Natick Residents Hold Jonathan Richman in High Esteem

A Dorchester state representative has filed a bill to make Roadrunner, written by Natick native Jonathan Richman and first recorded by Modern Lovers in the '70s, as the official rock song of the Commonwealth.

State Rep. Martin “Marty” Walsh filed a bill last week to make Roadrunner, which is about driving at night along Route 128, the official rock song of Massachusetts, reported Boston.com.

Walsh, told Boston.com, he was prompted to file the bill via a petition from Joyce Linehan, a mover and shaker in his local community through her work as an arts publicist and on political campaigns.

Massachusetts already has a state folk song (Arlo Guthrie’s “Massachusetts”) and polka (“Say Hello to Someone From Massachusetts”); but with homegrown rock bands like Aerosmith, Boston, the J. Geils Band and the Dropkick Murphys, should Roadrunner be the state's rock song?

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