I'm Straight (Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers)

[davethestores]

these guys took garage rock to its pinnacle

[ItsxGrimmiexTime]

Hhaha :D

[Beck436]

2:54

Total "Doors" moment.

[McNigglets]

You didn't even say bye! :( Whatever. I'm using my brother's account to say goodbye stranger. Contact lenses. 

[slobomotion]

I know who the real hippie Johnny is. He has a music career of his own and was from the nabe. Really nice guy, impossible not to have a crush on him. I am from Ohio and got these records mail order from Beserkely. Home of the hits. I then went to NY and went to hear music a lot in Boston. I wonder who stole my Modern Lovers poster from Gloucester High?

[cubyman23]

@slobomotion Hippie Johnny was the leader of The Real Kids, right?

[slobomotion]

@cubyman23 Yes, bingo, John Felice! He had a good laugh about this! It was no secret! hee hee hee hee!! I loved that band and spent a lot of time hanging with them in NY and Boston, not as a sex thang but in support and friendship. John was slightly bemused that he was "hippie Johnny" but he laughed it off as a first claim to fame, hee hee!

[schukinofclm]

I've listened it for the first time half an hour ago, and the last half hour I've listened it already 5 times! Really, one of the best songs ever made! And I'm straight!

[zebradancing]

im the 1000th like =p

[mrwibbles1]

Great song.

Anyone who doesn't like this song should just listen to Paul Anka.

[guzzinerd]

Man.  You nailed it.

[alvise]

NO HD???

[123gabras]

penis:I'm Straight! this song sucks hes must be drunk. :DD



[JeeRaph]

Gotta love a catchy chorus.

[pdorn777]

The song is cool, but the video is hilarious!

[kidcalabria]

Very good, thanks for posting this

[MrScalarsky]

why always stonned, like hippy johhny ?

[emb1st]

dont give up your day job

[udohood]

Johnothan....is really way ahead of the pack...the ML Demo album was Rec in like 1973...in Berkley we used to go to a bar and this band "earthquake" played ...the lead singer one night introduced "Johnithan Richman"...and he sang on e of his songs....so that was a punk rock show

[Morselville]

This song is cool if your stoned

[TrueStonerArmy]

Im certainly not Stoned, hahhaahah!



[vertigospumante]

This song is soooo sexy.

[foreversam321]

thx hydrogenatedupload for this video i love this song

[AsswittChaos]

meu! como eu amo esse video 

[DIY1977]

priceless timeless

[Hippyjonnycomics]

HELL YES!

[shaftsbury94]

13 people aint straight.

[jonnivvvvvvvvvvvv]

greatttt...

[hiddencat8]

@monkeynotrobot: ...isn't JONathan Richman Hippy Johnny?

[edwina9]

@hiddencat8 Hippy Johnny is John Felice from Boston band The Real Kids.

[realmckid]

Those dirty drums are so simple and so perfect. With that lo fi organ in the background tying it all together... its like an orgasm in my ear.

[Pryor2this]

@realmckid damn straight ;)

[Hippyjonnycomics]

Check out my graphic novel 'Hippy Jonny' on my channel, ts not a comic about Jonathon Richmond, but if you like his music you might just like my comic.

[mijjenta]

so good

[thewilberforces]

aah guys, um, this is Jonathan Richman - the master of irony, and err, this is 1975... a few of his best mates at the time were Iggy Pop and Lou Reid (drugmeisters extrordinaire). It's not straight edge. He's just written some great lyrics and pulled together a very cool song.

But straight edge?

Wishful, and deluded.

[SFRsongs]

@thewilberforces nothing ironic about him so straightforward it's like nothing else. he doesn't use drink or drugs.

[JamesMcFarlane88]

this is the only undergroundish song that ppl i know actually stop and pay attention to, is this the actual video?

also did u know that richman was a personal friend of the velvet underground,,,

fun fact, very important to know though

[gofindyourmusic]

So honestly real , thank you Johathan you are the best! Hey 13 , dislikes ...get some Britney Spears

[gofindyourmusic]

Such honestly real , thank you Johathan you are the best!

[asvestos]

Nice!!!

