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Rating: The Ramones, the quintessential punk band in America during the '70s and '80s, are often compared, due to their genre, musical simplicity, and the feelings of alienation and rebellion experienced by the band members, to the other quintessential punk band of those years, the British Sex Pistols. In my opinion, a comparison between the two bands is unfounded: the punk of the Sex Pistols represented utopia, a rejection of everything and everyone, beliefs, ethnicities, ideals, except for the abstract concept of "anarchy." The Ramones, more rationally (but perhaps also more "calculated"), opted for a less extreme punk, but one that was perhaps more achievable, compared to that of their overseas counterparts. The philosophy to adopt, then, is obviously up to the listener, keeping in mind that the Ramones had a twenty-year-long career characterized by ups and downs, while the Sex Pistols, much like Cobain, disappeared before they could slowly fade away. The sum of the Ramones' over twenty years of career has been encapsulated in this box set, which with the latest Christmas offers, can be found at even negligible prices (at 10 euros they "throw in" two CDs with a total of 58 songs, a booklet, and essentially a small piece of history to put on your desk).
We certainly don't discover the sound of the Ramones with this double CD: the usual three standard chords, with no solos even suggested, essentially a style entirely aimed at eschewing the technical virtuosity of prog-rock groups. A style that undoubtedly makes the purists cringe but has nevertheless provided music with songs of social significance even before musical, like the famous "Blitzkrieg Bop", "Beat On The Brat", "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker", and so on. I won't dwell on a superfluous track by track analysis, first of all because there are 58 tracks, and then because the spirit with which this box set was released is to give an overview of the American band, and let's just say it perfectly succeeds in its intent.
Chapter defects: predictably, the album is almost unparalleled in monotony, after about twenty songs you've already heard repetitive things, and the "One, two, three, four!" will have already bored you; musically, there's not much; there are a lot of superfluous tracks and a decidedly better product could have been set up by omitting about twenty songs, perhaps replacing them with a DVD. The overall rating I would give the product is slightly more than three stars, but considering the 360-degree panorama it provides on the band, its historical importance, and the presence of at least 7/8 legendary tracks (not necessarily impeccable), the evaluation rises to the coveted fourth star.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Blitzkrieg Bop (02:14)
Hey ho, let's go
Hey ho, let's go
Hey ho, let's go
Hey ho, let's go
They're forming in straight line
They're going through a tight wind
The kids are losing their minds
Blitzkrieg Bop
They're piling in the back seat
They're generating steam heat
Pulsating to the back beat
Blitzkrieg Bop
Hey ho, let's go
Shoot them in the back now
What they want, I don't know
They're all revved up and ready to go
They're forming in straight line
They're going through a tight wind
The kids are losing their minds
Blitzkrieg Bop
They're piling in the back seat
They're generating steam heat
Pulsating to the back beat
Blitzkrieg Bop
Hey ho, let's go
Shoot them in the back now
What they want, I don't know
They're all reved up and ready to go
They're forming in straight line
They're going through a tight wind
The kids are losing their minds
Blitzkrieg Bop
They're piling in the back seat
They're generating steam heat
Pulsating to the back beat
Blitzkrieg Bop
Hey ho, let's go
Hey ho, let's go
Hey ho, let's go
Hey ho, let's go
02 Beat on the Brat (02:32)
Beat on the brat, beat on the brat, beat on the brat with the
baseball bat oh yeah, oh yeah oh oh.
Beat on the brat, beat on the brat, beat on the brat with the
baseball bat oh yeah, oh yeah oh oh.
What can you do, what can you do, with the brat like that always
on your back, what can you loose; what can you do, what can you do
with the brat like that always on your back what can you loose, loose.
Beat on the brat, beat on the brat, beat on the brat with the
baseball bat oh yeah, oh yeah, oh oh.
Beat on the brat, beat on the brat, beat on the brat with the
baseball bat oh yeah, oh yeah, oh oh.
What can you do, what can you do, with the brat like that always
on your back, what can you loose; what can you do, what can you do
with the brat like that always on your back what can you loose.
05 53rd & 3rd (02:20)
If you think you can well, Come on man,
I was a Green Beret in Vietnam.
I said no more of your fairy stories
Cause I got my other worries.
Chorus:
53rd & 3rd
Standing on the street.
53rd & 3rd
I'm trying to turn a trick.
53rd & 3rd
You're the one they never pick.
53rd & 3rd
Don't it make you feel sick?
If you think you can well, Come on man,
I was a Green Beret in Vietnam.
I said no more of your fairy stories
Cause I got my other worries.
Chorus:
53rd & 3rd
Standing on the street.
53rd & 3rd
I'm trying to turn a trick.
53rd & 3rd
You're the one they never pick.
