Interesting story: One time when the Ramones and some other guys were driving around in a truck high they got lost in a forest. They got pretty worried and whatnot because they were lost. It probably didn’t help that they’re paranoia was probably increased by drugs. Then they started seeing random disembodies heads and other limbs. They got pretty freaked out and eventually got out safe and sound.
The Ramones only had two permanent members. Johnny Ramone, guitarist, and Joey Ramone, vocalist. They weren’t a very talented band in the technical sense. In the technical sense they were total crap. But, they knew how to write really catchy songs. They had amusing and serious lyrics, and some great vocals.
It’s hard to really talk about then instruments without using the words same, simple, and predictable. This is not a bad thing, however. A lot of bands might not be able to pull off making so many songs that were so simple and sounded a lot alike but they did. Two songs that sound somewhat samey would be Blitzkrieg Bop and I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend. While I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend is much slower than Blitzkrieg Bop they have similar power chords and they’re used in the same way for the most part. The only real reason that I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend is a weak track is because I don’t find the Ramones very good at doing slower songs. They’re chord changes aren’t interesting enough to keep your attention when played slow. With this being said I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend is not, by any stretch of the imagination a bad song. It just doesn’t hold up against the energy and speed of the others. The fact that it’s short saves it. Baby, I love You starts out with potential and a sign of maturity but is just cheesey at some parts. The instruments in the background are really catchy and hookey but Joey’s vocals are too cheesey. The bass is oddly nice,though. It’s got some cool little fills which is rarely present on this cd. There is no guitar here though which is kind of a bummer as I love how catchy the riffs Johnny made were. This song just sounds too sophisticated for the Ramones and doesn’t suit them at all.
Those are the only two slow tracks on here, which is definitely a good thing. They were just better at doing faster pop punk songs. They were an extremely catchy band. Blitzkrieg Bop is definitely a good example of a catchy Ramones song. A great moment in the song is when it’s just the drums and Joey’s vocals singing: “Hey Ho Let’s Go!” As the guitar and bass come in a simple build up of energy that needs to be loose. The bass, while it just copies the guitar, is also another important part as it really helps drive the song. The vocals sound very British and really help with the sound of each song. Beat on the Brat is another impossibly catchy song. It’s about when Joey would see these little kids acting like, well, brats. And the parents had no control over them and he thought it would be funny if the parents would hit them with bats, so he wrote a funny song. It’s extremely infectious and really sticks in your head. I often find myself singing: Beat on the brat, beat on the brat with a baseball bat.” The delivery in this song is really what makes this such a great song. Although it’s a typical Ramones song it manages to set itself apart from the rest somehow. I don’t know how but it just does.
Another song that manages to do this is Pinhead. It starts out with strange vocals and driving drums. Then the song kicks off with the choppy guitar. While not as catchy as most of the other songs (this may be what sets it a part) it is still one of the best tracks. It’s got the usual qualities of a Ramones song, nothing really different, but it’s still a great track.
Yet another great track that is typical of the Ramoens is Rock n Roll High School. It discusses the fact that they don't care about history and they just want to have fun and get laid. It is really a great energetic song that's got a great subject, especially for teenagers who are sick of school. That's probably where it's major appeal comes from and a lot of the appeal from punk in general.
There’s this great song on here, it’s about how one of the Ramones stole Joey’s girlfriend. It’s not as fast as a lot of their songs but it’s also not as slow as I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend. This is an awesome song called The KKK Took My Baby Away. It is definitely one of the strongest tracks. It’s got basically everything a Ramones song usually does; catchy guitar, simple bass, easy drums with the occasional snare rolls, and British like vocals. But the speed is a nice break. It’s somewhat slower than the majority of this cd and is a nice break from the speedy pop punk. The lyrics are simply great. While nothing amazing they’re simply very catchy and I think the fact that its name is referring to his girlfriend being stolen was a good idea. I like how during the verse the guitar goes from choppy right to the straight playing that is commonly present in Ramones songs. This song has a great pop song and near the end is made even more awesome when the vocals are brought up just a bit higher and more energetic which was a great way to finish such an awesome song.
Another song that can be compared to KKK would be Pet Semetary because of it’s speed. This is the best song on here. It’s the only Ramones song that really makes me feel stuff other than the need to jump around. It really is a simple masterpiece. The guitar during the verse is just a simple individually picked power chords which is pretty technical for the Ramones. Then there’s a really nice mournful solo, but of course, it’s really short. Joey’s vocals aren’t anything different on here but they are still really nice. And during the chorus there are some excellent backing vocals. As the song fades it leaves you to reflect on what the song means to you. They truly did a great job on this song.
Overall to tell you the truth telling you about 4 songs off this would really tell what this cd is like because they don’t differ very much at all. You should stay away from the Ramones if you don’t like simplistic music. The fact that a band can make so many songs that sound a like and still be so enjoyable is quite a feat in my eyes. They definitely aren’t for everyone though; especially probably a lot of people who love technical music, weird timings, and shredding. None of those are present here. But, if you want a dramatic change come here. The Ramones are simply one of my favorite punk bands and, if you ask me, send a good message; it’s not about who can play the best it’s about having fun playing music you love.