[ErinShelbybun]

MMhhmm I love this song! ...& fyi people are over thinking things here :O !

[captmark97]

Just to muddy up the waters further, do you think there is a Masonic significance to this song? Is it possible that Jonathan is a Mason or even a Shriner?

[MrHxCme]

straight edge ... 

[ladfemax]

hey what are the movies these video clips are from? they look pretty epic

[SFRsongs]

the message isn't about hating people who are high and drunk all the time. the message is about someone who isn't high and drunk all the time and how intense it is to actually live your life - straight. How amazing it is. Were you high and drunk when you were a child? How amazing was your perspective then?

[indiefan23]

@SFRsongs The Mesage? The song is about a dude who wants to get laid. The chick is into a faker. That's it.

[OctoSnuffaluffagus]

Anyone who thinks this song is a statement against smoking weed must be crazy.

[sagefem61]

someone had fun pretending to be me 7 hours ago! i was at work 7 hours ago! kids! anyway, i saw jonathan in cincinnati circa 1983 and he qualified before the song that he loves lots of people who get stoned and didn't want people to hate on marijuana smokers.

[shrinshee]

liked those images. suits the song.

[shaftsbury94]

funny enough the singer sounds stoned.

[xreddragonx]

@shaftsbury94 Kinda true, and even on stage he comes across kind of stoned (or very stoned even). But he truly isn't, which is pretty cool when you think about it. That he can have all that kind of "energy" naturally.

[GreatDepressionRace]

So if you like him, go see him.

[GreatDepressionRace]

Saw Jonathan a few years ago in a tiny venue of maybe 50 people and hoped he would play some Modern Lovers. He didn't but he was really fun to watch and listen to. I don't nerd up on his influences or who he influenced or what his music was and what it is now, he is just a fun performer now and worth the ticket.

[chinaskies]

keep in mind this was made in 1971 ish..... wow

[sydferret]

Hippy Johnny read Epicurus, what's your excuse?

[DatNigguhDezzi]

I murdered the replay button <3

[Randomnation13]

concrete

[badtwin77]

Someone punch Jonathan in the nose and clear his fucking sinuses for fuck sake. His head sounds like a bucket o' snot.

[caity805]

modern lovers are badass and so is this video

[planetraptor420]

10 justin bieber fansmissed the like button

[FANCYfetalFINDINGS]

@planetraptor420 fuckk u fer even mentioning that kids name leave the bitch out of this sit back and enjoy thankyu :)

[tobiasaurusrex]

Hippy Jonny has a band, and it's awesome. Just listen.

[thebenz2006]

There's an Element of LCD soundsystem's James Murphy in this guy !!

[brennsto]

@thebenz2006 other way around dude

[thebenz2006]

@brennsto touche !! ; )

[F5thDayOfMay]

pavement



[Dalekfry]

The video goes perfectly with the music.

Awesome work by the dude who made it

[pdorn777]

The song is great, but the video is BRILLIANT!!!

[lagunz]

Some of the greatest lyrics ever.

[makotabear]

I AM Hippy Johnny, I can't take it striaght. Love this tune. Definate Velvet groove goin' down. That's a good thing.

[muddy2332]

this guy sounds like he has a blocked nose.

but pulls it off very well i like this.

[MrMephisto89]

@muddy2332

No offense - but you've never been high, have you?^^

[muddy2332]

@MrMephisto89  only on buds.

[pizzagirl1964]

Lurtzrock, no, "I'm Straight" means that he's not on drugs. He's sneering at the hippie Johnnys, who can't even handle life without being on drugs. It's a brilliant song and hydrogenatedupload, you made a great video.

[lurtzrock]

@pizzagirl1964 oh thank's! i'm from spain you know so i don't talk very good :)

[sagefem61]

@pizzagirl1964 i saw jonathan 30 years ago and he said before he played this song that he has nothing against people who smoke weed and "some of his best friends get high," he was having some fun with the song. marijuana wasn't considered cool in the punk era. most of 'em prefered drink, not weed, anything to distance themselves from the hippy era that they were a counter reaction to.

