Roadrunner (Jonathan Richman song)

"Roadrunner" is a song written by Jonathan Richman and recorded in various versions by Richman and his band, in most cases credited as The Modern Lovers. Rolling Stone ranked it #269 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Critic Greil Marcus stated^[1] : "Roadrunner was the most obvious song in the world, and the strangest". It was described by British journalist Laura Barton^[2] as "one of the most magical songs in existence".

Origins of the song

As a teenager Richman saw the Velvet Underground perform many times, and the format of “Roadrunner” is derived directly from the Velvets’ song “Sister Ray”. “Roadrunner” is based on two chords (D and A) rather than “Sister Ray”’s three, but they share the same persistent throbbing rhythm, and lyrics which in performance were largely improvised around a central theme. However, in contrast to Lou Reed’s morally detached saga of debauchery and decay, Richman’s lyrics are passionate and candid, dealing with the freedom of driving alone and the beauty of the modern urban environment, specifically the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. The introductory, joyously sung, "one two three four five six", and lyrics about "going faster miles an hour" with the "radio on !" have endeared the song to many critics and listeners since it was first heard. Richman wrote the song by 1970, when he began performing it in public, aged 19. Former bandmate John Felice recalled ^[3] that as teenagers he and Richman ”used to get in the car and just drive up and down Route 128 and the [Mass.] turnpike. We’d come up over a hill and he’d see the radio towers, the beacons flashing, and he would get almost teary-eyed. He’d see all this beauty in things where other people just wouldn’t see it.”

Recordings by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers

Richman’s band The Modern Lovers first recorded “Roadrunner” with producer John Cale (previously of the Velvet Underground) in 1972. This version was first released as single and in 1976 on The Modern Lovers' long-delayed but highly acclaimed debut album (originally Home of the Hits HH019). Later in 1972, the group recorded two more versions with Kim Fowley, which were released in 1981 on the album “The Original Modern Lovers” (Bomp BLP 4021). A live version from 1973 was also later officially released on the “Live At Longbranch Saloon” album. The most commercially successful version of the song, credited to Richman as a solo artist, was recorded for Beserkley Records in late 1974, produced by label boss Matthew King Kaufman, and released at the time on a single (Beserkley B-34701) with a B-side by the band Earth Quake. Kaufman stated ^[4]: "To record "Roadrunner" took the 3 minutes-35 seconds for the performance, about another 30 minutes to dump the background vocals on, and another 90 minutes to mix it". This version was reissued in 1975 on the album “Beserkley Chartbusters Vol. 1” (Beserkley JBZ-0044). In the UK, where Richman had received substantial and very positive publicity in the music press, it was released in 1976 as a single (Beserkley BZZ 1), known as “Roadrunner (Once)”, with the Cale-produced “Roadrunner (Twice)” on the B-side. This single reached number 11 in the UK singles chart in early 1977. The differences among all these versions are in the lyrics, the duration and the way Jonathan sings them.

Later versions and cultural references

A version of "Roadrunner" was recorded by the Sex Pistols in 1978 on The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle. It was also recorded by Joan Jett on a 1986 single. Other versions have been recorded by The Feelies, Greg Kihn, Yo La Tengo, The Jazz Butcher and Gary Valentine. The 1998 UK number one single, "Brimful of Asha" by Cornershop, was inspired by the song. It is also referenced at the beginning of M.I.A.'s "Bamboo Banga," the lead track off of 2007's Kala. In July 2007 - 30 years after "Roadrunner" reached the UK charts - journalist Laura Barton wrote an essay published in the UK Guardian newspaper on her attempt to visit all the locations mentioned in all Richman's recorded versions of the song. These include the Stop 'n Shop at Natick, Massachusetts where Richman was born and grew up, as well as Route 128, the Howard Johnson's restaurant, the Prudential Tower, Quincy, Cohasset, Deer Island and the Interstate 90. Barton described the song as "one of the most magical songs in existence". The song was also featured on Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour for XM Satellite Radio.

References

External links

• All Music Guide review of the song
• A comprehensive collection of lyrics to "Roadrunner", from various recorded versions
• Essay by Laura Barton in the Guardian newspaper - "The car, the radio, the night - and rock's most thrilling song"
• (Unofficial) Jonathan Richman Chords page

Main source

• Tim Mitchell, “There’s Something About Jonathan”, ISBN 0-7206-1076-1, published 1999