Spurs. Nicknamed ...

, who later joined

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1975.Talking Heads

and

the Cars The Cars were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1976. Emerging from the New wave music, new wave Subculture, scene in the late 1970s, they consisted of Ric Ocasek (rhythm guitar), Benjamin Orr (bass guitar), Elliot Easton (l ...

, respectively. In 1972, they recorded a series of demos with producer

John Cale John Davies Cale (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh musician, composer, and record producer who was a founding member of the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Over his six-decade career, Cale has worked in various styles across rock, dr ...

(formerly of the

Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1964. Its classic lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Lou Reed, Welsh multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and percussionist Moe Tuc ...

). Among these songs were the seminal "

Roadrunner The roadrunners (genus ''Geococcyx''), also known as chaparral birds or chaparral cocks, are two species of fast-running ground cuckoos with long tails and crests. They are found in the southwestern and south-central United States, Mexico and C ...

" and "

Pablo Picasso Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, Ceramic art, ceramicist, and Scenic ...

", which were eventually released four years later in August 1976 as ''

The Modern Lovers The Modern Lovers were an American rock band formed in Natick, Massachusetts in 1970 by Jonathan Richman. The original band existed from 1970 to 1974 but their recordings were not released until 1976 or later. It featured Richman and bassist ...

'', by which time the group had broken up. The album was strange for its time, featuring Velvets-influenced basic three-chord rock ("Roadrunner" – based on just two chords – is an homage to "

Sister Ray "Sister Ray" is a song by the Velvet Underground that closes side two of their 1968 album '' White Light/White Heat''. The lyrics are by Lou Reed, with music composed by John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Maureen Tucker and Reed. The song concerns dr ...

") at a time when

glam Glam is a shortened form of the word glamour. Glam or GLAM may also refer to: Film * ''Glam'' (film), a 1997 experimental drama film Institutions * University of Glamorgan, founded in 1913 and merged into the University of South Wales in 2013 ...

and

progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...

were the norm. Later in 1972, the group re-recorded some songs, along with other material, with producer

Kim Fowley Kim Vincent Fowley (July 21, 1939 – January 15, 2015) was an American record producer, songwriter and musician who was behind a string of novelty and cult pop rock singles in the 1960s, and managed the Runaways in the 1970s. He has been ...

. These demos were eventually released in 1981 as '' The Original Modern Lovers'' LP. Despite playing live regularly, the Modern Lovers had a difficult time securing a

recording contract A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording act (artist or group), where the act makes an audio recording (or series of recordings) for the label to sell and ...

. By late 1973, Richman wanted to scrap the recorded tracks and start again with a mellower, more lyrical sound, influenced by the laid-back local music he had heard when the band had a residency at the Inverurie Hotel in

Bermuda Bermuda is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. The closest land outside the territory is in the American state of North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. Bermuda is an ...

earlier in the year. These stymied efforts to complete a debut album led to the breakup of the original Modern Lovers in February 1974.

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers

In 1975, Richman moved to California to record as a solo

singer-songwriter A singer-songwriter is a musician who writes, composes, and performs their own musical material, including lyrics and melodies. In the United States, the category is built on the folk- acoustic tradition with a guitar, although this role has ...

with the independent

Beserkley Records Beserkley Records was an American independent record label based in Berkeley, California, from 1973 to 1984. Beserkley is usually regarded as a power pop and rock and roll label. During the 1970s, the label released albums by Earth Quake, Gre ...

label. His first released recordings appeared on 1975's ''Beserkley Chartbusters'' compilation, where he was backed by members of Earth Quake and the Rubinoos. The four songs on the compilation also appeared on singles released by Beserkley. In January 1976, Richman put together a new version of the Modern Lovers, which included original Modern Lovers drummer

, former Rubinoos bassist

Greg 'Curly' Keranen Greg is a masculine given name, and often a shortened form of the given name Gregory. Greg (sometimes spelled " Gregg") is also a surname. People with the name * Greg Abbott (disambiguation), multiple people * Greg Abel (born 1961/1962), Canadia ...

and Leroy Radcliffe on guitar. The new group, now billed as Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers, found Richman turning away from the harder, Velvet Underground-influenced electric rock of the original Modern Lovers, toward a gentler sound mixing pop with 1950s rock and roll, and including a bigger emphasis on harmony vocals. During this period Richman recorded a mix of original songs and material by other writers, including

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and de ...

