The Complete Jonathan Coulton Recordings, Season One

Ask Me Another resident musician, Jonathan Coulton, keeps audiences entertained with his offbeat lyrics and entertaining covers of popular music. JoCo quit his day job writing software in 2005 to pursue a career in music.
Bill Wadman

Before he was a musician, singer-songwriter and Internet sensation, Jonathan Coulton wrote software — a career he quit to pursue his current professional full time in 2005. He's the musical director for Little Gray Books created and hosted by friend John Hodgman, and is the Contributing Troubadour for Popular Science Magazine.

Shortly after retiring from his day job, Coulton launched the "Thing a Week"project, producing a new song each week for a year that was released as a free. He reports having been unable to ensnare any girls while playing the snare drum in his high school marching band. This sad state of affairs led him to switch to guitar, and pen a number of bittersweet ballads steeped heavily in teenage angst. He says this didn't work, either.

Now, Coulton revels in his success as the house musician on NPR's Ask Me Another, where he wooed audiences with the following songs, played live during the show's inaugural season. Take a listen!


#101: How Much Does The Know It All Know?


#102: What Not To Wear...On The Radio

She Works Hard For The Money (Donna Summer cover)

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Mr. Fancy Pants

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#103: They Had Me At Hello

Good Morning Tucson

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Millionaire Girlfriend

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#105: The Maverick of the Twitter Set

Big Bad World One

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Betty and Me

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Skullcrusher Mountain

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Jonathan Coulton, resident musician for Ask Me Another, backstage before the show's final taping during season one at The Bell House in Brooklyn, NY.
Steve McFarland / NPR

#107: The "Too Many Editions" Edition

I Dream of Jeannie Theme Song

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Mandelbrot Set

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Washy Ad Jeffy

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#108: The Sporting Lifer

Ikea

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That Spells Dna

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#109: Secret Agent Man

Presidents

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Dance, Soterios Johnson, Dance

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Nemeses

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#110: The Girl Who Played With Her Food

Je Suis Rick Springfield

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Shop Vac

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Laughing on the job...typical.
Steve McFarland / NPR

#112: The Puzzle Master Takes On The Puzzle Grasshopper

I Lost On Jeopardy (Weird Al cover)

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I'm Your Moon

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Re: Your Brains

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#113: How To Be Black

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

I Feel Fantastic

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Baby Got Back

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