Back in Your Life (Jonathan Richman album)

Last updated

Back in Your Life
Back in Your Life (Jonathan Richman album).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedFebruary 1979
Genre
Length32:39
Label Beserkley
Producer Matthew King Kaufman, Glen Kolotkin, Kenny Laguna
Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers chronology
Rock 'n' Roll with the Modern Lovers
(1977)
Back in Your Life
(1979)
Jonathan Sings!
(1983)

Back in Your Life is the third album by American rock band Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers, released in February 1979 by Beserkley Records. Despite being credited to Richman and his backing band, the album only features the backing band on half of the album.

Contents

Background

The album marks an experimental venture away from the Modern Lovers' typical rock sound, mostly owing to a new backing band accompanying Richman. The album ventures into genres like doo-wop and children's music. [2]

In 2019, the album was reissued on silver-colored vinyl.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Robert Christgau B+ [3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [5]

Stephen Cook of AllMusic called the album "sweet, fun, and honest," noting Richman's "unbridled enthusiasm, wit, and crack songs." [1]

Smash Hits wrote that "the world's cleverest clown opts for a cheapo '50s style sound this time out as he jaunts and quavers through this collection with his usual mixture of humour and touching honesty. It's distinctive alright." [6] Robert Christgau wrote: "I'd say this is great kiddie music—lotsa innocence, lotsa animal songs, even a snot joke." [3]

Track listing

All songs written by Jonathan Richman, unless otherwise noted.

Side one
  1. "Abdul and Cleopatra" – 3:18
  2. "(She's Gonna) Respect Me" – 2:49
  3. "Lover Please" (Billy Swan) – 1:58
  4. "Affection" – 4:06
  5. "Buzz Buzz Buzz" (John Gray, Robert Byrd) – 1:58
  6. "Back in Your Life" – 2:14
Side two
  1. "Party in the Woods Tonight" – 3:01
  2. "My Love Is a Flower (Just Beginning to Bloom)" – 2:20
  3. "I'm Nature's Mosquito" – 2:45
  4. "Emaline" (Traditional; arranged by Jonathan Richman) – 2:07
  5. "Lydia" (Lewis Lymon, Morgan Robinson) – 3:11
  6. "I Hear You Calling Me" (music: Charles Marshall; lyrics: Harold Harford) – 2:52
2004 CD bonus tracks
  1. "Oh Carol" (Chuck Berry) – 2:27
  2. "Astral Plane" (Live) – 3:42
  3. "Hospital" (Live) – 5:19
  4. "Chapel of Love" (Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector) – 2:43

Personnel

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers

Additional musicians

Technical

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Back in Your Life - Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers". AllMusic. AllMusic, Netaktion LLC. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  2. Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. p. 874. ISBN   9781843531050 . Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  3. 1 2 Christgau, Robert. "Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers". Robert Christgau. Robert Christgau. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  4. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 589.
  5. Cox, Tom (October 1997). "Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers: Back in Your Life". Uncut . No. 5. p. 90.
  6. Starr, Red (May 3, 1979). "Albums". Smash Hits. No. 11.