In 1972, epic songs such as “American Pie” by Don Mclean and “Layla” by Derek and the Dominos were topping the charts.

It’s no wonder that Warner Bros. didn’t release an album by The Modern Lovers. They were almost the exact antithesis of the day’s rock stars.
Led by Jonathan Richman, the Modern Lovers stripped down rock to its basic, three-chord origins.

The group formed in the early 1970s and recorded a demo with former Velvet Underground member John Cale.

Heard in the context of the budding punk scene, “The Modern Lovers” is revelatory. It predates the Ramones and the punk explosion, a fact critics say gives Jonathan Richman his “Godfather of Punk” title.

Yet “The Modern Lovers” is different from many punk records. Instead of focusing on rebellion and protest, Richman’s lyrics focus on the pleasures of girls and listening to the radio.

Every guy who ever felt awkward or shy around girls can relate to Jonathan Richman’s unlucky-in-love lyrics and nasally singing voice. To say he sings on this record is a bit inaccurate. Richman instead shouts or chants his tales of doomed love.

As Richman leads the band in singing back-up on “I’m Straight,” it’s the sound of a normal man transcending the mundane with honesty and heart.

Of course, it’s impossible to talk about “The Modern Lovers” without bringing up its classic opening track, “Roadrunner,” an ode to driving down the freeway with the radio on. With only two chords and a city’s worth of energy, “Roadrunner” is rock ‘n’ roll, through-and-through.

While the band broke up years before their sole album was released, they did go on to great things. Drummer David Robinson went on to play in the Cars while keyboardist Jerry Harrison joined Talking Heads.

“The Modern Lovers” lives on as an influence for rock music today.

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