's "Back in the USA", the traditional spiritual songs "Amazing Grace" and "Angels Watching Over Me", and older pop songs like "Emaline", "Buzz, Buzz, Buzz", and "Lydia". Richman's own songs continued to mix straightforward love themes with more whimsical themes like

Martian Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, has appeared as a setting in works of fiction since at least the mid-1600s. Trends in the planet's portrayal have largely been influenced by advances in planetary science. It became the most popular celes ...

s ("Here Come the Martian Martians"),

Leprechaun A leprechaun () is a diminutive supernatural being in Irish folklore, classed by some as a type of solitary fairy. They are usually depicted as little bearded men, wearing a coat and hat, who partake in mischief. In later times, they have bee ...

s ("Rockin' Rockin' Leprechauns"), the

Abominable Snowman The Yeti ()"Yeti"
. ''

children's music Children's music or kids' music is music composed and performed for children. In European-influenced contexts this means music, usually songs, written specifically for a juvenile audience. The composers are usually adults. Children's music has hi ...

standard "

The Wheels on the Bus "The Wheels on the Bus" is an American folk song written by Verna Hills (1898–1990). The earliest known publishing of the lyrics is the December 1937 issue of '' American Childhood'', originally called "The Bus", with the lyrics being "The whe ...

" made explicit his interest in making music for listeners of all ages. The album ''Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers'' was released in May 1976, three months before the older ''

'' sessions were finally released. Drummer David Robinson left the group soon thereafter, due to frustration with Richman's quest for lower volume levels, and joined with

Ric Ocasek Richard Theodore Otcasek (March 23, 1944 – September 15, 2019), known as Ric Ocasek ( ), was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was the primary vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and frontman for the America ...

in forming the band

. After several months as a trio, Richman found a new drummer, D. Sharpe, an avant-garde jazz player on the Boston scene, who later went on to become a member of pianist

Carla Bley Carla Bley (born Lovella May Borg; May 11, 1936 – October 17, 2023) was an American jazz composer, pianist, organist, and bandleader. An important figure in the free jazz movement of the 1960s, she gained acclaim for her jazz opera ''Escalator ...

's band. ''Rock and Roll with the Modern Lovers''was released in 1977 and, just as this record began to climb the charts in Europe, Keranen left the group to attend college. A subsequent live album, ''Modern Lovers Live'', was released in 1978, with Asa Brebner on bass. Jonathan-richman

In the United Kingdom, Richman was recognised as a progenitor of the

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

scene, and several of his singles became hits. "Roadrunner" reached number 11 in the UK Singles Chart, and its follow-up, the instrumental "Egyptian Reggae", made number 5 in late 1977. "Egyptian Reggae" was a version of Jamaican musician

Earl Zero Earl Anthony Johnson (born 1953), better known as Earl Zero, is a Jamaican roots reggae artist, whose career began in the 1970s. He is the uncle of Toronto rapper Raz Fresco. History Born 1953 in the Greenwich Town area of Kingston, Johnson was ...

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

song "None Shall Escape the Judgment"; Zero was credited as co-writer on Richman's later versions of the track. '' Back in Your Life'' was released in 1979 under the "Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers" moniker, but only about half the disc featured a backup band. The balance of the album was Richman playing solo. Following this version of The Modern Lovers' final breakup, Richman went on sabbatical for a few years, staying in

Appleton, Maine Appleton is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. It is about 15 miles inland from Penobscot Bay and coastal towns such as Camden and Rockland, about 30 miles east of the state capital of Augusta. The population was 1,411 at the 2020 ...

, and playing at local bars in

Belfast, Maine Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city population was 6,938. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River estuary on Belfast Bay (Maine), Belfast Bay and Penobsc ...

