John Richards

The lyrics were likely inspired by Robert Smith's wife Mary, who he's been with since he was fourteen.

Diamantino writes: Subject: GREAT!!! Good Morning. Great radio, great music. Listening in Portugal. Cheers

Thank you for being essential to so many of us, John. You’re helping more than you know. Every morning. Every day. Every time I’m elsewhere and hear a John song. It helps. Sending love ♥️ -Megh

Thanks for coming in for us all. Love you man Gregory from Bremerton

Leah writes, THANK YOU! I am a clinical dietitian at University of Washington Medical Center in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. There are many unknowns right now, but I do know, music is providing me with great comfort and lifting me up daily. I also know that so many remarkable individuals are working incredibly hard on the frontline so those that have the choice to stay home can stay home and continue to be healthy. Thank you to all the essential workers who have continued to work with dedication during these trouble troubling times! A message for listeners: Stay home. Not all of us have that choice.

Tamar is sending love and a request. ...again so many thanks for helping us through this disaster. You are all truly walking the walk. Can I request First Aid Kit, America xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Please play Peter Gabriel's "Don't Give Up" ... thanks! Jonathan in Western Georgia

Sharon says she is steaming in the hospital here in Connecticut. Thank you for keeping us going. XO.

For Jeff. -- Jenny adds: What a relief to know that KEXP can stay on the air. It's like oxygen to me at this point. Thanks, John, to you and everyone there for being a light for all of us ❤️🦠❤️🦠

My husband's aunt and uncle introduced KEXP to me when we visited them in Seattle a few years ago (shout out to Aunt Anne and Uncle Rob!) We hung out in the Gathering Space for a couple of hours one snowy December drinking coffee and listening to the music, and I was hooked. Now I listen to you most mornings over the internet while I'm working. I always enjoy the rad mix of music, new and old, but KEXP has made me feel extra connected to the world and to a city that I love in these days of social distancing. Thank you for all you do and for reminding us always that we are not alone. I'd love to hear Duran Duran's Ordinary World. They're my favorite band, and that song has seen me through other weird times in my life. -Beth from Knoxville, Tennessee

John, Awesome choices: Ordinary World , We Float. Helping me to get through it all. Keep it up! Skip, Akron Ohio

This Elbow track for some reason crushes me. Great song. I'm from Upstate NY, originally, but have a great love for the city. My brother and his family are in Brooklyn. Praying for their safety. Can you play this for the NYC and the country? Jeff W. Hudson OH

Support artists if you are able quiversss.bandcamp.com

In this time of crisis, it would be good to remind everyone that some people say that bowling alleys got big lanes. Could you play Take the Skinheads Bowling? Thanks! Steve

Hey John, I am thankful for you and for KEXP on a normal day, in a normal time. But oh man, now it's like you're not a "nice to have" but an essential part of my morning to make me feel like something, anything is "normal." I know you're risking your own safety to get to the studio each day, and I hope you know how many of us appreciate everything you're doing to keep the community and the world together when it's all falling apart. I've been listening to you each morning from the confines of my mom's senior living community, where I'm apparently their youngest resident by 20+ years. I moved her in on March 11, when things seemed tenuous but still ok. I drove her from Houston to the suburbs of Chicago, with the expectation that I'd finally be able to go home after almost a year away. My dad passed away in September after a long, awful illness, and leaving her alone was never an option for me. How could I say "you are not alone," when in fact, she would have been? As I worked to get her settled, our lockdown orders came, and now if I leave the building, I won't be allowed back in. So I'm keeping a low profile, not even stepping outside the door of her 700 square foot apartment for fear of upsetting the other residents who cannot see their own families. Each morning, I log onto KEXP to try to start my work day from the kitchen table. So many of these songs make me cry, make me think about how we as a society got to this point and make me nostalgic for the days when I could have lived my life differently. Basically a lot of heavy stuff. So when I was thinking about a request, I wanted the exact opposite of the heavy stuff. I wanted something I can legit jump around in this tiny apartment before my mom gets up with my headphones on. What better song than Cold Light by Operators? Hope you can give that one a spin this morning. One day in the future, Ken & I will make it to Seattle. I can dream of the day when we can stop by the station for a live session, when we can hang out at Life on Mars to support a small but awesome business, and maybe even take in a Sounders match. Until then, the music will keep us going. With love & so much respect, Mychelle in Chicago

Erin writes Hi John, thanks for all you folks are doing at KEXP. Music really does heal. I’m listening from my home office in Doylestown, PA, and our governor just issued a stay at home order yesterday afternoon. Listening to KEXP as situations change throughout the day is a good reminder that we’re all going through this together. Can you play Ceremony by New Order? I’d just really love to hear that song. Stay safe and God bless!

