This song has a little of everything. Great crunchy guitar sound and an incredible bass that starts carrying the song in the middle. I love the harmonies on “Radio On” and he goes into what sounds like a slight ad-lib that I love. When you listen to it…listen to the complete song…it changes in the middle and it rocks. It’s very loose but that bass keeps it glued together.
I first heard of Greg Kihn in 1981 when The Breakup Song (The Don’t Write ‘Em) was released. This was a power pop dream song. It was catchy, had some good guitar, and was immediately catchy. I just assumed the guy just came out with this on his debut album. I was totally wrong about that. He looked like a guy that would live next door to you but he had some great songs that weren’t heard. CB sent me this song and I had to looked twice at Greg Kihn…I never realized he had so many good songs.
Kihn wasn’t just a musician either. He was also a novelist and disc jockey. He was born in Baltimore Maryland and stayed there until he was 23 and he moved to San Francisco to check out their music scene. He had regular jobs starting out but also formed a band and played in clubs. The guy released an album a year from 1976 to 1986. He would go on to release 12 more after that…he was very prolific.
He was first on the 1976 compilation album of many bands called Beserkley Chartbusters Vol. 1 with the songs All The Right Reasons and Mood Mood Number. The last track mentioned is very Nick Lowe sounding and I really like it. After that, he released his self-titled debut album in 1976. He kept releasing albums…in 1977 with Greg Kihn Again, Next of Kihn came in 1978 and was his first album that charted. It charted at #145 on the Billboard Album Charts. In 1979 it was With A Naked Eye that peaked at #114, and in 1980 Glass House Rock that charted at #167.
The next album, RocKihnRoll would do much better thanks to The Breakup Song. That album peaked at #32 and the song peaked at #15. He had his most successful release in 1983 with the album Kihnspiracy which peaked at #15 and the smash single Jeopardy which peaked at #2. His albums were a mix of original and cover songs. He covered Springsteen (Rendezvous and For You), Buddy Holly, Curtis Mayfield, and many more. Kihn was a good songwriter as well.
This song was written by Jonathan Richman of the band Modern Lovers. Their version was released in 1976. I like the Modern Lovers version but it doesn’t have the kick Greg puts into this song. This song was on Greg Kihn’s 1979 album With The Naked Eye.
I’m going to post a bonus song…Kihn covering For Your Love live…
Roadrunner
one, two, three, four, five, six
Roadrunner, roadrunner
Going faster miles an hour
Gonna drive past the Stop ‘n’ Shop
With the radio on
I’m in love with the modern world
I’m in love with the modern girls
Massachusetts when it’s late at night
I got the radio on
Just like the roadrunner
Said welcome to the spirit of 1956
Patient in the bushes next to ’57
Well the highway was my girlfriend cause I went by so quick
Suburban trees were out there it felt like heaven
So I said
And I say roadrunner once
Roadrunner twice
We’re in love with rock & roll so lets be out all night
(Radio On!)
I got the AM
(Radio On!)
I got the modern sound rock and roll
(Radio On!)
I got the power I got the magic now
(Radio On!)
Fifty thousand watts of power now
(Radio On!)
Going faster miles an hour, Lets Go
(Bass carries the song here)
Alright
Can’t you hear out in Cleveland now?
USA when it’s late at night
Out on Route 128 down by the power lines
It’s so exciting at midnight
It’s cold here in the dark
I might explode nowhere near
I feel in touch with the modern world
I feel in touch because
(Radio On!)
I’m in love with the AM
(Radio On!)
Cause I’m feeling so alone at night
(Radio On!)
I got the power I got the magic now
(Radio On!)
Fifty thousand watts of power now
(Radio On!)
I’m alone in the cold of night
(Radio On!)
I feel in touch I feel alive I feel alone I fell so alive, alive in love
(Radio On!)
I’m in love with rock n roll
(Radio On!)
I got the, I got the, I got the
(Radio On!)
…
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That Roadrunner track is pretty good. Not too often you hear a song kick off with a six count! Decent straight ahead rock tune.
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That is true Deke…never thought about that six count.
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7 … haha
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Some hard drive rock for sure. Not a name I’m familiar with but great energy in that live clip.
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I thought you would have known him through his two hits.
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Cool!
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Hey Max…how are ya’, those of us old enough to remember early MTV remembers how prominent that Greg Kihn was there. ‘Jeopardy’ was a favorite of a lot us folks 50+.
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Yes he was…The Break Up song and then Jeopardy….. I’m going to start exploring more of him… he was a good rocker.