. By 1981, Richman was recording and touring once again with various combinations of musicians under the band name Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers. The touring band was as large as five backup musicians during parts of 1981, when the group had bassist Curly Keranen once again, along with drummer Michael Guardabascio, keyboard player Ken Forfia, vocalist and guitarist Ellie Marshall, and vocalist

Beth Harrington Beth Harrington (born July 2, 1955 in Boston, Massachusetts) is an Emmy-winning, Grammy-nominated filmmaker based in Vancouver, Washington, specializing in documentary features. Her documentaries often explore American history, music and culture, ...

for a gig at New York's

Bottom Line In business and accounting, net income (also total comprehensive income, net earnings, net profit, bottom line, sales profit, or credit sales) is an entity's income minus cost of goods sold, expenses, depreciation and amortization, interest, and ...

. This expanded Modern Lovers group would go on to record much of the music on the ''Jonathan Sings'' (1983), ''Rockin' & Romance'' (1985), and ''It's Time For'' (1986) albums. From 1981 to 1984, Richman most often played live in a trio with Keranen and Marshall. In 1985, the group was reconfigured, and consisted of bassist Asa Brebner and drummer

Andy Paley Andrew Douglas Paley (November 1, 1951 – November 20, 2024) was an American songwriter, record producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist who formed the Paley Brothers, a 1970s power pop duo, with his brother Jonathan Paley. Following thei ...

. From 1986 to 1988, most of Richman's concerts were played with guitarist Brennan Totten and drummer Johnny Avila. Signing with

Rounder Records Rounder Records is an independent record label founded in 1970 in Somerville, Massachusetts, by Marian Leighton Levy, Ken Irwin, and Bill Nowlin. Focused on American roots music, Rounder's catalogue of more than 3000 titles includes records by A ...

in 1987, Richman recorded his final album using the "Modern Lovers" group name ('' Modern Lovers 88''). After this, the "Modern Lovers" moniker was retired.

Solo

From 1988 to 1992, Richman performed mostly as a solo act to support his Rounder albums ''

Jonathan Richman Jonathan Michael Richman (born May 16, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970, he founded the Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman has worked either solo or with low-key acoustic an ...

'' (1989), '' Jonathan Goes Country'' (1990), and '' Having a Party with Jonathan Richman'' (1991). Around the time of his '' I, Jonathan'' album (1992), he formed his performance duo with drummer Tommy Larkins (

Giant Sand Giant Sand (formerly Giant Sandworms) is an American musical group from Tucson, Arizona, United States. Its most constant member is singer-songwriter Howe Gelb. The groups have developed idiosyncratic sound rooted in alternative country, but t ...

, Yard Trauma, Naked Prey, et al.), who would continue to play and record with Richman for more than 25 years. In 1993, he contributed the track "Hot Nights" to the AIDS-benefit album ''

No Alternative ''No Alternative'' is an alternative rock compilation album produced by Paul Heck and Chris Mundy that was released in 1993. It was the third compilation put together by the Red Hot Organization, a charity dedicated to raising money for and awa ...

'' produced by the

Red Hot Organization ''Red Hot Organization'' (RHO) is a non-profit, 501(c) 3, international organization with goals to promote diversity through equal access to healthcare through pop culture. Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors ...

. Always possessing an ardent

cult following A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The latter is often called a cult classic. A film, boo ...

, Richman became better known in the 1990s thanks to a series of appearances on ''

Late Night with Conan O'Brien ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the second installment of the ''Late Night (franchise), Late Night'' franchise originally established by David Letterman. Hosted by Conan O'Brie ...

''. Another career boost came with the

Farrelly Brothers Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly, collectively referred to as the Farrelly brothers, are American screenwriters and directors. They have made eleven films together, mostly comedies, including '' Dumb and Dumber'' and ''There's Something About Ma ...

' 1998 film ''

There's Something About Mary ''There's Something About Mary'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy film directed by the Farrelly brothers, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ed Decter and John J. Strauss. The film features Cameron Diaz as the title character, while Ben S ...

'', where Richman and Larkins served as a two-man

Greek chorus A Greek chorus () in the context of ancient Greek tragedy, comedy, satyr plays, is a homogeneous group of performers, who comment with a collective voice on the action of the scene they appear in, or provide necessary insight into action which ...

, commenting on the plot while performing their music within the framed action itself. He also appeared briefly in a bar scene in a previous Farrelly Brothers film, '' Kingpin'', and performed the song "As We Walk to Fenway Park" for their 2005 comedy, ''

Fever Pitch ''Fever Pitch: A Fan's Life'' is a 1992 autobiographical essay by British author Nick Hornby. The book is the basis for two films: '' Fever Pitch'' (1997, UK) and '' Fever Pitch'' (2005, US). The first edition was subtitled "A Fan's Life", but ...

