Welcome to this occasional series where I am attempting a virtual journey around the 50 States of America in song – Suggestions for the next leg always welcome!
Well, I seem to have enjoyed my time in Vermont so much I stayed there for over a week! Time to move on again though and this time we’re heading down into Massachusetts (tricky to spell as was pointed out last time), named after its indigenous people.
The random fact element of this post will have to be brief this time as more songs to get through than has been the case to date. Suffice to say it was where the Pilgrim Fathers settled after arriving on The Mayflower in 1620. They formed the Plymouth Colony and after a tough first winter, with the help of the local Wampanoag people, learnt how survive by growing corn. They then held a three day Thanksgiving event to celebrate their first harvest and that celebration of course still goes on today.
The island of Nantucket, more famous now for its beaches and holiday cottages, was home to the whaling trade back in the 18th century and the tale of Moby-Dick was set there. That infamous Tea Party occurred in Boston, but being British I’ll gloss over that one. I am reminded however that our own Alex Harvey put that story to song in 1976 with his version of The Boston Tea Party.
The Kennedy compound was at Hyannis Port in Massachusetts, presided over by dad Joe and mother Rose. Education is big business in Massachusetts and the city of Cambridge is home to both Harvard and the research institute, MIT. In popular culture the film Jaws was set there, mostly filmed on Martha’s Vineyard.
But which song to feature this time? I know that everyone expects it to be this one and it would be remiss of me not to include it, but not one of my favourite Bee Gee songs, and at the time of writing it they had never even been to Massachusetts. It was 1967, the year of The Summer of Love, and the hippies were all heading west to San Francisco so it felt as if here on the East Coast it was time to switch the lights out, as everyone had left. I remember well watching them perform this song on TOTP as a child but didn’t realise until later that the twins Robin and Maurice were aged only 17 at the time. So young but already so prolific.
Massachusetts by The Bee Gees:
Thanks go out again to my blogging buddies who offered up suggestions for songs associated with Massachusetts (links to their blogs on my sidebar). Rol came up with Feelin’ Massachusetts by the Juliana Hatfield Three and Massachusetts Avenue by Amanda Palmer. Both he and Lynchie came up with the Steely Dan song The Boston Rag, although to be fair Lynchie decided that he was allowed to call them simply The Dan as he had been a fan right from the beginning.
Before I get down to the actual featured song for this state, how would you like to come for a quick drink with me in a great bar I know called Cheers? It’s right here in Boston and for the guys who go there, it’s like their “blogosphere” – Nice to be in a place Where Everybody Knows Your Name.
Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got.
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.
Wouldn’t you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they’re always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows
Your name.
So, lots of suggestions already, but for this post it could only really be the one that came in from both CC and C (no relation) – Roadrunner by Massachusetts natives Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers, first recorded in 1972 but a hit for them in 1977, when all of a sudden their proto-punk sound fitted the “times” perfectly. I don’t know what I was doing during my teenage years but it certainly doesn’t seem to have been listening to the lyrics of songs properly as until CC pointed out the whole Jonathan Richman/New England connection when I started this series, the Roadrunner I remembered best from those days was this one!
No matter, it has now clicked and the Massachusetts comedian John Hodgman came out saying that the song was, “Woven as deeply into the cultural landscape of Massachusetts as the Turnpike itself. It is the pulsing sound of the night and the future. It connects the midnight ride of Paul Revere with the dream of every Massachusetts teenager who has just gotten their license and is discovering the Freedom Trail that is Route 128 after the last movie lets out“.
Roadrunner by Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers:
This song came out the summer I turned 17 and after a few disastrous driving lessons with my dad (who in every other walk of life was patience personified), I gave up. The boys who were the same age however did not, and one by one they passed their driving tests and acquired “wheels”. We lived in the country and just like Jonathan Richman and his buddies, these local boys became weekend roadrunners. They had no particular place to go but the radio was on and they just wanted to hang out with friends and burn some rubber. Needless to say, every couple of years or so there was a tragic car crash and some of them didn’t make it. Fortunately all my close friends did get through that phase unscathed but the village cemetery is sadly littered with the graves of those who did not.
Next time we’ll travel into the smallest of the 50 states, Rhode Island. I do have a song idea for that one of my own but definitely “tenuous” so again I would be really grateful for any other suggestions connected in some way to that state (you know where the comments boxes are). We’re still in New England but are now getting ever closer to New York where I now realise there will have to be a Part 1 and a Part 2. Songs about Rhode Island – not so much. Songs about New York – where does it end?
Until next time….
Roadrunner Lyrics
(Song by Jonathan Richman)
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 Massachusetts
And the neon when it’s cold outside
And the highway when it’s late at night
Got the radio on
I’m like the roadrunner
Alright
I’m in love with modern moonlight
1:28 when it’s dark outside
I’m in love with Massachusetts
I’m in love with the radio on
It helps me from being alone late at night
Helps me from being lonely late at night
I don’t feel so bad now in the car
Don’t feel so alone, got the radio on
Like the roadrunner
That’s right
Said welcome to the spirit of 1956
Patient in the bushes next to ’57
The highway is your girlfriend as you go by quick
Suburban trees, suburban speed
And it smells like heaven, I say
Roadrunner once
Roadrunner twice
I’m in love with rock & roll and I’ll be out all night
Roadrunner
That’s right
Well now
Roadrunner, roadrunner
Going faster miles an hour
Gonna drive to the Stop ‘n’ Shop
With the radio on at night
And me in love with modern moonlight
Me in love with modern rock & roll
Modern girls and modern rock & roll
Don’t feel so alone, got the radio on
Like the roadrunner
O.K. now you sing Modern Lovers
(Radio On!)