53rd & 3rd
Don't it make you feel sick?
Then I took out my razor blade.
Then I did what God forbade.
Now the cops are after me.
But I proved that I am no sissy.
Chorus:
53rd & 3rd
Standing on the street.
53rd & 3rd
I'm trying to turn a trick.
53rd & 3rd
You're the one they never pick.
53rd & 3rd
Don't it make you feel sick?
53rd & 3rd.
07 Glad to See You Go (02:13)
Gonna take a chance on her one bullet in the cylinder
And in a moment of passion get the glory like Charles Manson
Gonna smile, I'm gonna laugh you're gonna get a blood bath
And in a moment of passion get the glory like Charles Manson
You gotta go go go go goodbye glad to see you go go go go goodbye
Now I know the score I don't need you anymore don't want
You cause you're a bore I need somebody good I need a miracle
Should I take a chance on her? one bullet in the cylinder
Gonna smile, I'm gonna laugh they're gonna want my autograph
And in a moment of passion get the glory like Charles Manson
You gotta go go go go goodbye Glad to see you go go go go goodbye
Goodbye
08 Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment (01:44)
I was feeling sick
Losing my mind
I heard about these treatments
From a good friend of mine
He was always happy
Smile on his face
He said he had a great time at the place.
Peace and love is here to stay
And now I can wake up and face the day
Happy happy happy all the time
Shock treatment, I'm doing fine.
Gimme gimme shock treatment
10 California Sun (02:03)
Well I'm going out west where I belong
Where the days are short and the nights are long
And I'll walk
And they'll walk
And I'll twist
And they'll twist
And I'll shimmy
And they'll shimmy
And I'll fly
And they'll fly
Where we're out there having fun
In the warm California sun
Well, I'm going out west out on the coast
Where the California girls are really the most
And I'll walk
And they'll walk
And I'll twist
And they'll twist
And I'll shimmy
And they'll shimmy
And I'll fly
And they'll fly
Where we're out there having fun
In the warm California sun
Well, the girls are frisky in old 'Frisco
A pretty little chick wherever you go
And I'll walk
And they'll walk
And I'll twist
And they'll twist
And I'll shimmy
And they'll shimmy
And I'll fly
And they'll fly
Where we're out there having fun
In the warm California sun
Where we're out there having fun
In the warm California sun
11 Commando (01:54)
They do their best
They do what they can
They get them ready for Viet Nam
From old Hanoi to East Berlin
Commando---Involved again
They do their best
They do what they can
They get them ready for Viet Nam
First rule is: The laws of Germany
Second rule is: Be nice to mommy
Third rule is: Don't talk to commies
Fourth rule is: Eat kosher salamis
12 Swallow My Pride (02:07)
Winter is here and it's going on two years swallow my pride
And things were looking very grim but they're looking good again
Swallow my pride
Loose lips sink ships, they say but isn't it always that way?
Swallow my pride, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
Winter is here and it's going on two years swallow my pride
And things were looking very grim but they're looking good again
Swallow my pride
Gonna have a real cool time and everything's gonna be real fine
Swallow my pride, oh yeah
Winter is here and it's going on two years swallow my pride
And things were looking very grim but they're looking good again
Swallow my pride
Gonna have a real cool time and everything's gonna be real fine
Swallow my pride, oh yeah
14 Pinhead (02:44)
Gabba gabba we accept you we accept you one of us
Gabba gabba we accept you we accept you one of us
I don't wanna be a pinhead no more I just met a nurse that I could go for
I don't wanna be a pinhead no more I just met a nurse that I could go for
I don't wanna be a pinhead no more I just met a nurse that I could go for
I don't wanna be a pinhead no more I just met a nurse that I could go for
D-U-M-B
Everyone's accusing me
I don't wanna be a pinhead no more I just met a nurse that I could go for
I don't wanna be a pinhead no more I just met a nurse that I could go for
15 Sheena Is a Punk Rocker (02:49)
Well the kids are all hopped up and ready to go
They're ready to go now
They got their surfboards
And they're going to the Discotheque Au Go Go
But she just couldn't stay
She had to break away
Well New York City really has it all
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker now.
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker now.
She's a punk punk, a punk rocker
Punk punk, a punk rocker
Punk punk, a punk rocker.
Well the kids are all hopped up and ready to go
They're ready to go now
They got their surfboards
And they're going to the Discotheque Au Go Go
But she just couldn't stay
She had to break away
Well New York City really has it all
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker now.
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker
Sheena is a punk rocker now.
She's a punk punk, a punk rocker
Punk punk, a punk rocker
Punk punk, a punk rocker.
16 Cretin Hop (01:58)
There's no stoppin' the cretins from hoppin'
you gotta keep it beatin'
for all the hoppin' cretins
cretin! cretin!