This request goes out to John, in the booth, whatever that means.

Leah writes, THANK YOU! I am a clinical dietitian at University of Washington Medical Center in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. There are many unknowns right now, but I do know, music is providing me with great comfort and lifting me up daily. I also know that so many remarkable individuals are working incredibly hard on the frontline so those that have the choice to stay home can stay home and continue to be healthy. Thank you to all the essential workers who have continued to work with dedication during these trouble troubling times! A message for listeners: Stay home. Not all of us have that choice.

David Byrne is fine. Sources close to us report that he is encased in a bubble wrap composite made of porcupine spikes on the outside and the softest pillows on the inside.

Thank you for staying on the air. Viva la freedom.🎶🎶🎶🎙🎙🎙 -Janet

This is the double secret probation Uber Alles re-re-re-remix of Heroes that blends the English, German and French versions of this wonderful song. Incredibly, both the German and French languages have words just like ours. Damndest thing.

For Greg who noticed the heartbeat in this one for the first time recently.

A listener asked if it was okay to play older Ministry. Uh, not only is it okay, it's in the bylaws of the KEXP handbook on page 7, subsection A40.3.

Happy birthday Claire from Uncle Josh!

Hi John. My 5 yr old son, Arun (Uh roon), would like to request one of his favorite songs, either Jungle Boogie (KATG) or Beauty and the Beast by David Bowie. Thanks! Matt

JOHN! OWEN! Thank you for helping keep us sane during these strange times; we're so lucky to have KEXP in our community. And speaking of community, it's Andrea Learned's birthday, if you could play IDLES for her so she and I can FaceTime dance together, I'd be so appreciative. Love you all so dearly ❤️shelby ...We just had a crazy FaceTime dance, THANK YOU!!

For Henry, whose dad is on the radio...in the morning.

From Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Departed’ -- Just freakin CRANKED Gimme Shelter!!! Damn that felt good. Thanks!!! Shakin' my ass to KEXP in Salt Lake City. Seth

featured in the soundtrack to the 1987 movie Hamburger Hill.

As heard in Martin Scorsese's "Good Fellas." -- I'm supposed to be on a 9:00 video call but I can't break away from the music; I have my priorities - thank you John!! -Cathy

Hi John, have a nice day. Please, Arcade Fire - Wake Up. Josenildo from my house, Sao Paulo Brazil.

Born to Run is JUST WHAT I NEEDED. Screaming (singing) at the top of my lungs. Take good care- Sarah

Thank you for keeping the sanity during this weird time. You are all totally rockin it out. If you could work in some Bruce Springsteen (request for my sis) and/or some English Beat (for me) that would be much appreciated! Keep up the good work!!!!! Terese

Until very recently in my adult life (I'm 29 years old) I thought this song was about a house in the LITERAL MIDDLE of the street. Traffic violation much? -Erin, West Seattle

Heya! First notes of Mirror in the Bathroom prompted me to shout DANCEBREAK to my husband/now-officemate and up we went, stampeding through the house, trading dance moves, dogs confused and chasing us. Great set, thank you sooo much! yours sweatily, Kathryn

Matthew tweets "hey @loserboy Following on the@EnglishBeat and #Madness thread, let's hear something from #TheJam."

I can't stop changing the lyrics of Modern English's I'll Stop the World and Melt With You to, I'll quarantine myself with you. You've seen the numbers and it's getting worse now, all the time. Stock futures, up and died! Can you help me get this out of my head? Thanks a million! Stay sane! Virtual Hugs, Sarah in Syracuse, NY

Released on this day in 1984. Nuh nuh nuh nineteen...umm 84. -- Aw, thanks! This set made my morning. Wasn't up to dance party 😟 but am dancing now. You've brought me around and lifted my spirits!! -Melissa

Ross writes, Thanks for the awesome set the past couple hours! It has definitely lifted our moods and makes me proud to be an amplifier. Please keep kicking ass as best you can in these uncertain times.

Katie writes, John, You don’t know the happiness I feel when I turn the radio on in the morning and find that you are still there. Having some sense of normalcy in this weird time is so comforting. We are so so so so so lucky to have you and the rest of the KEXP family to keep us company.

Aron writes, "Missing my family so much (Moses lake-a fellow former 509er). Missing my friends and my bands! Hating this isolation, but complying. One great benefit: cooking! Lots of experiments. Lots of super clean food. Grateful for KEXP, that's for sure. "