[xreddragonx]

@sagefem61 Interestingly though, Johnny predated that punk era. He was easily one of the first to come out there and actively rebel against hippie ideals. It was during the early 70s while the hippies pretty much still ruled.

[lurtzrock]

im straight means not gay or authentic?

[harwicke]

Anti drug song that sounds like drug music. Great tune.

[morganfitzp]

@harwicke This is from 1972 and the Modern Lovers were inspired by a lot of 60s music, especially the Velvet Underground and the Stooges. Their own music and attitude marked a transition between the hippee and punk eras. Two of them went on to found the Cars and Talking HEads.

[taariqtaariq]

Richman is hilarious!

[poli1892]

what film are these clips from?

[insomni]

I wonder if John McCrea of Cake considers Richman an influence. McCrea's vocal style and timing is similar to Richman's on this and some others.

[morganfitzp]

@insomni Absolutely. Most indie rock can trace roots back to the Modern Lovers.

[indiefan23]

@insomni Wow, I never noticed that before. You're spot on. JM's voice is a little deeper and more concrete, but the timing, delivery and inflection is totally similar.

[fruitbatrepublic]

@insomni fuck cake

[qaiken]

jonathan richman is legit. i feel like ive heard a lot of songs that try to rip this sound

[brutuscassius1]

I think many Moderns Lovers songs were rebellious in the sense that they contain messages that ran counter to the values of much of the musical scene of the day (e.g. "I don't do drugs", "picasso was an idiot" etc...)

[treetophigh]

maybe he wouldnt have such a hard time if he would just lighten up and puff down...

[bosszeroboss]

The joke is that any high school graduate can do this.

[AlburyAustralia]

Oh MAN!How disgusted would you be if all your neighbours not only smoked dope, but also made artifices(art) to PROMOTE IT!When buckhorn played this song on2REM-FM in '94 the central part of town had every second house a "dutch oven"NOW we have real men & women who don't smoke, have sex or put up with non redneck values BUT that only lasts until they all do!When a major commercial "idol" act comes to town- they would turn green if they knew that regional centres are not allways conservativeatall!

[TerryLightfoot]

I love Jonathan! It's just so cool, that this song is about being straight and so opposite to what is normally cool...lol. I love it's stubborness and insistence. It's uncoolness makes it cool. Thanks Jonathan! ;-)

[televisedvision]

today was the first time i have ever heard this song...makes me feel like i have been in a new york apartment for 2 weeks with no money, smoking dope and drinking stale beer. im in love with this song...im ohh so grateful i have heard this during my lifetime.

[MrTambourineBoy]

Somewhere, out there, there are nine assholes.

[deliabongo]

Jonathan Richman has always had that edge of strangeness that indeed makes you think he means the opposite of what he's saying. And his ever-wonky lo-fi sound with stuffed-up nose and a touch of menace is indeed a lot like Heroin, I definitely get that! :)

[iwin4u2]

good job, very good job on making this video by editing clips yourself. You could do it for a living.

[pizzagirl1964]

Very nice job. Really enjoying it. Two comments: 1) I wish I saw more of the "straight" character and less of Hippie Johnny. 2) Where is the footage from?

[rickrothmi]

You can hear from Hippie Johnny directly if you search for John Felice, Jonathan's suburban neighbor and founder of punk band the Real Kids.

[gerharddehls]

written when he was 17 yrs old ........killer song

[adric137]

i really like this performance

[adric137]

interesting!



[margems]

@pdorn This song (don't know if this is the first version) was first recorded in 1972 or 1973.

[pdorn777]

@sequalls I think this song came out in '79 or '80.

[paso123]

very very VU

[skrinkle2000]

"heroin" ya....the delivery is very Lour Reed and a little Jim Carroll JR 's pretty smart maybe he did it ironically....or he's just so laid back he hung out w/girls who liked potheads...

[Kolya33]

This video has some weird sound issue, constantly changing between loud and silent. It's a shame because it's a great song and a good video.

[zig45]

@Kolya33 it's the mastering - or lack of mastering, as it may be.

[clockworkscott]

what kind of horrible jackass would give this a thumbs-down?

[sonnys84]

I love the song but also I loved the video you made..really captures the mood

[hahahahaha23]

its dope how he doesnt even say hippie johnny till 50 seconds in

[sequalls]

What year was this song written?

