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Rating: On this site, unfortunately, there is only one review of this album. And it's terrible. It breaks my heart to see that this great album has been treated with such superficiality and dedicated barely twenty lines. So I'm here to do justice to this masterpiece.
1980: The Ramones are an American punk rock band with four albums under their belt. The band managed to make a name for themselves mainly thanks to their live performances, about which Joe Strummer said, «It was like a heat wave, a constant barrage of songs. You couldn't light a cigarette between the end of one track and the beginning of another. It was incredible. » But when it came to their records, they weren't selling that much. "Rocket to Russia," which is considered their masterpiece, reached number 49 on the American charts and 60th position in England. So for this new album, they decided to collaborate with an exceptional producer; namely Phil Spector. Yes, him, the creator of the Wall of Sound, a pioneer of the sound of '60s girl groups, and collaborator on the Beatles' "Let it be." Not a small name then. However, the recordings proved frustrating. Phil Spector came to threaten the band members with a gun to continue the recordings when they were truly exhausted. In the end, they managed to finish the album at a cost of $700,000, and on February 4, 1980, "End of century" was released, which I consider a jewel in the Ramones' discography. Sure, the die-hard fans criticized the too commercial sound, but it's known that the desire for possession turns into an obsessive sentiment when the things you love (in this case, the Ramones) try to reach a broader consensus. The initial track already says it all because the main element after the guitars is the saxophone, like '50s rock 'n' roll songs. Something that never happened with Ramones' songs and never will again. The song has an irresistible rhythm and has become a classic. Moreover, it lasts 3:50, and for the Ramones, it was rare to reach 3 minutes. The album mostly maintains a high pace, like the following "I'm Affected" and "Chinese rock", which had already been released by the Heartbreakers because Dee Dee Ramone wrote it for them, and here republished with only a few verses changed. It became a regular presence at concerts.
"The return of Jackie and Judy", a sequel to "Judy is a punk", from the first album, has a very strong rhythm dictated by the guitars. It was covered twice: by Foo Fighters and Tom Waits. And then "Let's go", "I can't make it on time", "This ain't Havana", "Rock 'n' roll high school", "All the way" and "High risk insurance", you can't stand still for a moment. The album also has the merit of containing a sweet ballad a bit out of the group's standards. "Danny says", dedicated to the group's manager Danny Fields, alludes to the group's live performances. A sweet ballad, very beautiful and pleasant, that brings out a hidden part of the Ramones, particularly Joey Ramone (author of the song), who among the members was most inclined to pop, just listen to the posthumous solo album "Don't worry about me" which contains different musical solutions not really punk but more pop-inclined. And finally, the song that made several fans wrinkle their noses (fortunately it's a cover) "Baby I love you". Hearing a Ramones song start with violins was really unusual, let alone hearing "I love you" sung all those times...! The song was brought to success in 1963 by the female group The Ronettes and produced, guess who, by Phil Spector.
The album was a critical success even if sales were not exceptional. Better than previous works, but not exciting as it reached number 44 in America and number 14 in England. I hope I have done justice to what I consider a great album that is always a pleasure to listen to and flows fast and genuine. For Punk rock fans, which doesn't stop at just punk rock thanks to the orchestrations and the production of a giant (though crazy) like Phil Spector.
See you next time...
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 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
02 I'm Affected (02:53)
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.
03 Danny Says (03:09)
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.
08 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.
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