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 Massachusetts
I’ve got the world, got the turnpike, got the
I’ve got the, got the power of the AM
Got the, late at night, hit ’em wide, rock & roll late at night
The factories and the auto signs got the power of modern sounds
Alright
Right, bye bye!
What's It All About? 
Another excellent post Alyson – enjoying the virtual trip
A suggestion for Rhode Island – Sweet Rhode Island Red by Ike and Tina Turner
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Thanks for that suggestion as going to be a short post if left to my devices. Still editing actually and just added a postscript to this post – Will pop over to your place later today for the compare and contrast!
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Lovely post with so much in it – not just the state info and music but of course your personal snippets – and great pics too (love that last one).
I mentioned in my original comment a bit about my memories of Roadrunner; it was indeed a case a their proto-punk sound suddenly fitting the times (perfectly put!) and for this reason a favourite with my schoolfriends and I, but mainly just because of its singalongability (could be a new word, that?) Around the same time, I think, there was Mink Deville’s Spanish Stroll, which again was not punk at all but sort of flirted with the edges of it simply because it wasn’t like anything else in the charts. Those two songs always come together in my memory, along with wearing school uniform and some first fumbles with boys (not necessarily at the same time!)
I can’t think of any suggestions for Rhode Island at all, but will give it some thought and let you know if anything suddenly comes to mind.
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You know what, as I was writing about Jonathan Richman I had that thing going around my head about Mink Deville as well – always used to put them together and as you say it must have been because they were both in the charts at exactly the same time (I have just checked), they were both American but very different from the other American stuff at that time, and they had a similar sound.
I am getting very personal with the stories attached to this road trip but can’t seem to help myself as I am always reminded of something (and I have an archive box of old photos down from the loft at the moment). The boy I spoke of had very rosy cheeks I remember which kind of upset him. I am now very curious as to how his life turned out but I will probably never know.
Rhode Island here we come!
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Glad you chose Jonathan over the obvious Gibbs, it is a far better song and one of my favourites. Never tire of Roadrunner.
Rhode Island?
Ike & Tina Turner – Sweet Rhode Island Red (although I think that’s set in Louisiana, and it’s about a chicken)
Calico Girlfriend Samba by The Monkees ends up with them going back to Rhode Island, but I don’t think they’re there for the rest of the song.
The Last Resort by The Eagles involves a girl who comes from Providence, “the one in Rhode Island”. That’s a great song.
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Doing the maths Roadrunner was written and first recorded the year you were born but somehow still sounds fresh and current – Just didn’t happen with songs written even a decade earlier but the late ’60s seemed to change everything.
Thanks as ever for the suggestions – CC also mentioned Sweet Rhode Island Red so may have to be a contender. Not that much else although my idea again refers to a film set there (a clue) or a very colourful set of animated characters (another clue).
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Those driving lessons sound troublesome, hope you don’t have too many mental scars. Did you manage to get your license later on?
I know what you mean about weekend roadrunners. The local boys in our area started off racing souped-up mopeds which we had to listen to for years. One of them was involved in a serious accident, and committed suicide presumably due to ongoing pains from the crash. A tragic story. I’d never had an acquaintance take their own life before, so was a shock. I didn’t mention any names or places, so I don’t think I stepped over the line by sharing this story. I’m glad your close friends did get through that phase unscathed.
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Oh I got my license a few years on with an actual driving instructor – my lovely dad was not for once the best person for that job.
I’m not suprised by your story as (a proportion of) every generation of boys seem to go through that stage – No scars and all of my good friends made it through ok but very sad to hear your story. What a waste. Sadly my daughter’s generation who all started passing their tests a few years ago lost a couple of boys in the country roads around us – Cross fingers she will be ok and as far as I can see she is a very safe driver, who now criticises my driving!
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My Dad taught me to drive, he must’ve had the patience of a saint! I failed at the first attempt and was so upset that I vowed never to drive again (I was 18). Some months later we were heading off on what would become our last family holiday together before I left home and Dad was taken ill in the middle of nowhere. We were driving from Ipswich to Scotland and I had to take over from him – luckily my L-plates were still in the car. Long story short, Dad recovered the following day, but never made it back behind the wheel for the whole holiday (except for short motorway stretches) and I ended up getting over 1000 miles of driving under my belt. I booked another test when I got home and breezed through it. I often wonder what would’ve happened if Dad hadn’t fallen ill – would I eventually have driven again?
Cheers was such a great series – I sometimes still shout ‘Norm!’ when a friend walks into a bar to this day, much to everyone’s bemusement.
Coach: ‘How’s a beer sound Norm?’
Norm: ‘I don’t know Coach, I usually finish ’em before they can get a word in.’
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Good story – a baptism of fire in terms of the driving but did the trick in terms of getting you through your test. My dad assumed too much (I knew nothing of how cars worked at 17) and really wasn’t up to the job of teaching me but a few years later I managed to pass first time after only 10 proper lessons!
Cheers was great and although bars don’t really feature in my current day life any more, back when we went out socialising a lot there were a few where you just knew you would bump into all your friends – was nice. My modern day analogy was that these little corners of the blogosphere are kind of places where, if you visit the comments boxes, all the blogging buddies names pop up and a bit of a chat can develop – also nice.
Cliff was my favourite – He of the short “letter-carrier” uniform trousers. Scintillating stories from him!
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