 List Price: $7.98
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Amazon.com: The Ramones' April 1976 debut, recorded for little more than $6,000, long ago passed into legend. Its exalted status as the inspiration for thousands of punk bands worldwide, though, hasn't overshadowed its monolithic roar, the knowing hilarity of its lyrics ("Judy Is a Punk" crams the SLA, the Ice Capades, and a salute to Herman's Hermits into a 90-second frame), and the impulse to blast it for everyone within earshot: Hey, listen to this. Embracing and rewriting rock & roll history at once, Ramones speeded up heavy music, adding a pop patina to songs inspired by horror movies and glue sniffing, and claiming a great Chris Montez tune ("Let's Dance") from the supposedly fallow period that had fallen between Elvis and the Beatles. Absurdist, yeah (how could anything with Joey's super-affected Liverpool-via-Queens accent be otherwise?) and also smart: "Havana Affair" is the greatest song about the cold war this side of Dylan. This remastered edition complements the original LP with a slew of demos, including a Spectoresque "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend," and the single version of "Blitzkrieg Bop," that, equally prophetically, puts Joey's vocal through a mixing trick that makes him sound like he's on the mic at a football game. --Rickey Wright Customer Reviews: Rating: 
Date: 2008-06-12
Bubblegum Pop Music
I first heard this back in 1985, and everyone kept telling me how great this album is. So when I listened to it, I thought: "This is it?"
This is nothing special. This is pop music hidden in the name of punk. In fact, if it wasn't for the Ramones, pop punk bands like Green Day would not exist. Not to mention the stupid songs. Nothing like the catchy hooks of "Blitzkreig Bop", "Beat on the Brat", and "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue".
Punk rock is supposed to be angst ridden, violent, and rebellious. It is not a bunch of harmonious songs that you sing along to, and that's what this album is (along with the entire Ramones catalog). Thanks a lot guys. I hold you responsible for Good Charlotte, the Misfits, and the other bands like them. See you at the Billy Joel concert! NOT! Rating: 
Date: 2008-06-10
great punk cd
great punk album. realesed in 1976 its only 30 minutes long and 14 tracks. thats what punks all about. cool tracks on here are, blitizreg bop, beat on the brat, etc. great album buy today Rating: 
Date: 2008-05-30
I can be real prude sometimes...
Historically significant? Yeah, I guess. It did usher in the New Testament era of rock `n' roll (that metaphor goes a surprisingly long way), opening the floodgates for a thousand billion hungry freaks to chew away at the foundation of crusty old geezer rock and express themselves however they damn well pleased. It did make way for the Clash and the Sex Pistols and Black Flag and, aesthetically speaking, R.E.M. and the Replacements and just about every other musical underground (and, often, above ground) movement there is, while simultaneously fulfilling the prophecies of the Stooges and the Velvet Underground and the Monks and the Green Fuz. Yeah, the Ramones' first album is one of rock's greatest touchstones. Elvis and Chuck and Mick, recharged.
But history is for books. I don't mean that disparagingly- it's really fun to read about- I'm just saying that when you're shopping for music, you want something that's fun to, you know, listen to. Something that sounds good, that you can dance to, or relax to, or play air guitar to, or drive to, or make out to, or write to, or whatever other sick things you do when you think that nobody's watching. Ultimately, by that standard, I think that the Ramones' first album deserves only four stars.
Why? Well, here's the thing: It's a lot of fun, but it gets old. Even over the course of its compact running length, the sound gets monotonous. The best songs- "Blitzkrieg Bop," "Chainsaw," "Loudmouth," "Listen To My Heart," and "I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement," by my measure- are blistering classics that I'll be more than willing to blast every day `til I kick the bucket. But after a listen or two, it all starts sounding the freaking same! Same guitar chords, vocal inflection, same feel, same everything. Hating Peter Frampton is cool, but that doesn't net you five stars. Influence or not, future classics like Leave Home and Rocket To Russia were more fun, and therefore they pick up the five star ratings. Still, this is an incredibly fun record to listen to, and a great historical artifact for nerds such as myself. Rock out, friends. Rating:
Date: 2008-04-22
A Breath of Fresh Air
The Ramones -- just like the Sex Pistols and the Clash -- have made a huge impact on the punk rock scene, being a major influence on tons of bands since they began. They stripped typical rock n roll to the bare basics, focusing on three power chords and powerful guitar notes with catchy poppy vocals. Joey Ramone made a name for himself with his simple, yet mindlessly funny vocals about beating on brats with baseball bats, sniffing glue and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. They were nothing the rock music world had seen in 1976.
Although being a punk rock band these New York outcasts were influenced by all types of music, not just punk. They took the influences of surf music, '60's girl groups and pop, blended it together, speeding it up, creating something new and refreshing. They start with a simple "hey ho, let's go" chant and blast right on through the album. They were a breath of fresh air and added a new life to the music scene. Rating:
Date: 2008-02-28
Rated "CR" for Classic Ramones!
No matter how much time passes by, this album will stand as a testament to true punk music, and quite possibly the epitome of it. It's quite shocking, honestly, to see how so many guys and gals of my generation (this current one) have no idea what the real "punk rock sound" is. Well, don't worry, I'm not doomed to the same fate.
With a great production and lots of extra tracks, "Ramones" runs it at 22 song at over 44 minutes. This means that each song average out to about two minutes. While many bands can make great songs that last far longer, I still think The Ramones are awesome just the way they are. The songs are loud, hard, fast, and quite often funny. Between the energetic anthem "Blitzkrieg Bop", to the horror-themed "Chainsaw" and "I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement", and even the punk-ballad "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend", this album really delivers.
Basically, "Ramones" is a fast-driving, ageless rock classic and shows you why so many bands inspired to be like them. If you wanna experience great music that doesn't give up, "Ramones" is gonna rock you! Thanks for the time, and peace. |