''. Richman continued to release albums throughout the 1990s and 2000s, with the Spanish-language ''¡Jonathan, Te Vas a Emocionar!'' (1994), followed by ''You Must Ask the Heart'' (1995), '' Surrender to Jonathan!'' (1996), '' I'm So Confused'' (1998), '' Her Mystery Not of High Heels and Eye Shadow'' (2001), and '' Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love'' (2004). In 1998, a live album of Modern Lovers recordings from the early 1970s was released, ''Live at the Long Branch & More''. A live filmed performance, ''Take Me to the Plaza'', was released on

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...

in 2002. '' Revolution Summer'', a soundtrack album to a film of the same name, was released in 2007. Finally there were two more albums: '' Because Her Beauty Is Raw and Wild'' (2008) and ''O Moon, Queen Of Night On Earth'' (2010). Richman's most recent albums are on the

Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...

, Ohio based Blue Arrow Records: 2016's ''Ishkode! Ishkode!'', 2018's ''SA'' and 2021's ''Want to Visit My Inner House?''.

Personal life

His first marriage was to Gail Clook of

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

, in 1982, with whom he has a daughter, Jenny Rae, and stepson, Jason (Gail's son from a previous relationship). This marriage ended in divorce sometime shortly before the release of ''Surrender to Jonathan!'' (1996). In 2003, Richman married Nicole Montalbano of

Chico, California Chico ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for "little") is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. Located in the Sacramento Valley region of Northern California, the city had a population of 101,475 in the 2020 United Sta ...

. She contributed backing vocals to the album '' Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love'' (2004). Richman also runs a business, Arcane Masonry, in Chico, making bread ovens as well as other projects.

Artistry and instruments

Richman's minimalist songwriting style has been described as whimsical and childlike. He himself has stated, "I don't write, really. I just make up songs." Richman has played a variety of electric and acoustic guitars throughout his career. In promotional and concert photos from the early 1970s (such as those reproduced in the album ''Precise Modern Lovers Order''), Richman is frequently seen using a white Fender Stratocaster. He later wrote a song ("Fender Stratocaster") expressing his affection for the Stratocaster design. In the late 1970s, working with his group The Modern Lovers, Richman often played a Fender Jazzmaster. He can be seen playing this guitar in the Dutch TV program ''TopPop'' filmed on September 16, 1978. A contemporaneous stage photo used on the cover of the "Egyptian Reggae"

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

shows Richman playing a sunburst Stratocaster. Late-1970s studio recordings, such as the ''Rock and Roll with the Modern Lovers'' album, also featured Richman playing nylon-stringed acoustic guitar. On a 1979 performance on French television, and in the cover photo of ''The Best of Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers'', Richman plays a late-1970s Ibanez model 2453CW hollow-body electric guitar, a guitar similar in style to the Epiphone he would use extensively a decade later. In the early- and mid-1980s, working with The Modern Lovers, Richman was frequently photographed playing a Harmony Hollywood hollow-body electric guitar. This guitar is seen on the back cover of Richman's ''It's Time For'' album. By the late 1980s, Richman was frequently performing solo concerts using a blonde 1980s Epiphone Regent hollow-body electric guitar. He can be seen holding this guitar on the back cover of the ''Having a Party with Jonathan Richman'' CD. Richman was still using his Epiphone Regent on stage when he began performing as a duo with drummer Tommy Larkins in 1992. After a short stint playing other electric guitars on stage including a Gibson SG, Richman switched to exclusively playing nylon-stringed acoustic guitars (of the classical and flamenco styles) in concert. Richman has played a number of different nylon-stringed guitars since the mid-1990s. After switching to nylon-stringed acoustic guitars, Richman initially used a pick and played in a style close to that of his electric guitar playing. Eventually, he stopped using both a guitar pick and a guitar strap in concert, preferring to play only with his fingers and to move frequently between playing guitar, dancing, and playing percussion instruments. Richman has also been photographed playing a Fender Telecaster and other electric and acoustic guitars, and he does not consider any specific instrument to be essential to his sound. In a 2006 interview with musician

Chuck Prophet Charles William Prophet (born June 28, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer. A Californian, Prophet first achieved notice in the American psychedelic/desert rock group Green on Red, with whom he toured and reco ...