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Ya’, the ‘Breakup Song’ I just heard that on one of the ‘Classic Rock’ stations on XM…”they don’t write ’em like that anymore”. Great song.
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Yes it is… well Carl…who do you think will win today? I do think Georgia will win because they are at home…I hope not…but that is what I think.
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Lol…now, I can’t get that song outta’ my head now. I hope that the Vols win for you Tennessee fans. My instincts tells me that the ‘Dawgs’ will find a way. For once in many, many, many years I’m more excited about the college games than I am the NFL games (Bengals fan here).
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Yea the people around me (Titan fans) are not excited at all lol. I agree with you completely. IF Tennessee does win…they will be in the running for the NC…I hope
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I don’t think that this is an elimination game for the Vols it is for the ‘Dawgs’ tho’.
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His version of Roadrunner is really punchy. In the vein of Jonathan Richman
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Yes…I’ve never heard of Richman before but I liked it…but yea it is more punchy.
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Just under 3 minutes of straight rock n roll. Liked it back then and like it now. Listening to it today I hear some of the John Cougar I was listening to at the same time. They had the same vibe to me.
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This reminds me of someone…and I guess Cougar might be the one. It also reminded me of Gloria by Them because of the late kinda ad lib he did and it kept getting more powerful as it went along…it was like a train rolling.
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The Boss/Seger kind of set me up for guys like Kihn/Mellencamp. The music hit home. Had a personal feel, no pretense about it. The live cut you posted sums it up. Great shows. That bass thing gets u everytime,
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Everytime CB… everytime.
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Know him from a few songs that I heard on the radio but none ever rolled into that big name-making breakthrough hit, at least over here. I did read a novel or two of his when I found them at the library, sort of a Steven King supernatural/horror premise mixed with a decent dose of musical vibe. I enjoyed them enough at the time but the library stopped buying his stuff after the first two or three (shelved him?) and I sort of wandered away from him. Much like I did with his music, I guess. I’ll look for any of his titles at our cavernous ramshackle big ol’ barn of a second hand book emporium from now on though.
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I never read anything by him…I like that description.
These music tracks are pretty good that he did. I only knew him for the hits. He didn’t look like a rock star but he did make some good music minus the hits.
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I just looked up Wiki, he was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award so he is no ‘write by numbers’ author.
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I’ll check something out. I read where he wrote some books….so I’ll have to check.
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Would you recommend these books to a guy like CB since you know him so well. I do like a good read and my mind is pretty open.
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If I like them I sure will. For some reason I’m reading Jurassic Park right now… ive never read it before
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That’s Crichton, correct? Ive only read Congo and I liked it.
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Yes it is…people have told me about how good it was…so far so good.
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I’d recommend them for the reasons I said to Max. A bit of the supernatural, a bit of music plus bits of culture of the times and trivia dropped in; Not a heavy read either.
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I cant lose ,thanks Obb
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Great song. I only knew Greg Kihn Band because of “The Breakup Song” and “Jeopardy.” I also think they did a neat job with their cover of “For Your Love.”
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His stuff Christian is really good. When CB sent me that…I did a double take but it was well worth it. His pre 80s music is really good.
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Need to check him out!😀
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Never heard this version, but it’s hard to do ‘Roadrunner’ wrong!
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Yes it is…I thought it was The Who’s Roadrunner when I saw the title…but it’s not
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A lot of people do this song, didn’t know he did but does it alright. Wouldn’t mind reading one of his music-themed mystery novels
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I didn’t know this song…but I like his other ones I linked as well…much more than I thought I would. I wouldn’t mind reading the books either.
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You can sure ferret them out, Max. I never heard of this guy, but that Vox 12 string he’s playing caught my attention. I have a buddy that has that same guitar. He let me hold it once, only once. I offered him my 1970s Epiphone Casino and some cash for it, but nope. He’s dead now, so I assume his missus sold it for grocery money. Keep diggin up these gems.
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I do like that Vox guitar Phil…what a shame about that guitar…that would have been a fair deal both ways.
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It’s interesting with the tougher sound. I like this version, although it’s hard to top Richman’s charm.
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I never heard it before by anyone. I really like Kihn’s voice in this one….I do like Richman’s version.
I never thought about Greg Kihn much before with the exception of his two hits…he has some really good songs.
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That first Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers album is one of best records of the 1970s, I reckon. It also has the song where he rhymes Picasso with asshole.
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I will check it out… I only listened to his version of this song.
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