I'm gonna go for a whirl with my cretin girl
my feet won't stop
doing the cretin hop
cretin! cretin!
1 - 2 - 3 - 4
cretins wanna hop some more
4 - 5 - 6 - 7
all good cretins go to heaven
(Repeat)
17 Rockaway Beach (02:08)
Chewin' out a rhythm on my bubble gum
The sun is out and I want some
It's not hard, not far to reach
We can hitch a ride
To Rockaway Beach
Up on the roof, out on the street
Down in the playground, the hot concrete
Bus ride is too slow
They blast out the disco on the radio
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
We can hitch a ride
To Rockaway Beach
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
We can hitch a ride
To Rockaway Beach
It's not hard, not far to reach
We can hitch a ride
To Rockaway beach
It's not hard, not far to reach
We can hitch a ride
To Rockaway beach
Chewin' out a rhythm on my bubble gum
The sun is out and I want some
It's not hard, not far to reach
We can hitch a ride
To Rockaway Beach
Up on the roof, out on the street
Down in the playground, the hot concrete
Bus ride is too slow
They blast out the disco on the radio
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
We can hitch a ride
To Rockaway Beach
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
We can hitch a ride
To Rockaway Beach
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
Rock, rock, Rockaway Beach
We can hitch a ride
To Rockaway Beach
19 Teenage Lobotomy (02:03)
Lobotomy, lobotomy, lobotomy, lobotomy!
DDT did a job on me
Now I am a real sickie
Guess I'll have to break the news
That I got no mind to lose.
All the girls are in love with me
I'm a teenage lobotomy.
Slugs and snails are after me
DDT keeps me happy
Now I guess I'll have to tell 'em
That I got no cerebellum.
Gonna get my Ph.D.
I'm a teenage lobotomy.
REPEAT
20 Surfin' Bird (02:37)
Well everybody's heard about the bird
Bird is the word
Don't you know about the bird well everybody knows that the bird is a word
Bird is a word
21 I Don't Care (01:40)
"I don't care
I don't care
I don't care
About this world
I don't care
About that girl
I don't care
I don't care
I don't care
I don't care
About these words
REPEAT "
22 I Just Want to Have Something to Do (02:43)
"Hangin out on Second Avenue
Eating chicken feelin' blue
I just want to be with you
I just want to have something to do
Tonight, tonight, tonight
Tonight, tonight
Well allright
Tonight, tonight, tonight
Tonight, tonight, tonight
Wait-now
Wait-now
Hanging out all by myself
I don't want to be with anybody else
I just want to be with you
I just want to have something to do
Tonight, tonight, tonight
Tonight, tonight
Well allright
Tonight, tonight, tonight
Tonight, tonight, tonight
Wait-now
Wait-now
(4x)
Hanging out all by myself
I don't want to be with anybody else
I just want to be with you
I just want to have something to do
Tonight, tonight, tonight
Tonight, tonight
Well allright
Tonight, tonight, tonight
Tonight, tonight, tonight
Tonight, tonight, tonight
Tonight, tonight, tonight
23 I Wanna Be Sedated (02:31)
Twenty-twenty-twenty-four hours to go
I wanna be sedated
Nothing to do, nowhere to go home,
I wanna be sedated
Just, get me to the airport, put me on a plane
Hurry hurry hurry, before I go insane
I can't control my fingers, I can't control my brain
Oh no oh-oh oh-oh
Twenty-twenty twenty-four hours to go
I wanna be sedated
Nothing to do, nowhere to go home,
I wanna be sedated
Just put me in a wheelchair, get me on a plane
Hurry hurry hurry, before I go insane
I can't control my fingers, I can't control my brain
Oh no oh-oh oh-oh
Twenty-twenty-twenty-four hours to go
I wanna be sedated
Nothing to do, nowhere to go home,
I wanna be sedated
Just put me in a wheelchair and get me to the show
Hurry hurry hurry, before I gonna go
I can't control my fingers, I can't control my toes
Oh no oh-oh oh-oh
Twenty-twenty-twenty-four hours to go
I wanna be sedated
Nothing to do, nowhere to go home,
I wanna be sedated
Just put me in a wheelchair, get me to the show
Hurry hurry hurry, before I gonna go
I can't control my fingers, I can't control my toes
Oh no oh-oh oh-oh
Ba-ba-baba baba-ba-baba, I wanna be sedated
Ba-ba-baba baba-ba-baba, I wanna be sedated
Ba-ba-baba baba-ba-baba, I wanna be sedated
Ba-ba-baba baba-ba-baba, I wanna be sedated
24 Don't Come Close (02:46)
You know it's generally known You got everything at home
Kisses out of desperation Bring you more aggravation
And you don't come close You don't come close You don't come close
You bring out your souvenirs Soak them wet with your tears
You lose your imagination Out of more aggravation
And you don't come close You don't come close You don't come close
You turn red with rage But act your age
Only thing that your regret You need more time to forget
And you don't come close You don't come close You don't come close
25 She's the One (02:15)
Yeah yeah she's the one
Yeah yeah she's the one
When I see her on the street
You know she makes my life complete
And you know I told you so
She's the one, she's the one
Yeah yeah she's my girl
Yeah yeah she's my girl
When I see her on the street
You know she makes my life complete
And you know I told you so
She's the one, she's the one
She's the one
Know I'll never find a girl like you
But in my heart I'll always love you
Yeah yeah she's the one...