[jommyfins]

can anyone tell me where to find this version of this song (w/hippy johnny)? all the ones on itunes have another version w/"hippy ernie" in it, which just isn't the same as "hippy johnny"...

[1nceBitten2wiceShy]

By the way, for anyone who thinks Jojo got silly and goofy after the original ModLuvs broke up and never again wrote blistering, harrowing songs like this, just take a listen to the "bookend' pieces "Let Her Go Into The Darkness" and "You Can't Talk To The Dude", both from the early/middle 1990s! - 1b2s

[HonusToThe5]

I really enjoy weed and this song.

[ggpupo]

Lauri Kytomaa!!!

[hottie4709]

I was SO stoned the first time I heard this that I read WAY deep and figured there was hidden meaning for gays. LOL!

This song is WAY ahead of it's time! A true classic!

[wonderfulprincess]

In this song Jonathan is glorifying the idea of being straight laced. He's always been anti drugs and the corruptions of modern society which was something quite refreshing for an artist that rose to stardom in the early 70s, when being a musician seemed to be associated with doing hard drugs and being a severely macho badboy.

For Jonathan, being innocent and pure was more of a modern idea than being the bassist from steppenwolf.

<3<3<3<3JONATHAN4EVA

[sandmiles1]

Jonathan didnt do drugs

[axsys212]

If Jonathan Richman is straight, I'm left handed.

[beaker071]

in this song straight means not stoned?

i'm spanish and I'm not sure

[ToddYarling]

Yeah, that is what the whole song is about... I think JR had an old girlfriend with some problems and it caused him alot of grief

[Uterusurungus]

@ToddYarling yeah im better but i know i am the same fuckin hore! butfor that wisdom im must be true!!!!

[superwesman]

@beaker071 yup - straight (in US english slang) can mean "not a drug user" or "heterosexual"

[Timmybear]

@axsys212 - I'm left handed and straight (in terms of not doing drugs, anyway). :) I don't know if Jonathan is left-handed, but I'm pretty sure he's anti-drugs - it's been a pretty consistent theme in both his 'adult' and 'children's' music.

[careehallucinate]

My mom used to always blast this shit on her huge stereo when we would chill in our living room that only had room for that, a futon, and a papasan chair.

ah, the childhood was good.

[ItsAwfulbutitWorks]

This is my fav off the album... and was very happy to find it accompanied by a vid... thanks for the upload

[iamkaokao]

excelent job ... outstanding band

[bmaaaac]

Best song ever lol!!

[CrisVangel]

Smoke a dooby! Damn I'm the antithesis of this song, stoned and gay, maybe should write a song about it..

[MinaStares]

cuteee

[robaralis]

my favorite video on youtube

[stvst]

uber

[pllobos]

una de las mejores canciones del mundo

[bfgivmfith]

Only the best F'ng song Ever!!!!!!!!

[alexfanx]

Johnny Thunders? I find that hard to believe.

[Isitlovesaidshe]

One of the coolest songs I've ever heard.

[msanimality]

Vancouver 2010 mourning song, THANKS.

[flamencoprof]

OK Jonathan, now tell us what you really think.

[cwoodtul]

My new favorite song; can't believe I've never heard this before. Brilliant.

[lizajane]

great video- totally tops man.

[asktunes]

Wish I could give this 10 stars, both for the great song & the cool video!

[musebooks]

TY!!! Love this!

[gengenm86]

what movie are the clips from?

[sl1ghtlystoop1d]

for some reason this song reminds me of 'Heroin' by the velvet underground, anyone else get that?

[alexfugazi]

@sl1ghtlystoop1d Well, considering Jonathan's done a tribute song to the Velvets, and was a BIG BIG fan back in the day...I'd say yes.

[arizonablues]

it was produced by john cale too

[chromelung66]

@sl1ghtlystoop1d , oh totally. In fact, in my junkie punk rock dayz when life was beautiful, this whole album went hand in hand with Velvet Undergrounds Andy Warhol banana album. Those two slabs of black plastic got played 1000's of times on the nod.

