You like Jonathan Richman. Even if you don’t recognize his name or know any of his songs, you like him. Trust us on this one. Whether your inner child delights at the innocence of “Ice Cream Man” or your broken heart relates to the resolute “Let Her Go Into the Darkness,” everyone can identify with one of Richman’s songs. If the guy can write a song called “I Was Dancing in a Lesbian Bar” and make it, well, danceable, he must have some kind of songwriting superpowers.
It’s a shame that younger generations are only familiar with Richman through the film There’s Something About Mary, in which he played the wandering troubadour, singing of the protagonist’s troubles from treetops and boardwalks. Of course Richman is far above the boner humor of the Farrelly Brothers’ lowbrow classic, but even his hardcore fans saw his minor role as vindication for an underrated artist.
Richman’s appeal goes beyond the timeless nature of his songs. He has long been a sort of enigmatic figure, giving guarded answers about his personal life when he can be pinned down for an interview. Like Tom Waits, it’s better to let Richman’s songs do the talking and leave the personal details to the imagination.
He helped pave the way for punk and new wave as the founder of the Modern Lovers, a band that included future members of the Cars and the Talking Heads. There was a true naivetZ in those early recordings, before Richman was sure of his voice or his lyrics, but his genius was evident as a gawky teen. The seminal work “Road Runner” remains a punk anthem and the ultimate driving song.
Best of all, Richman is a sweet man who writes sweet songs. At an in-store performance at Vintage Vinyl in 1997, Richman treated the crowd to a three-song set, with no guitar and no microphone. There was a sort of breathless moment in the store as we strained to hear the nuances in his nervous tenor. In consideration of the youngsters in the crowd, he changed the line in “Fender Stratocaster” about “a bitchy girl who just don’t care” as to not corrupt the youth with such wanton cursing.
His songs have an ability to hone in on something that seems so minute, so particular, and make it into a universal emotion. He sings about cute bank tellers, public transportation and laundromats, and it all makes perfect sense. And when he sings about the highs and lows of love, don’t be surprised if memories of old romances come galloping back.
To hear “That Summer Feeling” is to be reminded of your fading youth and the hope and anxiety that comes along every summer. The song captures the immortality and confusion of young love with lyrics like “and you boys long for some little girl that you dated / Do you long for her or the way you were? / That summer feeling’s gonna haunt you the rest of your life.” If you can’t relate, it’s still a pretty great song. But if you know of what Richman sings, the song and its singer find a place in your heart.
So make a place in your heart for Jonathan and see him play at the Duck Room of Blueberry Hill tonight.
Richman will be performing with drummer Tommy Larkins, whose unique stand-up drumming is another fun quirk of the live Jonathan Richman experience. And if you think that the White Stripes are the only drum-and-guitar duo around, think again.
Jonathan Richman and drummer Tommy Larkins perform at the Duck Room on Thursday, Nov. 21. Tickets are $10.
