I posted this song, covered by Greg Kihn a while back.
The simplicity is what gets me about this song. It reminds me a little of the Velvet Underground in that way. Jonathan Richman, who wrote the song, had seen the VU many times, and this was influenced by the Underground song Sister Ray. John Cale produced the 1972 version.
Jonathan Richman grew up in Natick, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. As a teenager in the mid-60s, he became obsessed with The Velvet Underground. He wasn’t just a fan; he followed them around New York City, crashing on couches, walking down the same streets Lou Reed walked. He took their sound and feel and made something a little brighter.
It was first recorded in 1972 with John Cale producing, but it would be recorded with different producers through the years. Roadrunner exists in multiple versions, some faster, some longer, some even sloppier, and it works in each version.
Richman takes the Velvet Underground’s art style and replaces it with suburbia. He created a song that manages to be a blend of punk, power pop, and garage rock all at once. It’s a great song to blast out of your windows while driving down the road. Richman took the Chuck Berry/Springsteen dream of a car equaling freedom and ran with it.
Here are two versions of the song. I like the original 1972 the best.
Roadrunner
Roadrunner, roadrunnerGoing faster miles an hourGonna drive past the Stop ‘n’ ShopWith the radio onI’m in love with MassachusettsAnd the neon when it’s cold outsideAnd the highway when it’s late at nightGot the radio onI’m like the roadrunner
AlrightI’m in love with modern moonlight128 when it’s dark outsideI’m in love with MassachusettsI’m in love with the radio onIt helps me from being alone late at nightHelps me from being lonely late at nightI don’t feel so bad now in the carDon’t feel so alone, got the radio onLike the roadrunnerThat’s right
Said welcome to the spirit of 1956Patient in the bushes next to ’57The highway is your girlfriend as you go by quickSuburban trees, suburban speedAnd it smells like heaven, I sayRoadrunner onceRoadrunner twiceI’m in love with rock and roll and I’ll be out all nightRoadrunnerThat’s right
Well nowRoadrunner, roadrunnerGoing faster miles an hourGonna drive to the Stop ‘n’ ShopWith the radio on at nightAnd me in love with modern moonlightMe in love with modern rock & rollModern girls and modern rock & rollDon’t feel so alone, got the radio onLike the roadrunnerO.K. now you sing Modern Lovers
I got the AM(Radio on!)Got the car, got the AM(Radio on!)Got the AM sound, got the(Radio on!)Got the rockin’ modern neon sound(Radio on!)I got the car from Massachusetts, got the(Radio on!)I got the power of Massachusetts when it’s late at night(Radio on!)I got the modern sounds of modern MassachusettsI’ve got the world, got the turnpike, got theI’ve got the, got the power of the AMGot the, late at night, hit ’em wide, rock & roll late at nightThe factories and the auto signs got the power of modern soundsAlright
Right, bye bye!
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I first heard of this guy when I watched a documentary on TVU but never listened to him before. This is a great tune.
Thanks Randy…I love songs that build a cult following like this one has.
This song always grabs my ears. Very poetic. Stream of consciousness. I like the Joan Jett version, too.
Stream of consciousness is a great way to describe it. I’ll have to check out her version…but yes I can see that with her.
one of those garage rock classics I guess, there are many versions around . Richman is one of those artists, who like the Velvet Underground you mention seems to be one you hear mentioned and admired by a ton of other artists but whom you don’t really hear much. I think there is some relatively close tie to the Cars, starting with Robinson the drummer played with the Modern Lovers too, but maybe more than that.
I must have forgot about the Robinson connection. A song like this probably would not get a lot of backing from a record company because it’s not polished at all…but with all of the covers by everyone…Richman is probably doing well and the song has turned into a cult classic.
Really nice tune, Max.
I told you one of CB’s offspring just caught Richman a while back. Very cool he’s still doing it and doing it good. Great tune.
That is so cool they got to see him…yea I’m glad he is still at it. I love the feel of this one and it’s a song begging for people to cover it.
He catches a lot of cool shows and has turned me onto some really good music. He took his girlfriend and her mother who is visiting from Brazil to the show.
Bailey has turned me on to a lot of good ones as well. Whew…I never thought about taking my mother in law to a show!
Being from Brazil she brought some new music for me and I’ve been digging it.
Now that is really cool CB. I love those rhythms they do percussion wise down there.
First time hearing this by anyone. Rambling grates a little on me, but like the music and singing.
I think it’s been covered by about everyone…I love the Greg Kihn version of it.
Never heard of Modern Lovers, I think! 🙂 Cool song. And, yep, now that you pointed it out, I can see The Velvet Underground comparison.
Many many many have covered this song…it’s one of those garage classics….
Lou Reed template for the vocals, no doubt there. It’s a great song to drive by. No, not that kind of drive by, just to drive and drive and drive. That American riding along, doesn’t matter where you’re going, cruising till dawn, freedom of the road sort of thing.
Oh yea….not that kind! Sometimes I just go out and drive…so I know what you mean.
That first Modern Lovers record is amazing. This was recorded before Springsteen released much, I think?
Yes… 1972….a year before Greetings… but it wasn’t heard until 76…much anyway.
I like the sounds of this. It does sound like street life. Reading that he was there in them to inspire makes it twice as cool. I know nothing about VU (other than Lou Reed had something to do with them.)
They were Big Star before Big Star except much grittier…critics loved them and a huge cult following…but without the masses.
They had a UK hit in late 77 with Roadrunner, great fun, and had an even bigger hit with fab quirky instrumental Egyptian Reggae, and then a minor hit ballad Morning Of Our Lives. They had a retro-appeal as Punk exploded.
This one has it’s place in history…great song. I just heard Egyptian Reggae yesterday.
This song is beyond a classic!
I totally agree Mike!