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Depending on which compilation you trust, you really only need 30, 58 or 80+ Ramones songs to cover the basics. And while those comps are all fine and good, really, you should probably just buy the band’s first three—or four, if you’re feeling generous—albums and call it a day. After all, the Ramones are one of the best and most influential American bands of all time, hands down, no questions asked. But reader, this is a list with ridiculous expectations. A list that has no use for large numbers. So, without further ado, The 10 Best Ramones Songs of All Time, in order:
10. “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School”
Fun fun, indeed, just like the movie that’s named after it.
9. “I Wanna Be Sedated”
For such a sad song, it sure has made a lot of people happy. Even four year olds love it!
8. “Beat on the Brat”
According to Dee Dee Ramone, Joey wrote this song after watching a mother go after her kid with the titular sporting implement.
7. “The KKK Took My Baby Away”
This one has been covered by many, including Pearl Jam and Marilyn Manson. We dare you to name another song with that distinction.
6. “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend”
For all his sneering, Joey Ramone was a softy deep down. “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” best encapsulates this romanticism.
5. “Cretin Hop”
Named after a street in Minnesota, this not-quite-two-minute gem is featured in the movie SLC Punk.
4. “Rockaway Beach”
Dee Dee Ramone knew the Queens beach was “not far, not hard to reach,” which is one of the reasons he frequently visited it and wrote a song for it.
3. “Sheena is a Punk Rocker”
When Thurston Moore covers your song on Gossip Girl, you know you’ve done something right.
2. “Judy is a Punk”
One and half minutes of perfection.
1. “Blitzkrieg Bop”
If you don’t think this is #1, you’re simply kidding yourself.
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This is a tough thing to do but I think you got it right. Although a close #11 in my humble opinion would be '53rd and 3rd'.
"My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes To Bitburg)"
Come on, dude.
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With new pages, photos and info on what's been happening to the legacy of the Ramones since 2003.
This is a MUST-HAVE book for all Ramones fans. Based around the story of Monte A. Melnick who was the Ramones tour manager (and much more) throughout their entire career (1974-1996, and 2,263 live shows). It's an inside look from the people who were actually there witnessing and experiencing all the extreme highs and lows of one of rock's greatest bands. The book is packed with interviews from the Ramones and many many more people who where very close to the band. There are over 250 photographs and pictures of memorabilia Monte collected along the way. Buy it, read it and then revisit their albums. You'll never look at the Ramones in the same light.
53rd & 3rd definitely belongs there. And even though it was first recorded by The Heartbreakers because Johnny didn't want them to perform a song about hardcore heroin addiction, I'll give them Chinese Rocks as an honorable mention. Because I do really enjoy their recording of it as well.
Great list; what an ambitious feat, considering almost every Ramones fan will probably agree and disagree with it at the same time.
My irks? I would shuffle the songs around a little, and replace "Judy is a Punk" with "I Want you Around," or "I Wanna Live," or "Somebody Put Something In My Drink," or...
My favorite Ramone was Dee Dee the true punk in the band..Greatest song is "Warthog"..i was luck enough to see the Ramones about 8 times and i saw 2 Joey Ramone shows at the Ritz...
I think this is more of a cliche list of their best songs rather than something definitive. It also seems a bit presumptuous to act like ROAD TO RUIN isn't a great record. It was one of the best albums in 1978! To act as if there were not great songs on the latter albums is to be somewhat short-sighted in the scope of the music The Ramones made.
Some obvious Ramones gems you missed:
"53rd and 3rd"
"Sheena Is a Punk Rocker"
"Don't Come Close"
"Here Today, Gone Tomorrow"
"Danny Says"
"Something To Believe In"
"My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes to Bitburg)"
"Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)"
And their cover of "Do You Wanna Dance?" rivals even The Beach Boys version for the most energetic take on the song!
Let me throw an alternate Ramones top-10 universe out there. Keep Blitzkrieg Pop, Lobotomy and Rockaway Beach, give the other seven honorable mentions, then sub in:
Oh Oh I Love Her So
I Can't Make It on Time
I Want You Around
Carbona Not Glue
SLUG
I Just Wanna Have Something to Do
We're a Happy Family
And for fun, rotate in to round out the 10-20 honorable mentions:
It's Not My Place (in the 9 to 5 World)
Do You Wanna Dance
Too Tough to Die
This is tough list for a tough band. How do you limit yourself to 10 tracks? Although I can't really argue with a single selection, I myself probably would've found a way to sneak in one or more of the following: "She's the One," "Questioningly" and possibly the hugely underrated gem from Pleasant Dreams, "Don't Go."
But only the first three albums? Four if you're feeling generous?! Firstly, I agree with @Jeff Watkins and would say Road to Ruin should always be included in those "essential" Ramones records. More importantly, I'll continue the good fight for the next two albums. Sure, End of the Century is slightly flawed in that the more punk stuff doesn't sit well against Phil Spector's golden touches like "Danny Says" and "I Can't Make it on Time." Still, I have to think in some alternate universe that record was a huge success and its many shoulda-been classics became jukebox standards.
As for Pleasant Dreams... I'll say it right here: my favorite Ramones album. Picks up where Century left off and gets the track consistency right. It's a pure pop effort--one last focused shot at the mainstream, but damn, it sounds like they poured everything into achieving those great hooks and layered harmonies. The little things people don't notice such as the unexpected chord changes make this one of the band's most unique and enjoyable efforts.
1. Blitzkrieg Bop
2. Rockaway Beach
3: Commando
4. Cretin Hop
5. Havanna Affair
6. Teenage Lobotomy
7. Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment
8. Sheena is a punk rocker
8. Pinhead
9. We're a happy family
Best record:
1. It's alive
2. Rocket to Russia
3. Ramones & Leave Home
RIP Joey, Dee Dee and Johnny. Long live The Ramones, greastest rock band ever!
Putting together a list like this is a fool's errand. The volume of quality output from this band is just too big. The most egregious omission in my book:
Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World.
For shame. Where's "Go Home Ann." Greatest Ramones tune ever.
These are the top ten if you've owned nothing but a single "hits" compilation.
Hey Daddy-o!
I don't wanna go
down to the basement!
There's something down there!
I don't wanna go
Hey Romeo!
I don't wanna go
down to the basement!
uhhh...
Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue... HELLO???
1. chasing the night
hands down. just my opinion though.
J.J. Shearer-----
You hit the target. "Pleasant Dreams" is my fav Ramones for exactly the reasons you mention. The songwritting is refined and the album rocks hard. Much harder than most give it credit for.
"We came across a miracle, there was beer in the soda machine..."
10. You're Gonna Kill That Girl
9. Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World
8. Blitzkrieg Bop
7. Don't Go Down to the Basement
6. Beat on the Brat
5. Commando
4. 53rd and 3rd
3. Sheena Is a Punk Rocker
2. Bonzo Goes to Bitburg
1. Carbona Not Glue
B-bop would rank higher, but you can tell they were influenced by the Sweet of all people when they wrote it. And it can't compete with "First Rule Is!" anyway.