All My Favorite Songs #24: Roadrunner

Rock & roll stripped down to its most basic and primal, Jonathan Richman and his original Modern Lovers ask the question, "Who needs three chords if you can get it done with two?"

Recorded essentially as a demo in 1972 (with the Velvet Underground's John Cale producing), but not released until 1976 (on the Modern Lovers' legendary self-titled debut), the song is one of rock's great what-if stories. It has all the makings of the perfect proto-punk alternative hit that would've placed the Lovers as...