A really good recording and something of rarity from this time. Tonight's and the following nights recording are solo performances, a lot of fun, and full of spontaneity. An added bonus too is the inclusion of  a rare recording of 'I Don't Want No Nuclear Power Plants (in My Life)', a song once planned to be released as a single with the Beserkley label. This release never came to be and the song quickly dropped from Jonathans live shows.

1979 Jul 13 Chicago USA Gaspars

JR Fan 1

JR is the man!  He lives near my family.  I want to wear his socks

Jerry

Said to have been recorded in Jonathans apartment in Cambridge. With Leroy Radcliffe, Andy Paley, Ellie Marshall, and  another backing singer, Liz Does.

The Paley Sessions (1979)

The Paley Sessions

Pol Dodu

The proper title for this one is "At my front door", although on stage in 1979 in Paris for the Chorus show, Jonathan himself first introduced it as "Crazy little Mama", before correcting himself. It's a cover of the biggest hit by The El Dorados, from 1955...

Highly recommended! Previously listed here as 'Unreleased Lost Elpee, 1980'. These seem be better identified as the eight-track demos that were recorded at Perfect Crime Studios during late summer of 1979 (see Tim Mitchell's book 'There's Something About Jonathan' - page 124). 

The Lost LP (1979)

The Lost LP

1980 May 23 New York City USA Club 57

Previously listed as 'Studio Session 1982/3'. This looks better identified as the session recorded at Capitol Recording Studios, Los Angeles, in late 1980 (see Tim Mitchell's book 'There's Something About Jonathan' - page 130). By the way, there's a short CD circulating, called 'Jonathan Goes Funky' which is made up of six tracks from this session. 

Studio Session Late 1980 (Jonathan Goes Funky) (1980)

Studio Session Late 1980 (Jonathan Goes Funky)

Also known as "I Can't Stand To See People With Their Feeling's Hurt"

Set 2 sounds to have come from a different source to that for Set 1, and is a much better recording; hence a different rating for each of the sets.With the Rocking Robins & Michael Guardabascio. 

http://haystackpudding.com/MP3/ffab0972.html

1981 Feb 13 Boston USA Bradford Ballroom

With Curly Keranen, Michael Guardabascio and Ken Forfia, plus 'The Rockin' Robins' : Ellie Marshall and  Beth Harrington.Yoyos On Parade' & 'Creeps On The March' aren't really songs they're just a few lines while Jonathans messing about for a minute or two.

1981 Feb 14 Providence USA

http://haystackpudding.com/MP3/df3f4772.html

1981 Feb 20 Mt. Vernon USA Left Bank

A Bootleg CD circulating on Wild Child Records (?) The cover describes the recording as "unreleased demo version with bonus tracks". It seems likely that these recordings were done at Sunset Studios, Burbank, in Autumn 1981. (see Tim Mitchell's Book, 'There's Something About Jonathan' - page 132). Most of the recordings are very similar to those that were released on "Jonathan Sings!" , though a couple didn't make it onto the record.

Jonathan Sing's Demos (1981)

Jonathan Sing's Demos

A solo show in the main, except for a few songs with 'the Rockin Robins' on each set, joined by Andy Paley on piano for 'Up In The Sky Sometime'.

1982 Mar 2 Boston Cambridge USA Jonathan Swifts

http://haystackpudding.com/MP3/3f04a675.html

1982 Mar 20 New York City USA The Other End

Recently got hold of this one, and guess what... it's as good as the following nights show.And a couple of  very rare songs too.

http://haystackpudding.com/MP3/d2497f80.html

Loads of unusual songs here, Jonathan's very chatty and joking throughout and everybody's having a great time. Lots of interaction between him and what is a pretty lively audience. A great show!

1983 Feb 14 Los Angeles USA Uncle Charlies

I believe he is referring to the Roman god "Pan", the god of nature-like things: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_(god). So, maybe the grammar should be: "I'm Your God, Pan". He keeps his Pan-Pipe ready for Pan-Melodies! He lives in the woods...not much to steal...but those colors well, those colors are real (natural)

A super fun show and one of the best we have! Lots of jokes, fooling around, and an unusual song list, plus, towards the end of the show Jonathan's joined on stage by The Baltimores, for a great version of......... well, what else but ........ The Baltimores!Jonathan at his very best!!!!

This show has also been listed as September 27 1985

1983 Mar 19 Santa Monica USA McCabes Guitar Shop

With (among others) Carla Brownlee, Curly Keranan, Ellie Marshall, and Jamie Hawkins (?)

I've been to The Bottom Line a few times back in the 70's. I saw Billy Joel,Patti Smith and Elliot Murphy there.

