It begins like no other iconic rock song, with a quirky countdown from the lead singer: “One, two, three, four, five, six!” Next comes the pummel of electric guitar, drums, and bass.
“Roadrunner,” first recorded by the Modern Lovers in the early 1970s and best known from the group’s 1976 debut album, is an unabashed musical valentine to Massachusetts, where its songwriter, Jonathan Richman, was raised. In a confessional style, as if he’s telling you a story, the Natick native sings about driving past a Stop & Shop and says he loves Route 128 at night. Perhaps most famously, he declares, “I’m in love with Massachusetts.”
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One of the best songs of all time, never mind one of the best songs about Massachusetts!! A no brainer to make this happen. Every M*as*$ol$ should be proud that Jonathan and the Modern Lovers came from Massachusetts (and the Pixies, and Mission of Burma, and Donna Summer, and Joan Baez, etc. etc). The fact that he wrote so many songs about Mass. and New England is a point of pride for many local rock fans. Such a small issue in the big picture. But it makes many smile and is just one nice little positive thing for the legislature to focus on. Thanks for starting this campaign Joyce!
Roadrunner (thrice) is in my opinion the best version of the song. However it is unavailable on Amazon or iTunes as an mp3 (last I checked) and although you can listen to it on You Tube, it is basically available only on vinyl (good luck finding that!)
Oy! such an audio snob. It's a great song, and a landmark of the gemre in all its manifestations, but when it comes to lists of the best 'driving music', the only serious contender is the original "Roadrunner' released in 1976. BTW - got it on vinyl, but as someone who once owned over a thousand LPs, I'm here to say, uneqivocally, digital is better.
Right on, Entropic! For the first time ever, I will say: Don't listen to Jonathan! That song is plenty good enough to represent oour Commonwealth. It makes me happy and proud every single time I hear it. Thank you for writing it, Jonathan.
Doies anyone remember Pastiche doing a great cover of this song back in the day?
Years ago, my girlfriend dragged me to see a Jonathan Richman show. Boring songs, played badly, in a seemingly endless set. I guess it was supposed to be ironic (we can't play our instruments, but we are standing up here so we must be cool). Boring.
I personally think the "Massachusetts" by the BeeGees is more appropriate, but I'm not sure some legislator should be pushing a favorite song to be endorsed by the state, not to mention that this whole official whatever is more than a little ridiculous.
First - The Bee Gees, are from Australian Brits. Doubt they ever played in the state, at least until they became (gag) disco stars after Saturday Night Fever came out.(at least 10 years after "Massachusetts" was released). Jonathan Richman is MA born and bred. - Game to Roadrunner. Second - "Massachusetts" is an awful, awful song. Sappy, with a lame string-heavy arrangement, and riddled by Barry Gibb's painfully awkward warbley tenor, it's not even a good example of a Bee Gees song. The Modern Lovers in general and the song Roadrunner in particulay, are milestones in the history of punk music, regardless of what you think about punk. It is also one of 5 greatest driving songs in the history of American pop music. - Game to Roadrunner. Third - Jonathan Richmond's persona is edgy and odd, but strangely endearing and wiked smaaat. The Bee Gees are all shiny gold lame suits, big hair, and phony, painted on, smiles. Which image better matches this state? - Game, Set, Match, to Roadrunner.
Geolovely, I have a right to my opinion -- and this is all about opinion, as with all art, not about facts. Your opinion is your opinion. I happen to think "roadrunner" is awful. There is no reason for you to become so emotionally involved. That's irrational.
Despite all you said, that group was a blip in the history of rock music, if even that. Virtually nobody outside of Massachusetts knows about them. Their musical talent is at the lower end of the scale.
This whole "official" thing is sophomoric and silly, so I'm not willing to discuss it further with someone who's obsessed with a song, for god's sake.
I just played the version of "Roadrunner" on Youtube because I didn't remember the song or the group. Now I know why. What a sorry song and the lead singer can't even stay in tune. Pathetic. Definitely a bottom feeder from that era, in my opinion.
Since music is clearly not your forte, perhaps you might look at the cover art for the Bee Gees 1968 album "Massachusetts" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BeeGeesMassachusetts.jpg and compare it to the Modern Lovers 1976 release "The Modern Lovers" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Modernlovers.jpg Which bunch of guys can you imagine hanging out at Revere Beach, or some bar in Worcester? No contest. Roadrunner wins in a walk-over.
The studio verison was recorded in L.A., but still, this is an ex-cel-lent idea!
Rather have M.T.A by Kingston Trio as State song.
M.T.A. was originally a campaign song for a 1949 Boston mayoral candidate, Walter O′Brien, from the Progressive Party, and was written to express his opposition a 5 cent T fare increase...to exit the trains above ground! No nickel? Ride forever! A good tune, alas it's just not a 'state' song, it's to provincial, all about Boston and Boston politics, not about Massachusetts.
Radio ON!
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great choice! I hope it goes through.