Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers - Roadrunner (Once)

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: "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.

- Wikipedia

Lyrics:

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
Massachusetts when it's late at night
And the neon when it's cold outside
I got the radio on
Just like the roadrunner

Goin around the highway

I walked by the Stop n shop
Then I drove by the stop n shop
I like that much better than walking by the Stop n shop
Cause I had the radio on
I felt in touch with the modern world
I felt in love with the modern world
I felt in love with ???
Cause I had the radio on
I felt Like the roadrunner
With the radio on

Now I said hello to the spirit of old 1956
It was patient in the bushes next to '57
Well The highway was my only girlfriend cause I went by so quick
And suburban trees were out there
And consequently it smelled like heaven
And so I say roadrunner once
Roadrunner twice
We're in love with this feeling now and we'll be out all night

All right, now we can tell them about our love, you man

(Radio On!)
I got the AM
(Radio On!)
I've got the power, I feel the feeling now
(Radio On!)
I feel the feeling and it's feeling all right now
(Radio On!)
And I feel in touch with the modern world

Ok, let's go down route 128

Oh yeah

Can you feel it out in Needham now?
Out in route 128 by the power lines
It's so exciting there at night
With the pine trees in the dark
It's so cold here in the dark
With 50,000 watts of power
We go by faster miles an hour
With the radio on

Roadrunner Roadrunner
(Radio On!)
Goin faster miles an hour
I'm gonna drive past the stop n shop
with the radio on
See I'm in love with the modern world
Massachusetts when it's late at night
And the neon when it's cold outside
You see I have the radio on
Like the roadrunner

Now what do you think about that you guys?
(Radio On!)
Good! we got the AM
(Radio On!)
I think we got the power, got the magic now
(Radio On!)
We got the feeling of the modern world
(Radio On!)
We got the feeling of the modern sound
(Radio On!)
The sound of the modern radio feeling when it's late at night
(Radio On!)
Got the sound of the modern lonliness when it's cold outside
(Radio On!)
Got the sound of Massachusetts when it's blue and white
(Radio On!)
Got route 128 on a dark and lonely
(Radio On!)
I feel alone, and cold and lonely
(Radio On!)
I feel alone in the cold and neon
(Radio On!)
I fel alive I feel the love I feel alive I feel the rockin
(Radio On!)

(Radio On!)
Go home now, yes
(Radio On!)
Gonna go home, yes
(Radio On!)
Roadrunner go home, here we go now
(Radio On!)
We're gonna drive 'em home you guys

Here we go

That's right

Again

Bye bye!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Jonathan Richman
• The Modern Lovers
• Beserkley

[cavvysaster]

I've asked this question before and never had a response, but I'm sure I remember a Roadrunner Thrice. This was a live version, I suspect recorded at the same gig as the rest of "Modern Lovers Live" (which I still have on vinyl).  I think it might have been to B side to the single Morning of our Lives. Am I correct?

[fervieira]

@cavvysaster Yes, you are. It appears on the B side of the My Little Kookenhaken single too. Unfortunately, I never found it on mp3.

[daschwiezer]

...when I was in the Boston area couple years back I insisted my friend take me to route 128 by the power lines.......(a pilgrimage of sorts)

[niggaT42000]

Stateboarding Video - Baker2G - Elisa Streamer

[mclifep]

I think Jonathan meant to say Radio Towers instead of power lines. Because he says mentions driving on rt 128 in Needham. That's known as Needham Hights and that's where all the TV and Radio antennas are it looks really cool at night because the red lights blink all around you.

he also says 50,000 watts of power which is also in reference to the antennas.

[ba1428]

@springerkarenm Sure hope it's Rozzi and not Mattapan

[legaCsk8er4]

@niggaT42000 dennis busenitz- since day one

[wanderoke]

I just referenced this song in my blog post about my horror movie drive-in experience in 1978

[sheenska00]

I feel like i am the only person who doesnt like this song.

[CaptainKanuk42]

@fervieira It might be good for society if you bought a Vinyl-to-mp3 USB turntable and converted that before the record decays.

[ralphcraddock]

very talented guy.

[springerkarenm]

@berky1 That's my neighborhood! Obviously, Bradlees is gone, but Stop & Shop is still there.

[springerkarenm]

Where you have the question marks--"I'm felt in love with Roslindale and Mattapan"--two Boston neighborhoods, one of which is mine!

[MrTwocity]

Traffic on 128 Ahhhhhhhhhhh!