That Patti Smith show must have been amazing

1983 Oct 11 New York City USA The Bottom Line

With Curley & Ellie, and probably Jonathans Saxophone.

"Vincent Van Gogh" starts halfway through the song

1983 Nov 15 San Diego USA San Diego State University

Personal highlights are 'I'm a Jerk' and a really nice and long 'Affection'.Deservedly Excellent.

The Penthouse Radio Show (1983)

The Penthouse Radio Show

He also appeared on Tulane University Radio WTUL-FM on this date

Full band present with Asa, Curly, and Ellie on Rhythm guitar

1983 Nov 22 New Orleans USA Tipitinas

Really solid album. One of his best and one of my favorites.Love The Tag Game.

Listening to Jonathan Sings right now. Depending on your speakers this album sounds so good on a decent system. Especially his vocals.

It's funny because I agree with you Jerry...but JR himself would disagree!

There are so many songs that could have ended up on this album but ended up on future albums...Vincent Van Gogh, Miracles Will Start To Happen, New Kind of Neighborhood...

Jonathan Sings! (1983)

Jonathan Sings!

A good show but the audience here is pretty rowdy and a sizeable number seem pretty inattentive to the performance, there's also quite a lot of chatting way too near the microphone, but, besides these gripes it's still an interesting recording and includes a couple of otherwise unknown songs - 'More Surprises' and 'Let's Go Wild' - apart from on this tape.

1984 Jan 27 Providence USA The Living Room

Alongside Jonathan tonight are Ellie Marshall, Curly Keranen, Carla Brownlee (on Sax), Michael Guardabascio and one other performer whose name I can't quite hear, but sounds something like Scott (or Stan) Brook (?)

1984 Feb Vancouver Canada Soft Rock Cafe

1984 Jul Barcelona Spain

With Jonathan, Curly & Ellie Marshall. A few faults with the original taping : every once and a while the microphone seems to be getting a bit of a knock which then affects the recording levels for the next 30 seconds. This doesn't happen too much at the start though it's a lot more noticeable for the last 10 minutes.

"There is No Squiltage" and "There is No Abomination" are very short

1984 Aug 3 Edinburgh UK Queens Hall

With Ellie and Curly, a great sounding performance, and several encores too.

1984 Aug 6 London UK Dingwalls

The single version of this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMmSH-628jI

A great concert with a great version of 'Affection' tied into the concert cause.

1985 May 8 Berkeley La Pena USA Earth First Benefit

Earth First Benefit

VinnieQ

i always wanted to hear the full version of CornerStore from the film Kingpin, but i never found it..

1985 Jun 3 Bremen Germany Shauberg

Ramon

I am pretty sure that the instrumental, track 20, is really Malaguena De Jojo. 

http://haystackpudding.com/MP3/bfcdd072.html

1985 Jun 24 Torino Italy Big Club

1985 Aug 31 New Orleans USA Jimmys

1986 Jan 16 San Francisco USA Great American Music Hall

A radio broadcast, it probably would have been a great show, but it's a bit spoilt by the radio announcers cutting into the show endlessly between songs to remind you that  you're listening to 'Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers', by the end of the show you've probably heard this 20 times. They also, near the end, start to overlap their conversation well into the start of some songs. (I've now got hold of a very clear and edited copy of this show, without all the announcers 'babble', but there's a couple of track missing too).

1986 Apr 16 Turin Italy

Jonathan's pretty chatty and comes up with plenty of ad libs during 'That Summer Feeling', and Brennan Totten's here too.

1986 Sep 8 Bloomington USA Second Story

1987 Feb 26 Chicago USA Holsteins Folk Club

1987 Feb 27 Chicago USA Holsteins Folk Club

1987 Mar 15 NY USA Knitting Factory

1987 Aug 21 Davis USA

This song was written in the studio during the recording of "Modern Lover's 88"

Last date of the tour before the band are heading home to the states, and a fun show it is too! including a great version of  'Hospital'. Brennan Totten, guitar, and Johnny Avila, drums. At the end of the show Jonathan can be heard throwing cards out into the audience, imploring people to use them to write him - "I always write back, sometimes it takes a while, but I write back!"

1988 Mar 6 London UK Town and Country Club

The very first JR song I ever heard. I heard Hospital on the radio around 1976 or so. That got me hooked for life.

Jonathan's pretty talkative tonight with a very lively audience that's only too willing to join in with the songs wherever possible. A super show for all, that ends with Jonathan saying how much he's enjoyed himself, unusually he's more than happy to do several encore's on this one. S. E. Rogie comes on stage as guest to sing 'African Lady', one of Sooliman's songs that's usually covered by Jonathan as an instrumental. 

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