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Rating: Luck never smiled on the Ramones, this must be admitted. Their greatness was only rewarded after their breakup in 1996, that is, when the world realized it had lost one of the greatest rock bands of all time, the inventors (or perfectors) of punk rock.
A bit of (due) recognition would not have been disdained in the '70s, that is, at the beginning of their career, when they were praised by critics, but did not achieve the hoped-for results with record sales.
At least the critics always supported them (at least that) and, rightly so. After "Ramones" (1976), "Leave Home" (1976) and "Rocket To Russia" (1977), after the efforts of the live "It's Alive" (recorded in 1977 and released two years later), the Fast Four were ready to return to the recording studio to churn out another LP.
The Ramones return to recording with a new drummer though, since Tommy Ramone had decided to leave the role of punk rocker to don the (more suitable) clothes of a record producer. In his place, Marc Bell, drinking and disaster buddy of Dee Dee Ramone, was chosen. From then on, he will forever be Marky Ramone.
With the members metaphorically expanded to five (Tommy took care of the production of the fourth studio album), the Ramones decide to combine business with pleasure, that is to churn out a successful record without giving up their musical creed.
Sound that is inevitably affected by the "reason of commerce". In the hope of asserting themselves on the record market, the four decide to turn to pop punk which offers unexpected melodic cues.
On the surface, the stylistic script is the same: apart from "I Wanted Everything" and "Questioningly", all the songs do not exceed the usual three minutes, but the difference in sound with the first three albums is noticeable. If "I'm Against It", "Bad Brain" or "Go Mental" seem to say: "Hey, we are still the Ramones and we are ready to prove it!", other tracks like "I Just Want To Have Something To Do" or "Needles & Pins" (Searchers cover) are examples of the new direction taken by the band on this occasion. Catchy, enjoyable songs on first listen, but leaving a bitter taste thinking that those playing are the same as "Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World" and "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment".
In partial defense, it is also fair to say that after the immense early albums, it was also right to attempt a new experience to avoid descending into repetitiveness (a risk always around the corner in the world of Punk Rock).
I want to conclude, however, by praising the highlight of this record: "I Wanna Be Sedated". The driving riff and catchy melody make it one of the Ramones' best songs. Joey Ramone's singing is absolutely fascinating and compelling (which forced me to listen to it continuously!).
As usual, the album doesn't sell as it should, the critics are openly divided between detractors and praisers, as are the fans, but fortunately they never doubt their band who, one way or another, always manage to entertain them like never before.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 I Just Want to Have Something to Do (02:42)
"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
02 I Wanted Everything (03:18)
I heard about the Easter bunny Presents under a Christmas tree
It was dreaming and fantasy There was no Mom or Daddy
I wanted everything I wanted everything I wanted everything
I had the world on my shoulder But I was getting older
Knew I was ready for it Some kind of employment
I wanted everything I wanted everything I wanted everything
All day working on a truck Bringing the groceries up
Not much of a salary No tip for the delivery
I wanted everything I wanted everything I wanted everything
There's no success for me Involved in a robbery
There's money in the supermarket And I'm goin' in after it
I wanted everything
03 Don't Come Close (02:44)
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
06 I'm Against It (02:07)
Well I'm against it
I'm against it
Well I'm against it
I'm against it
I don't like politics
I don't like communists
I don't like games and fun
I don't like anyone
And I'm against it
I'm against it
Well I'm against it
I'm against it
I don't like gee�s and freaks
I don't like circus geeks
I don't like summer and spring
I don't like anything
I don't like sex and drugs
I don't like water bugs
I don't care about poverty
All I care about is me
And I'm against it
I'm against it
Well I'm against it
I'm against it
I don't like playing it fine
I don't like the Vietcong
I don't like Burger King
I don't like anything
And I'm against it
I'm against it
Well I'm against it
I'm against it
Well I'm against it
I'm against it!
07 I Wanna Be Sedated (02:29)
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
09 Questioningly (03:22)
Questioningly her eyes looked at me And then she spoke
Aren't you someone I used to know And weren't we lovers a long time ago?
Looked at her close Forced her into view
Yes, I said, you're a girl That I once may have knew
But I don't love you anymore Why do you want to talk to me for?
You should have just let me walk by Memories make us cry
In the morning I'm at work on time My boss tells me that I'm doing fine
When I'm going home Whiskey bottle movie on the TV
Memories make me cry And I'm alone just me Just me questioningly
10 She's the One (02:13)
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
12 It's a Long Way Back (02:20)
You by the phone You all alone
It's a long way back to Germany
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By gae
The true gem of the album... is “I Wanna Be Sedated”, one of the band’s iconic songs, probably their last great misfit anthem.
Although the longer duration of the songs, the cleaner production... scandalized some punk purists at the time, the rock essence of the Ramones was in fact not at all compromised.
