I’ve written about the Modern Lovers quite a few times here, but stumbled upon this clip today, and thought I’d re-evangelize it.
Just to allay some fears in this hair-trigger era of zero tolerance, “I’m Straight” is not a homophobic anthem, but rather a proto-straightedge manifesto. In hindsight, Richman might’ve considered titling it “I’m Sober.”
As I explained in this ancient post, lead Modern Lover Jonathan Richman was firmly prosthelytizng an intoxicant-free lifestyle back when Ian MacKaye was still subject to regular nap time. An emphatically declared entreaty to the object of his affections to sever ties with her stoner boyfriend (“Hippie Johnny” in the original studio recording, but “Hippy Ernie” on this live recording, a jab at hirsute Modern Lovers bassist Ernie Brooks), “I’m Straight” packs a lot of self-righteous punch, especially in the tune-in/turn-on/drop-out era when such assertions were the furthest thing from fashionable.
Purportedly recorded somewhere within NYU in 1971, this line-up of the Modern Lovers was not to last. Legend has it that the band lost confidence and cohesion when Jonathan decided they were getting too loud and potentially hurting the delicate ears of children, prompting him to demand that powerhouse drummer Dave Robinson (later of The Cars) ditch his kit in favor of hitting a rolled up newspaper against his knee. Clearly, that didn’t go over well. Keyboardist Jerry Harrison later joined Talking Heads. Ernie Brooks became a bassist for hire for artists like Gary Lucas and Arthur Russell.
Jonathan Richman, meanwhile, changed tack and started making increasingly more whimsical music. Around 1990, I went to a solo Jonathan Richman show at the Lone Star Roadhouse in midtown, and took a moment to accost the man and ask him to play “I’m Straight.” He just chuckled with “oh, no…I can’t be doin’ that…heh heh heh,” and walked away from me. Oh well.
But here they were … somewhere on NYU’s campus in 1971.
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