When I see her on the street
You know she makes my life complete
And you know I told you so
She's the one, she's the one
She's the one
Know I'll never find a girl like you
But in my heart I'll always be true
Yeah yeah she's the girl
The best girl in the whole wide world
When I see her on...
She's the one
She's the one, she's the one, she's the one
She's the one, she's the one, she's the one
She's the one, she's the one, she's the one
26 Needles and Pins (02:23)
I saw her today, I saw her face it was a face I love
And I knew I had to run away and get down on my knees and pray that they go away
Still it begins needles and pins
Because of all my pride the tears I gotta hide
Oh I thought I was smart I stole her heart
Didnt think I do but now I see
Shes worse to him than me let her go ahead
Take his love instead and one day she will see just how to save me
And get down on her knees thats how it begins
Shell feel those needles and pins - oh, no - oh, no
Why cant I stop and tell myself Im wrong, Im wrong, so wrong
Why cant I stand up and tell myself Im strong because I saw her today
I saw her face it was a face I love
And I knew I had to run away and get down on my knees and pray that they go away
Still it begins needles and pins
Because of all my pride the tears I gotta hide
Hey! needles and pins needles and pins needles and pins
29 Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio? (03:52)
Rock'n, rock'n'roll radio Let's go
Rock'n, rock'n'roll radio Let's go
Rock'n, rock'n'roll radio Let's go
Rock'n, rock'n'roll radio Let's go
Do you remember Hullabaloo,
Upbeat, Shinding and Ed Sullivan too?
Do you remember rock'n'roll radio?
Do you remember rock'n'roll radio?
Do you remember Murray the K,
Alan Freed, and high energy?
It's the end, the end of the 70's
It's the end, the end of the century
Do you remember lying in bed
With your covers pulled up over your head?
Radio playin' so no one can see
We need change, we need it fast
Before rock's just part of the past
'Cause lately it all sounds the same to me
Oh oh oh oh, oh oh
Will you remember Jerry Lee,
John Lennon, T. Rex and OI Moulty?
It's the end, the end of the 70's
It's the end, the end of the century
30 I Can't Make It on Time (02:33)
I can't make it on time.
I can't make it on time.
I keep tryin' and tryin'
I can't make it on time.
I can't hurry and you can't wait. It doesn't
matter 'cause we're already late.
I can't get off the telephone.
It always rings when I'm alone.
You gotta wait wait 'cause you don't
Need no one. Wait wait, 'cause you
Know that I'm the one.
You gotta wait. Hey, hey' hey. Wait.
32 I'm Affected (02:54)
When I look into your big brown eyes and i feel
Like I'm in paradise. I wan't you by my side.
'Cause I'm affected, 'fected
Yeah, I'm affected, 'fected. Well I'm affected.
And all I want is you.
Didn't know it a few years ago, but now finally
Know. I want you by my side.
I want you baby, baby, baby, baby.
Yeah, I love you and I want you to know.
Yeah, yeah, and that's for sure I want you
By my side. 'Cause I'm affected, 'fected
Yeah, I'm affected, Well I'm affected.
And all I want is you.
33 Danny Says (03:06)
Danny says we gotta go. Gotta go to Idaho
But we can't go surfin' 'cause it's 20 below.
Sound check's at 5:02. Record stores and interviews.
Oh, but I can't wait to be with you tomorrow.
Baby
Oho-ho-ho, we got nowhere to go and it may sound
Funny, but's true. Hangin' out in 100 B watching
Get Smart on TV. Thinkin' about.
You and me and you and me.
Hangin' out in L.A. And there's nowhere to go.
It ain't Christmas if there ain't no snow.
Listening to Sheena on the radio.
Oh-ho oh-ho.
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Other reviews
By vellutogrigio
By reducing their musical influences to the lowest common denominator, the Ramones have unveiled the true nature of rock: nothing more than voice, guitar, bass, and drums, nothing more than simple noise.
The double anthology offers listeners the chance to focus on the musical value of the Ramones’ work, understanding their importance as well as the limits of their proposal.