, Richman said "It's not the guitar, it's the player. In fact, my most recent Flamenco guitar isn't even a real Flamenco guitar. It's not made out of the right woods. Made out of walnut. It's twangy. I bought it and I like it." During the early- and mid-1980s, Richman frequently played tenor saxophone during his concerts with The Modern Lovers. He can be heard playing the instrument on "California Desert Party", a song on his '' Modern Lovers 88'' album. The album also shows him holding the instrument in the cover photograph.

Influence

Richman's work with the first incarnation of Modern Lovers is a major influence on punk rock. One critic called him the "Godfather of Punk". On his second solo album, Brian Eno made mention of Richman's band in his lyrics, and the

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...

and

Joan Jett Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin; September 22, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actress. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music#J, Godmother of Punk", she is regarded as a Pop icon, rock icon and ...

were among the first artists of note to

cover Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of c ...

the song "

" in the 1970s. A version of "

" performed by Burning Sensations was included in the 1984 cult film, '' Repo Man''.

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...

covered "Pablo Picasso" on his album ''

Reality Reality is the sum or aggregate of everything in existence; everything that is not imagination, imaginary. Different Culture, cultures and Academic discipline, academic disciplines conceptualize it in various ways. Philosophical questions abo ...

''.

founding member

has a version of the song on his 1975 album, ''

Helen of Troy Helen (), also known as Helen of Troy, or Helen of Sparta, and in Latin as Helena, was a figure in Greek mythology said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world. She was believed to have been the daughter of Zeus and Leda (mythology), ...

'', and continues to include the song in his live shows.

Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter, actor and radio broadcaster. He was the vocalist and lyricist of proto-punk band the Stooges, who were formed in 1 ...

has performed "Pablo Picasso" live and wrote an extra verse for it.

Echo and the Bunnymen Echo & the Bunnymen are an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bassist Les Pattinson. By 1980, Pete de Freitas joined as the band's drummer. ...

covered "She Cracked" in concert in 1984 and 1985 and

Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees ( ) were a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. Post-punk pioneers, they were widely influential, both over their contemporaries and later ...

have a version of the song on ''

Downside Up ''Downside Up'' is a four-disc box set collecting B-sides and bonus material from the catalogue of Siouxsie and the Banshees. Also included (on disc four) is '' The Thorn'' EP, originally released in 1984. Most of these songs (only present on ...

''. Richman's music has set the tone for many

alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...

bands, such as

Violent Femmes Violent Femmes are an American folk punk band from Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The band consists of founding members Gordon Gano (guitar, lead vocals) and Brian Ritchie (bass, backing vocals), joined by multi-instrumentalist Blaise Garza ( ...

Galaxie 500 Galaxie 500 was an American indie rock band that formed in 1987 and split up in 1991 after releasing three studio albums: '' Today'' (1988), '' On Fire'' (1989), and '' This Is Our Music'' (1990). The band membership comprised guitarist and v ...

They Might Be Giants They Might Be Giants, often abbreviated as TMBG, is an American alternative rock and Children's music, children's band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as ...

("Roadrunner" reportedly inspired

John Flansburgh John Conant Flansburgh (born May 6, 1960) is an American musician. He is half of the long-standing Brooklyn, New York–based alternative rock duo They Might Be Giants with John Linnell, for which he writes, sings, and plays rhythm guitar. Earl ...

to become a musician),

Weezer Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Brian Bell (guitar, keyboards, backing ...

Tullycraft Tullycraft is an American indie pop band from Seattle, Washington, that formed in 1995. They were an early part of the American twee pop movement. They are known for their DIY ethic, only releasing albums on independently owned and operated rec ...

Jens Lekman Jens Martin Lekman (; born 6 February 1981) is a Swedish musician. His music is guitar-based pop with heavy use of samples and strings, with lyrics that are often witty, romantic, and melancholic. His work is heavily influenced by Jonathan Ri ...

