Girlfriend
Jonathan Richman Lyrics


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If I were to walk to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston
Well, first I'd go to the room where they keep the Cezanne
But if I had by my side a girlfriend
Then I could look through the paintings
I could look right through them
Because I'd have found something that I understand
I understand a girlfriend
That's a girl friend
Said G-I-R-L-F-R-E-N
That's a girlfriend, baby
That's something that I understand
Alright

I walk through the Fenway, I have my heart in my hands
I understand a girlfriend

That's a girl friend
Oh that's a G-I-R-L-F-R-E-N
Well that's a girlfriend, baby
That's something that I understand

Four o'clock in the afternoon in the Fenway
I have my heart in my hands

I undertand a girlfriend
That's a girlfriend
That's G-I-R-L-F-R-E-N




That's a girlfriend, baby
Well that's something that I understand

Overall Meaning

Jonathan Richman's song "Girlfriend" seems to be a simple ode to the concept of having a girlfriend. The singer is describing how he would visit the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and look at art if he had a girlfriend by his side. He suggests that having a girlfriend would give him the ability to better understand art and the beauty of life. He then repeats the phrase "I understand a girlfriend" while walking through the Fenway neighborhood with his heart in his hands.


But the song can also be interpreted as a commentary on the loneliness and longing for companionship. The singer seems to suggest that having a girlfriend would fill a void in his life and give him a sense of belonging and understanding. The repetition of the phrase "I understand a girlfriend" seems to emphasize the idea that the singer is seeking something that he feels is missing in his life.


Overall, the lyrics to "Girlfriend" may seem simple and straightforward, but they offer a complex commentary on the human desire for connection and understanding.


Line by Line Meaning

If I were to walk to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston
If I were to take a walk to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston


Well, first I'd go to the room where they keep the Cezanne
I'd first go to the room where Cezanne's paintings are kept


But if I had by my side a girlfriend
However, if I had a girlfriend with me


Then I could look through the paintings
I could look at the paintings more closely


I could look right through them
I could see them beyond their physical form


Because I'd have found something that I understand
Because I'd have found someone who understands me


I understand a girlfriend
I understand what it means to have a girlfriend


That's a girl friend
That's a female companion


Said G-I-R-L-F-R-E-N
Spelled out as G-I-R-L-F-R-E-N


That's a girlfriend, baby
That's a significant other, my dear


That's something that I understand
That's something I can comprehend fully


I walk through the Fenway, I have my heart in my hands
I roam through Fenway with my emotions exposed


Four o'clock in the afternoon in the Fenway
It's four in the afternoon in Fenway


I undertand a girlfriend
I comprehend the notion of having a girlfriend


That's a girlfriend
That's a romantic partner


That's G-I-R-L-F-R-E-N
That's spelled as G-I-R-L-F-R-E-N


That's a girlfriend, baby
That's a significant other, my dear


Well that's something that I understand
Well, that's something I can comprehend fully




Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Jonathan Richman

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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