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Roadrunner Lyrics
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
128 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
It 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(thunder)
And 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, (?), rock & roll late at night
The factories and the auto signs got the power of modern sounds
Alright
Right, bye bye!
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
I'm in love with modern moonlight
128 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
It 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
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(thunder)
And I say roadrunner once
Roadrunner twice
I'm in love with rock & roll and I'll be out all night
Roadrunner
That's right
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
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, (?), rock & roll late at night
The factories and the auto signs got the power of modern sounds
Alright
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
it sounds like a hi-fi, happy version of sister ray
Oh yeah, he was definitely listening to VU when he wrote this. And John Cale produced it.
Oh yeah, he was definitely listening to VU when he wrote this. And John Cale produced it.
The line "128 when it's dark outside" is a reference to route 128 in Massachusetts that follows along the North Shore ending in Gloucester MA.
one two three four five six! the best intro!
Stop n\' Shop is the big regional supermarket chain\n\nThe Turnpike is a highway that goes through Massachusetts from Boston to and through Western Massachusetts\n\n128 is a highway number, a big ring road all around Boston through the suburbs.\n\n At the times those were the 2 major 6 or 8 lane highways of Massachusetts.\n\nAM talks about the radio frequency. At the time most car radios only had AM frequencies, not necessarily FM frequencies...\n\nThe 6 and 8 lane highways and big Supermarkets were RELATIVELY new parts of mainstream life in the early 70s.\n\nAM radio was available in nearly every car, FM not always yet. You had to pay extra for FM radio early on...\n\nSo a lot about RELATIVELY new technology and being in love with this.
Great song.
that's exactly what i thought when i first heard it! but this song is f#%$n' tops. maybe not as good as sister ray on the whole but its way better value.
its about being on the road!loving every minute of it just you, your car,and the radio. old skooooool happiness
Jonathan has said this song is about feeling lonely and isolated even though you're immersed in civilization. He refuses to play it "for love nor money" nowadays. He played it once for Joey Ramone at his birthday party in the 90s. I think it's also s love letter to Massachusetts.
@Cambot probably tired of playing it. Fans ask for the special songs. After 2000 times and 20 years, it gets old for the singer often enough!
@Cambot probably tired of playing it. Fans ask for the special songs. After 2000 times and 20 years, it gets old for the singer often enough!
@Cambot probably tired of playing it. Fans ask for the special songs. After 2000 times and 20 years, it gets old for the singer often enough!
@Cambot probably tired of playing it. Fans ask for the special songs. After 2000 times and 20 years, it gets old for the singer often enough!
These lyrics don't seem to bear much resemblance to what he is actually singing on the released 45. Whatever, it's a great song
Question - what does "Patient in the bushes next to '57" mean. maybe there is a prominent hospital or psychiatric hospital or something named '57" or at a number 57. Anyone know? Maybe the 57 bus line ? I'm guessing the "spirit of 1956" is talking about the age of the car driven. song written in 72 by a young person. very common for a young person to have a 15 or 16 or 20 year old car, back then anyway. (not expensive).
@emma111694 the spirit of 1956 is waiting patiently in the bushes next to the spirit of 1957, whatever that means. I guess it's about the march of time.
@emma111694 the spirit of 1956 is waiting patiently in the bushes next to the spirit of 1957, whatever that means. I guess it's about the march of time.
@emma111694 I just noticed that lyric always has an apostrophe, and knew it wasn't a year. Being a map nerd and visiting my Newton grandparents in the 70's, I remembered the exit for Great Plain Ave in Needham where Johnathan grew up used to 57.
@emma111694 I just noticed that lyric always has an apostrophe, and knew it wasn't a year. Being a map nerd and visiting my Newton grandparents in the 70's, I remembered the exit for Great Plain Ave in Needham where Johnathan grew up used to 57.