Pixies Pixies may refer to: * Plural of Pixie * Pixies (band) The Pixies are an American alternative rock band from Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1986 by Black Francis (vocals, rhythm guitar, songwriter), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), Kim ...

leader Black Francis aka

Frank Black Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV (born April 6, 1965), better known by the stage name Black Francis, is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is the frontman of the alternative rock band Pixies. Following the band's break ...

(who composed the tribute song "The Man Who Was Too Loud"),

Brandon Flowers Brandon Richard Flowers (born June 21, 1981) is an American musician. He serves as the co-founder, lead vocalist, primary songwriter, keyboardist, and occasional bassist of the Las Vegas-based rock band the Killers, which he formed with Dave Ke ...

Art Brut Art Brut is an English indie rock band. Their debut album, '' Bang Bang Rock & Roll'', was released on 30 May 2005, with its follow up, ''It's a Bit Complicated'', released on 25 June 2007. Named after French painter Jean Dubuffet's definition ...

Craig Finn Craig A. Finn (born August 22, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as the frontman of the American indie rock band the Hold Steady, with whom he has recorded nine studio albums. Prior to forming the Hold Steady, ...

the Hold Steady The Hold Steady is an American rock band formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2003. The band consists of Craig Finn (vocals, guitar), Tad Kubler (guitar), Galen Polivka (bass), Bobby Drake (drums), Franz Nicolay (keyboards) and Steve Selvidge (g ...

Lifter Puller Lifter Puller, or LFTR PLLR, was an American indie rock band from the Twin Cities and the Boston area between 1994 and 2000. Their music is considered innovative, with its angular riffs and a synth-infused sound that predated the 1980s revival ...

Mac DeMarco McBriare Samuel Lanyon DeMarco (born Vernor Winfield McBriare Smith IV; April 21, 1990) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer. He has released five full-length studio albums: his debut '' 2'' (2012), '' Salad Days' ...

and

Nerf Herder Nerf Herder is an American rock band from Santa Barbara, California, formed in 1994 by Parry Gripp (vocals, guitar), Charlie Dennis (bass) and Steve Sherlock (drums). They describe themselves as a " geek rock" band, and are known for simple ...

who composed a song about him, titled "Jonathan", which appeared on the band's second album '' How To Meet Girls''. British country rock band

the Rockingbirds The Rockingbirds are a British country rock Country rock is a music genre that fuses rock and country. It was developed by rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These musicians record ...

released the single "Jonathan, Jonathan" in tribute to Richman in 1992. The Silos also covered the Modern Lovers' "I'm Straight". Boston

ska-punk Ska punk (also spelled ska-punk) is a fusion genre that mixes ska music and punk rock music. Ska punk tends to feature brass instruments, especially horns such as trumpets, trombones and woodwind instruments like saxophones, making the genre ...

band

Big D and the Kids Table Big D and the Kids Table is a ska punk band formed in October 1995 in Boston, Massachusetts, when its members converged in college. Their first release was on their own Fork in Hand Records label, but have since teamed with Springman Records a ...

also covered Richman's song "New England" for their ''Gypsy Hill'' EP. A tribute album, ''If I Were a Richman: a Tribute to the Music of Jonathan Richman'', was released by

Wampus Multimedia Mark W. Doyon (born October 4, 1962) is an American author, recording artist, and creative director. He has led the indie rock bands Arms of Kismet, Wampeters and Waterslide, and produced tribute albums to Jonathan Richman, Lou Reed and Warren ...

in 2001. The Modern Lovers' song "Roadrunner" appears on the

soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...

to the film ''School of Rock''. In the commentary, director

Richard Linklater Richard Linklater (; born July 30, 1960) is an American filmmaker. He is known for making films that deal thematically with suburban culture and the effects of the passage of time. In 2015, Linklater was included on the annual ''Time'' 100 li ...

mentions it is often called "the first punk song" and wanted to include it for that reason, along with all the other seminal rock songs in that film. Rapper

M.I.A. Mia, Mía, MIA, or M.I.A. may refer to: Music Artists * M.I.A. (rapper) (born 1975), English rapper and singer * M.I.A. (American band), 1980s punk rock band from Orange County, California * MIA. (German band), a German rock/pop band formed in ...

featured the opening lyrics from "Roadrunner" in the song "Bamboo Banga" on her 2007 album, '' Kala''. As a producer himself, Richman and drummer Tommy Larkins produced

Vic Chesnutt James Victor Chesnutt (November 12, 1964 – December 25, 2009) was an American singer-songwriter from Athens, Georgia. His first album, Little (album), ''Little'', was released in 1990. His commercial breakthrough came in 1996 with the rele ...

