YES, MASSACHUSETTS already has a state folk song and polka (“ ‘Roadrunner’ could soon be a state song,” Arts, Feb. 17). It also has a state patriotic song, “Massachusetts: Because of You Our Land Is Free,” penned by my late father, Bernard Davidson, and signed into law by Michael Dukakis in 1989.
I am a longtime fan of Jonathan Richman, the writer of “Roadrunner,” as well as a great admirer of Joyce Linehan, and I hope her effort with state Representative Martin “Marty” Walsh to recognize “Roadrunner” as the official state rock song comes to fruition.
But I wanted to fill in the omission of my dad’s song, because his journey could not have been any less grueling than their current campaign.
Indeed, after promoting the song for several years on area civic and public stages, my father was prominently featured in Boston Magazine’s “Worst of Boston” list in 1986. Following that, he was the subject of ridicule in Boston’s other daily paper.
But he was undaunted in his quest. In my dad’s spirit, I say rock on to Linehan and Walsh.