Jonathan Richman * The Laura Palmer Tape (1974)

This is a home recording from Jonathan, circa 1974, that is essentially an audio love letter to a girl named, Laura.
"This guy one time sent a mail in which he was explaining that he was a Jonathan fan and that it just happened that he was playing a Jonathan record when his girlfriend Laura said "Oh this sounds like Jonathan". And he said sure it is him and Laura told him she had never been aware he was a known singer. Because 25 years earlier he had been more or less dating her and had sent her at one point a cassette on which he was singing "singing in the rain".Being a true fan, he asked if she still had the tape and yes she did and brought it to him. Having discovered this treasure, he informed the jojo list. Someone immediately urged him to send her a copy of the tape, as she would then distribute to those who would ask her. It went on like this and as she was a Twin Peaks fan renamed it the Laura Palmer tape. At one point someone transferred the tape to a PC, and someone did the cover art and CDs got burnt." (Jacques from JoJo blog)

[@chasehastings1424]

"The Government Center" 0:00 "The New Teller" 3:00 "Thunderbolts of Joy" 5:20 "My Honest Dear" 8:45 "Singing in the Rain" 12:06 "So Much Respect For You" 15:38 "I'm Not Alone" 16:57 "Cumbya" 19:13 "Hi Fred We Still Love You" 21:24 "Flying Saucers Rock N Roll" 23:30 "Laura's Song" 25:38

[@SSGERDMV3382]

Whoa! Government Center is nothign like I have ever heard that song. Love it!

[@altamontrecords1]

Amazing! Jonathan Rules!

[@satyros2]

thank you

[@finnmccool7543]

OMFG! This rips

[@frozenstrawbs]

few gems on here that you cant find anywhere... thunderbolts of joy and my honest dear etc

[@Flyingjos]

PRICELESS ....raw Jonathan...

[@nathanjamesbaker]

I find parts of this story very hard to believe. How could "Laura" never have known Jonathan was a famous singer?

[@paulsouth1338]

+Nathan Baker I find it hard to follow! LOL

[@therajgreek420]

Well it seems he did this tape in '74 and even though he'd been playing/recording with the modern lovers since like 71/2 the album didn't come out till '76 so the tape would have been made before he was known, 3 years before Egyptian Reggae!

[@zntx]

Awesome!

[@BrandochGarage]

That is a cool story.

[@klausicornfield]

aw

[@nataliesuper5836]

Cool story in the description. Read the story in the description.

[@georgebethos7890]

Interesting what's for Jonathan fanatics only

[@5277088]

Was Jonathan the first person to invent "vocal fry"?

[@idontknow-qo7fp]

prolly not, odo.

[@5277088]

Lauras song through outro is ... pretty embarrassing isnt it? I dont think theres any other way to slice it

[@benwhackley]

Odo I think that’s a big appeal of JR, at least for me. He could just express himself completely.