's final album '' Skitter on Take-Off'' in 2009 which appeared on Vapor Records. Chesnutt opened for Richman at concerts many times during his later years.

Discography

Studio albums

The Modern Lovers

* ''

'' (1976) * '' The Original Modern Lovers'' (1981)

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers

* '' Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers'' (1976) * '' Rock 'n' Roll with the Modern Lovers'' (1977) UK No. 50 * '' Back in Your Life'' (1979) * '' Jonathan Sings!'' (1983) * '' Rockin' and Romance'' (1985) * ''It's Time For'' (1986) * '' Modern Lovers 88'' (1987)

Jonathan Richman

* ''

'' (1989) * '' Jonathan Goes Country'' (1990) * '' Having a Party with Jonathan Richman'' (1991) * '' I, Jonathan'' (1992) * ''¡Jonathan, Te Vas a Emocionar!'' (1994) * '' You Must Ask the Heart'' (1995) * '' Surrender to Jonathan!'' (1996) * '' I'm So Confused'' (1998) * '' Her Mystery Not of High Heels and Eye Shadow'' (2001) * '' Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love'' (2004) * '' Revolution Summer'' (2007) * '' Because Her Beauty Is Raw and Wild'' (2008) * ''¿A qué venimos sino a caer?'' (2008) * ''O Moon, Queen of Night on Earth'' (2010) * ''Ishkode! Ishkode!'' (2016) * ''SA!'' (2018) * ''Want to Visit My Inner House?'' (2021)

EPs

* ''Cold Pizza & Other Hot Stuff'' (2022) * ''Yatasamaroun'' (2023)

Live albums

* ''Modern Lovers 'Live (1977) * ''Live at the Longbranch Saloon'' (1992) * ''Precise Modern Lovers Order'' (1994) * ''Live at the Longbranch and More'' (1998) (These last three live albums are from the same three 1971–3 performances, but add and subtract a few different songs. The last two, combined, contain all the songs.)

Compilations

* ''Jonathan Richman Songbook'' (1979) * ''The Beserkley Years: The Best of Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers'' (1986) * ''Mega Hits'' (1988) * ''23 Great Recordings by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers'' (1990) * ''A Plea for Tenderness'' (1995) * ''Radio On: Stop and Shop with the Modern Lovers'' (1997) * ''I Must Be King'' (1998) * ''Roadrunner'' (1998) * ''The Best of Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers'' (1999) * ''Egyptian Reggae'' (2000) * ''An Introspective'' (2000) * ''Action Packed: The Best of Jonathan Richman'' (2002) * ''Roadrunner, Roadrunner: The Beserkley Collection'' (2004) * ''Vampire Girl'' (2006) * ''No Me Quejo De Mi Estrella'' (2014)

Various artists compilation appearances

* Alternate versions of "Roadrunner" and "Government Center", along with "The New Teller" and "It Will Stand", first appeared on ''Beserkley Chartbusters Vol. 1'' (1975). * "I'm Straight" and "Government Center", from the Modern Lovers' Kim Fowley-produced Beserkley sessions, first appeared on the

Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (known as Warner Bros. Records Inc. until 2019) is an American record label. A subsidiary of Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division ...

compilation ''Troublemakers'' (1980). * "I Like Gumby", on the tribute album ''

Gumby Gumby and Pokey figures ''Gumby'' is an American cartoon character and associated media franchise created by Art Clokey. He is a blocky green humanoid made of clay. Gumby stars in two television series, '' Gumby: The Movie'', and other medi ...

