Written by SPIN Team | From Baltimore to Tehran, SPIN writers share the tracks that tell the truest stories about where they’re from. | I was living in the Boston area in 2013 during the great Massachusetts State Song Debate. The Bay State already has quite a few: Arthur J. Marsh’s 1954 classic “All Hail to Massachusetts,” Arlo Guthrie’s “Massachusetts” (under the “Official Folk” category) and at least one more, including Lenny Gomulka’s banger “Say Hello to Someone from Massachusetts” as the requisite polka. In 2013, they were looking to update their roster with an official state rock song.
According to The Guardian, when it came down to two songs—Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lover’s “Roadrunner” and Aerosmith’s “Dream On”—“Aerosmith-loving state legislators” were determined to block “Roadrunner” from taking the title.
Yes, they took this very seriously. And rightfully so.
It should go without saying that Richman and Aerosmith are two icons in and out of Massachusetts, both deserving. But I wondered why these two over so many others, like Boston’s “More Than a Feeling” or the Standells’ ’66 classic “Dirty Water,” a song all Bostonians learn and chant like it’s a sacred hymn. (Guessing they didn’t want to highlight how historically “dirty” the Charles River was: “That’s where you’ll find me / Along with lovers, muggers, and thieves / Ah, but they’re cool people / Well, I love that dirty water / Oh Boston, you’re my home.”)
The reason those two songs were chosen is simple: the people in charge liked them the best. As with all things political and musical, it was personal.
What’s the first song you think of when you think of home?
Because every state already has a song, we asked our usual suspects to anoint one song from their home town or city—and to make it personal.
—Liza Lentini, Executive Editor
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Go here to read the full suggested list of songs:
https://www.spinmagazine.com/2026/04/every-city-has-a-soundtrack/
[No Denver song is listed so we’ll suggest one: Denver by Steve Son, who will be speaking at our COMBO meeting May 18th . Steve has a great reason for writing it!] [They’re looking for CITY songs, not STATE songs so that’s why John Denver’s Rocky Mountain High is not listed!]