[pmfont]

yeah i can see that, but it doesn't surprise me; the entire album has the vu stamp

i saw a richman show two months... totally rad. he played pablo piccaso

[mer7389]

@sl1ghtlystoop1d i think so too and it reminds me of the Violent Femmes "good feeling"

[n0thank7]

@mer7389 everything the violent femmes do reminds me of the modern lovers and vice versa

[mer7389]

@n0thank7 you might also like lydia lunch idk if you've heard of her look up "some velvet morning" with nick cave

[n0thank7]

@mer7389 i DO love nick cave...

[mer7389]

@n0thank7 awesome you'll probably like lydia then she was apart of the no wave scene

[polistyrenejassband]

@mer7389 its with rowland howard by the way lydia lunch sucks rowland is the only redeaming factor

[MontagTheMagician]

@sl1ghtlystoop1d MLs openly rip off VU but they got no secrets or hang ups at all about it.

[andersonmodern]

@sl1ghtlystoop1d This ML album was produced by John Cale of the VU. So thats probably why!

[pizt]

@andersonmodern also he idolised Velvet Underground, he even named a song Velvet Underground.

[morganfitzp]

@sl1ghtlystoop1d The Velvets were The Modern Lovers' biggest inspiration. Jonathan Richman's first solo gig was opening for them in Western Mass, The Modern Lovers covered "Foggy Notion" in their live set, and John Cale played produced many tracks on their first album and even played piano on one song.

[sl1ghtlystoop1d]

"Oh I'm certainly not stoned, like hippie Johnny is.

I'm straight and I want to take his place."

does anyone else get the impression that hes completely baked whilst saying this? haha

[CSTATB]

@sl1ghtlystoop1d I assumed that Jonathan Richman is "Hippie Johnny". It's just that that chick only liked him when he was high... But l have no proof that that's the case.

[blessedwildapplegirl]

@sl1ghtlystoop1d

actually i think jonathan richman was actually really straight-edge, like zappa, and apparently hed go off on these diatribes during performances abut how "you kids shouldnt be doing this!!" etc etc

what i love about jonathan is that you can never really tell if he's brain damaged or joking, but really i think he's just super-sincere and loves lou reed.

[monkeynotrobot]

@sl1ghtlystoop1d

you mean richman is being hypocritical to the message he's trying to convey right? though i don't agree.

because the singer is basically saying, if your new boyfriend is "so deep", why does he need to get high to live in "this place".. whereas richman is "straight", doesn't need to get high all the time, and wants to be with the girl, taking the place of "hippie johnny".

[palmsout]

@monkeynotrobot Hence the comedy of this song!!

[daddyfatsaxohten]

@monkeynotrobot I always figured "hippie johnny" was Richman, with his name being Jonathan an' all. He's basically apologizing for not being able to overcome HIS "hippie" personality he doesn't want any more, but she does. By referring to the characters so flexibly we get the impression that even he isn't sure which one to assume, since she wants him stoned and inside he wants to be "straight". So its him fighting between self-destruction and morality in himself? My two cents. Have a nice day

[daegrant]

@daddyfatsaxohten that's a good two cents IMHO

[vertigospumante]

@daddyfatsaxohten this is what I most agree with too. I feel he's fighting himself.

[beckettw]

@daddyfatsaxohten Johnny was the other John in the Modern Lovers that went on to be in the Real Kids. At least that what I heard.

[OwlsInTowelsINC]

@daddyfatsaxohten Its a good two cents, but Richman has confirmed a few times that he's in fact NOT hippy Johnny. He's incredibly straight edge, and never had any battles with himself over that. Good idea, though.

[pizt]

@sl1ghtlystoop1d I don't think he did drugs

[morganfitzp]

@sl1ghtlystoop1d Nope. Not Jonathan.

[FlawShow]

Absolutely hypnotic....love it!

[cariboufilo]

well, i can see where the pavement slow songs came from

[frankenspock]

That was fantastic.

[ohohkimber]

Kolibet, you're doing it right! That's how it sounds.

[daredevilpre]

Love this song. Awesome stuff.

[davidbirkbeck]

me too can not stop listening.

and i dumped my stoner boyfriend. needed doing.