'' (1989). * "Hot Nights" (live), on the

HIV/AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

benefit album ''

'' (1993), produced by the

. * "Mustapha" and "Mustapha (Instrumental)", on ''Think About Mustapha'' (1994). * "Broken Promises", on the

Rainer Ptacek Rainer Ptacek, also known mononymously as Rainer (June 7, 1951 – November 12, 1997), was a German-American guitarist and singer-songwriter based in Tucson, Arizona for much of his adult life. His guitar technique, which incorporated slide, fi ...

tribute album ''The Inner Flame'' (1997). * "Stop Your Sobbing", on the

Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in London in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies, and Pete Quaife. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm ...

tribute album ''This Is Where I Belong'' (2002). * "The Origin of Love", on ''

Wig in a Box ''Wig In A Box: Songs from & Inspired by Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' is a charity tribute album featuring versions of songs from the musical ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch''. It was released in 2003 through Off Records, and proceeds benefited the H ...

'' (2003). * "Our Dog Is Getting Older Now", on the charity album ''

Colours Are Brighter ''Colours Are Brighter'' is a charity record which was released on Rough Trade Records on 16 October 2006, all proceeds going to Save the Children. The CD features 13 songs aimed at children, by some of the UK's biggest indie pop bands, and was ...

'' (2006).

Singles

US issues except where stated * "

Friday on My Mind "Friday on My Mind" is a 1966 song by Australian rock group the Easybeats. Written by band members George Young and Harry Vanda, the track became a worldwide hit, reaching No. 16 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in May 1967 in the US, No. ...

" (by Earth Quake) / "

" (Beserkley B-5701, 1974) * "Road Runner" / "It Will Stand" (United Artists UP36006, UK, 1975) * "Roadrunner (Once)" / "Roadrunner (Twice)" (by

) (Beserkley BZZ 1, UK, 7/1977) UK No. 11 * "Roadrunner" / "

" (Beserkley PA-205, Japan 1976) * "New England" / "Here Come the Martian Martians" (Beserkley B-5743, 1976) * "Egyptian Reggae" / "Ice Cream Man" (Beserkley 6.12 217, 1977) * "Egyptian Reggae" / "Rollercoaster by the Sea" (Beserkley BZZ 2, UK, 1977) UK No. 5, AUS No 50 * "The Morning of Our Lives (Live)" / "Roadrunner (Thrice) (Live)" (Beserkley BZZ 7, UK, 1977) UK No. 29 * "New England (Live)" / "Astral Plane (Live)" (Beserkley BZZ 14, UK, 1978) * "Abdul and Cleopatra" / "Astral Plane (Live)" (Beserkley 11813, 1978) * "Abdul and Cleopatra" / "Oh Carol" (Beserkley BZZ 19, UK, 1978) * " Buzz, Buzz, Buzz" / "Abdul and Cleopatra" (Beserkley 6.12 311, 1978) * "Buzz, Buzz, Buzz" / "Hospital (Live)" (BZZ 25, UK, 1978) * "My Little Kookenhaken" / "Roadrunner (Thrice) (Live)" (Beserkley 11819, 1978) * "South American Folk Song (Live)" / "Ice Cream Man (Live)" (1978) * "Lydia" / "Important in Your Life" (BZZ 28, UK, 1979) * "That Summer Feeling" / "This Kind of Music" (1984) * "That Summer Feeling" / "This Kind of Music" / "Tag Game" (Rough Trade RTT 152, UK, 1984) * "I'm Just Beginning To Live" / "Circle I" (1985) * "I'm Just Beginning To Live" / "Circle I" / "Shirin and Fahrad" (Rough Trade RTT 154, UK, 1985) * "California Desert Party" / "When Harpo Played His Harp" (DRD 1D474, Spain, 1988) * "Egyptian Reggae" / "Roadrunner" (1989)

References

External links

*
Jojo Blog – long running community-authored blog

Live recordings of rare songs not found on studio albums
{{DEFAULTSORT:Richman, Jonathan 1951 births American male singers American rock guitarists American male guitarists American rock singers Jewish American musicians Living people Jewish American singers Natick High School alumni People from Natick, Massachusetts American protopunk musicians Rough Trade Records artists Singers from Massachusetts Sire Records artists Songwriters from Massachusetts The Modern Lovers members Warner Records artists Jews in punk rock Guitarists from Massachusetts People from Knox County, Maine 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American Jews American male songwriters

Biography

Early life

The Modern Lovers

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers

Solo

Personal life

Artistry and instruments

Influence

Discography

Studio albums

The Modern Lovers

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers

Jonathan Richman

EPs

Live albums

Compilations

Various artists compilation appearances

Singles

References

Further reading

External links