First off, let me just say that I absolutely love the Ramones (except for the drummer, who seems like a loser among losers to me), but one must admit that the Ramones deserve a place in the punk hall of fame, alongside the Sex Pistols, Clash, Dead Kennedys, and the omnipresent Avril Lavigne (who has little to do with punk, but the world seems convinced otherwise).
They are pure punk: they neither know how to compose nor arrange (the drum parts are horrifying), and they can't really play.
They should be considered for their significance in the punk movement, which has managed to wipe out prog rock that was becoming just technique for its own sake (although evidently not all of it, since there are still evil creatures like Malmsteen around, whose songs are exercises in pure technique, perhaps appreciable to a guitarist – virtuoso, of course, because I couldn't do even a thousandth of what our Yngwie does), but from a musical point of view, when scrutinized from a rock perspective, they are a pneumatic void (and even the most diehard punk fans must agree that my reasoning is quite sensible).
But let's leave aside the useless ramblings and move on to the de-review.
The album starts with “Pet Sematary” which, let's face it, has very little of the incendiary punk of “God Save the Queen” or “Anarchy in the U.K.”, and this not-being-punk story continues up to about the tenth track, except for “Anxiety” (a really very nice song). In fact, from track number ten to eighteen there are a series of live performances that are the real core of the CD and represent the raw and gritty sound of the Ramones and, ultimately, more punk.
“Sheena is a Punk Rocker” with that absolutely absurd drumming (evidently they don't know that the cymbals and hi-hat are NOT used for keeping time in sixteenths – and at very high volumes) is a fun piece that flows smoothly to the end; “Surfin' Bird” is a bit tedious, with an interlude of Joey screaming “Surfin' Bird” and making absurd noises; “I Wanna Be Sedated”, one of the Ramones' best songs, although in this version it's sung with a Joey who has a very deep voice.
“Rock and Roll Radio” with a drum introduction that is fun (nothing sublime), but the melody is a bit predictable, except for the bass (very well done in terms of arrangements).
“Blitzkrieg Bop”, the song that sums up the Ramones, with its “Hey ho, let's go!”, in this version is faster than the original and with a series of "adjustments" that make it more appealing.
In short, in conclusion it's nothing special, but it's unmissable for a collector who wants to have in a collection the best pieces of the group that founded American punk.
Tracklist and Lyrics
02 Cretin Hop (00:00)
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)
03 Rockaway Beach (00:00)
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
04 Commando (00:00)
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
11 Psycho Therapy (00:00)
Psycho therapy
Psycho therapy
Psycho therapy
That's what they wanna give me
Psycho therapy
Psycho therapy
Psycho therapy
All they wanna give me
I'm a teenage schizoid
The one your parents despise
Psycho therapy
Now I got glowing eyes
I'm a teenage schizoid
Pranks and muggings are fun
Psycho therapy
Gonna kill someone
Psycho therapy
Psycho therapy
I like takin' Tuinal
It keeps me edgy and mean
I'm a teenage schizoid
I'm a teenage dope fiend
I'm a kid in the nut house
I'm a kid in the psycho zone
Psycho therapy
I'm gonna burglarize your home
Psycho therapy
Psycho therapy
12 Teenage Lobotomy (00:00)
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
18 We Want The Airwaves (00:00)
9 to 5 and 5 to 9
Ain't gonna take it
It's our time
We want the world and we want it now
We're gonna take it anyhow
We want the airwaves
We want the airwaves
We want the airwaves, baby
If rock is gonna stay alive
(2x)
Oh yeah
well alright
Let's rock
tonight
All night
Where's your guts and will to survive
And don't you wanna keep rock'n'roll music alive
Mr. Programmer
I got my hammer
And I'm gonna
Smash my
Smash my
Brain!
We want the airwaves
We want the airwaves
We want the airwaves, baby
If rock is gonna stay alive
(2x)
Oh yeah
well alright
Let's rock
tonight
All night
We want the airwaves airwaves
We want the airwaves airwaves
We want the airwaves airwaves
We want the airwaves airwaves
We want the airwaves, baby
20 I Just Want To Have Something To Do (00:00)
"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
22 Indian Giver (00:00)
I can still remember
It wasn't long ago
Things you used to tell me
You said I had to know
Told me that you loved me
And that you always would
Then I said I loved you
You said that that was good
Girl, you made a promise
Said you'd never want me to go
Oh no
Indian giver, Indian giver
You took your love away from me
Indian giver, Indian giver
Took back the love you gave to me
Baby, I was feeling
The way I want to feel
You had me believing
The love we had was real
Things we did together
You said they'd never end
Now until forever
Yeah, that was what you said
Girl, when I was down,
I knew you'd always be there
Oh, yeah
Indian giver, Indian giver
You took your love away from me
Indian giver, Indian giver
Took back the love you gave to me
25 Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment (00:00)
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
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