Customer Reviews

Having a Party With Jonathan Richman

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If I had to pick one CD to introduce new Jonathan listener's, this would be it. I have many of his CD's/Records and have seen him live many times, he is great. Of special note is the live track "Bermuda", in which he humorously explains the breakup of the original Modern Lovers. There is not a single throwaway song on this CD. I don't give it five stars only because I'm a tough grader.

This was the first Jonathan album I picked up, my curiosity piqued by the fact he wrote "Pablo Picasso."

I was instantly transformed by this sparse yet varied musical cornucopia. Jonathan immediately invites us into his inner circle, and the result is a warm, funny, exhilirating mostly live set that at times is even touching.

Everyone has their favorites on any album, and mine are the power-folk tunes "At Night" and "Just for Fun" ('We got together just for fun/With no obligations, 'cept maybe the one/That if we stayed together, we'd stay together just for fun'). Humorous to some, poignant to me...that's the beauty of Jonathan's music...it's universal to the point where we can add our own experiences to it, and bring our own meanings to his music.

Simple, warm, and utterly upbeat, I put this album in the CD changer with Nick Lowe, the Proclaimers, and Barenaked Ladies for a mellow, yet ultimately joyful set.

Buy it, find it,..., but hear this album...you won't be transformed, but you'll sure as hell feel better about everything. A world that can produce music like this must have some great things going for it.

Surrender to Jonathan, says I.

Of all the many dozens of albums I have ever owned, this one ranks among my most cherished. It's amazing to stop and think how much happiness I've gotten from this one album over the past decade. Highly recommended!

I bought this after buying the "Modern Lovers" first album, i enjoyed it very much. I was hoping for more of the same from this cd. This is my first jonathan richman CD. At first i was dissapointed, i was expecting the same stuff that i heard on the Modern lovers album. But i stuck with it and listened to the whole cd. After a couple more listenings, and a day gone by, i couldn't wait to get home and play this cd. It's so much fun. It wasn't what i was expecting but i don't care. it's different from what i was expecting and probably better too. It wasn't what i wanted at the time but it's what i want more of now. I can't evan remember what it was i wanted. I listen to this every night before i go to bed, on my headphones. It doesn't get old fast like some albums. Some songs that weren't my favorite before are sounding great now. I like all the songs but here are some of my personnal favorites: "When she kisses me", "At Night",
"Our swingin' pad", "just for fun", and "Monologue about bermuda". Bermuda is more like jonathan telling a story. You would think it gets old after a listen or two but it doesn't, it's always fun to listen to. The whole cd is a lot of fun. And funny but it doesn't cheapen some of the more serious songs.
When i get sick of listening to this album i have a new Richman cd lined up already to replace it. It's "Jonathan sings".
I hear it's out of print. I found it used at the "wherehouse" ! What a great deal.

I could not agree more with everyone who gave this CD high reviews. It is rock and roll for just about all ages in it's purest form. It's fun, full of wisdom and it just plane rocks. It's one of those albums that you have to ask, "where has this guy been hiding?". If you were on a desert island and you could only have one cd, this would be it!!!

Even if you already own Richman's Rounder compilation Action Packed, 1991's Having A Party is still worth your money. In addition to such chuckle-worthy slices of life as "The Girl Stands Up to Me Now," "She Doesn't Laugh at My Jokes," "When I Say Wife," the blistering "Cappuccino Bar," and the epic "Monologue About Bermuda" (in which he makes light of his "snotty" punk past), you'll find seven other indispensible gems: the wildly romantic shuffle "When She Kisses Me," the wistful a-capella poem "1963," and lively tunes about adultery ("My Career as a Homewrecker"), commitment ("Just For Fun"), loneliness ("Our Swingin' Pad" -- one's desire to invite friends over for a party has never sounded so poignant), people in his audience ("They're Not Tryin' on the Dance Floor"), and the joys of staying up late ("At Night"). The music is rock 'n' roll in its purest form, and Jonathan's liner note ("Once in a while a record comes along that is such a departure from the normal style of a singer that some explanation is in order. This record is not one of those...") is priceless. A few of the tracks were recorded in front of a live audience, but Having A Party remains a cohesive effort -- the studio tracks seem to capture the energy and intimacy of Richman's live shows as well as the live tracks do!

Jonathan tells us all about himself. There's nothing left to say about him, except it is fun to sing along ABOUT him to his amazing guitar and blue eyes and child-like memories. Besides, this song on here, 1963, I gotta hear it. I was born then, and I first heard Jonathan @ 14 and now it's 20 years later -- lovin' him as much as Ice Cream Man! Hey, this is a BRAND NEW SHIRT! -- Mal/Cheri!