‘Dream On’ or ‘Roadrunner’?
“Roadrunner,” recorded by the Modern Lovers in the early 1970s, is an unabashed musical valentine to Massachusetts, where its songwriter, Jonathan Richman, was raised. The Natick native sings about driving past a Stop & Shop and says he loves Route 128 at night. Perhaps most famously, he declares, “I’m in love with Massachusetts.”Now “Roadrunner” could become the official rock song of the Commonwealth thanks to a bill filed by state Rep. Marty Walsh of Dorchester.
Not to be outdone, Duxbury Rep. Josh Cutler and Marshfield Rep. James Cantwell filed a bill to name Aerosmith’s “Dream On” the state’s official rock song. The two Democrats cite the tune’s inclusion in Rolling Stone magazine’s Top 500 greatest songs of all time.
“Steve Tyler plays a huge part in the community affairs in Marshfield, and I can’t think of a better song to represent the state,” Cantwell said. “In the pantheon of rock ‘n’ roll, Aerosmith is the best band from Massachusetts.”
Of “Dream On”, he said: “It’s a classic ballad that’s all about holding on to your dreams and seizing opportunity.”
Boston.com, April 3, 2013