I love and I hate The Ramones.
I got to thinking about them when I came across my old t-shirt. There was a time that if it wasn’t The Ramones it wasn’t music: I burned my closet down (the second time) cuz I had a poster of Joey on it and I’d light a candle like mood lighting .. yeah kids don’t try that at home.
So its time Rock NYC paid some mad props to the Kings of Queens.
1-2-3-4…
Joey Johnny Dee Dee… and uh… and a drummer.
There are purists there are slackers there are scholars on the topic and there are those like me.. who meh aside from Richie Ramone I’m cool with them all.
There is something so Summer about The Ramones and it could be that it was they sang the first song I played in my first car (Rockaway Beach!), or it could be that borderline Spector sound, not sure. But when its Ramones time.. there is nothing that can touch a bit of Rocket to Russia.
Ive been working as of late to not be one of those ‘back in my day’ type girls. I try to stay current with music, I don’t want to miss anything nor do I want to be stagnant. We all know someone who’s still listening to REO Speedwagon and thinking its cool. They may have a mullet.
But me, I’m to dang hip, ha! No. I’m not, I’m a goofball. But seriously..
The Ramones began in 74… and I’m thinking one of my fellow writers here could cast some light on that time, for alas I was only 8. BUT I was a Ramone. Never was there more bang for the buck than a 2 min song. They were fast, they were fun and they were cool. Joey the muppet headed lead singer to me………was the sexiest beast alive. Long pipe cleaner legs that sorta gangly awkwardness. sigh.. swoon… still. A chance encounter with him in ’81 forever changed my opinion in socks. I was crossing 3rd and dropped my handbag (ok I carried a HeMan lunch box as a purse and the clasp popped open) as I bent down to pick up the contents a tall wiry man with black and green stripped socks bent down to help. Yeah no kiddin. I died that day.. but on to the music.
Some say it all says the same, I disagree. I loved “Chinese Rock” and “Animal Boy” and I hated “Blitzkreig Bop” and “Bonzo goes to Bitburg”. Ramones shouldn’t really get THAT political. Just glide the surface. The best Christmas song ever.. “Merry Christmas Baby, (I don’t want to fight tonight)” is right up there on my holiday hit list next to “Fuck Christmas” by Fear. Happy Holidays.
I slept on many a stair to be first at stage to see them, and there are a few you tube videos with yours truly swaying away. GAH.. nice hair but, in the scheme of new we need to thank those boys for some great times.
Joey released a poorly received solo work Don’t Worry About Me, posthumously released contains a remake of “Wonderful World”. In February 2002 the Magpie was 5. We were cruising down the street, her in the back with ray bans on curls flying.. I cranked up that song and at that very moment when I looked in the rear view to see her reaction my eyes welled with tears…arms up over her head like a roller coaster ride kickin her feet to the rhythm, the next generation of Ramone fans stepped up. To this day we call that ‘our song’, it IS a Wonderful World. And though the critics killed that disc, I celebrated it. Still do.
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