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These songs have the innocent beat of early rock, but coarse, edgy and fun lyrics that were shocking for 1976. My personal favorite come from "Havana Affair," "PT Boat On the Way To Havana/I Used to make my living, man,pickin' the bananas!" with a close 2nd place favorite being from "Judy Is a Punk:" "They both went down to Frisco/Joined the SLA/ Ohh I don't know why/Ohh I don't know why/Perhaps they'll die!" Any group who can take a tagline from the folk novelty "There Was an Old Lady" and modernize it into something all their own is A-OK by me! Dig into these songs, this album is solid from beginning to end.

The bonus tracks are plenty of fun for avid Ramones fans like me, but I'm not certain they 'll offer much for those who are just getting familiar with the group.

What do studied and accomplished musicians think of The Ramones? It doesn't matter; really, it doesn't. The Ramones made music that was fun, and you'd catch it in your head faster than a winter cold. Their music is the ultimate audio-adrenaline rush, and no matter your age or status,I highly recommend this particular CD in the morning along with a serious cup of coffee.....BLAST OFF! HEY-HO! LET'S GO!


The shot heard 'round the world   June 19, 2001
 12 out of 14 found this review helpful

In retrospect, it's easy to overlook how revolutionary and different this album was when it hit the streets in the second half of the '70s. Just play a Yes album, a Styx album, or an Emerson, Lake & Palmer album beside it to try to get an understanding.

Recorded for barely over $6,000, The Ramones' debut album broke all the rules of pompous '70s rock and a new type of music was "invented" in the process: punk rock. Not very different from '50s and '60s rock, just a lot louder and faster. No solos, just a bunch of power chords and catchy melodies.

Not counting the bonus songs, there are 14 songs on this album. None of them are longer than 2:32, and many of them come in at under two minutes. It's all over in less than half an hour. But there's more packed into those 30 minutes than many bands pack into an entire career.

The sound quality is very raw. However, the remastering has made the lows a bit lower and everything a bit crisper, making everything seem even more powerful than before. Dee Dee's bass is shoved into the left speaker, Johnny's guitar screams from the right, and Tommy's drums thud relentlessly in the background. On top of this, Joey spits out his lyrics with his unique accent and equally unique delivery.

And even though this album would have been a landmark just for the aforementioned qualities, the songwriting is strong as well. Everyone knows "Blitzkrieg Bop (Hey Ho Let's Go)," but every one of these tracks is fantastic. "Judy is a Punk" is my personal favorite, with three verses, three choruses and an instrumental break all packed into 90 seconds.

After this album was released, a whole new batch of bands started up. Suddenly, it didn't matter if you couldn't play like Keith Emerson or Steve Howe, all that mattered was how much you believed in yourself and your music. The Ramones were probably the first somewhat popular band to use its limitations in a positive way, and many other soon followed: The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Blondie, Talking Heads, U2, etc. Had it not been for The Ramones, these bands might not have formed, let alone have been signed to a major record label.

Quite simply, one of the most important - and fun - albums ever made.


The Album That Saved The World   August 2, 2001
 9 out of 10 found this review helpful

The importance of this album in the history of Rock music and American popular culture can not be overstated. Released during the disco diaspora in 1976, this aural assault went largely unnoticed at the time, but its influence has grown in the quarter century (!) since then. Much like the equally-important, underrated, and influential Chuck Berry, the Ramones are often derided for their deceptively simple 3-chord song structure and seemingly dumb lyrics. The smart listener will realize Joey's phrasing as intentionally tongue-in-cheek; Tommy and Dee Dee's efficient (and danceable) pulse, and; Johnny's life-affirming power chords. Yes, the Stooges, MC5, Velvet Underground set the backdrop in terms of the style and attitude, but the Ramones are the ones who defined punk rock and therefore saved American popular music from itself. The Sex Pistols may have had a lot to say, but the Ramones were and are the embodiment of everything that Rock music ever was and may still be again. This remastered version is light years ahead sonically than the standard CD, and the fat booklet in each of the first 4 remastered Ramones albums is a treat for fans. The next logical step is a box set.


the mix leaves out the guitar   February 10, 2002
 8 out of 12 found this review helpful

beware -- the remastering has removed most of johnny ramone's messy, wonderful guitar! really a drag.


Ramones   April 19, 2004
 8 out of 8 found this review helpful

This is an absolutely amazing album. Originally clocking in at under thirty minutes with fourteen tracks, it started an era that still holds true today. "Blitzkrieg Bop" truely was the shot heard 'round the world. And "Beat On The Brat", their ode to rich mothers' children, keeps the album rocking all the way through. "Judy Is A Punk" is based off of two Ramones fans, Jackie and Judy, who were always seeming to get into trouble. The Ramones would later do a less successful sequel to the song on the Phil Spector-produced "End Of The Century". Speaking of Spector, "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" sounds something right out of the early sixties. It's excellent. The entire album is fantastic, and defines true punk.

Okay, to clear something up. Some people are saying that the Ramones are more pop-punk, and that they did not actually start the era, but artists like The Stooges, New York Dolls, the Velvet Underground, T. Rex, and MC5 did. This is both true and false. Those five artists may have helped start an all-new sound, but the Ramones were more influenced by the likes of the Beach Boys and The Beatles than any of those three. They wanted to play music that was unlike anything else at the time, becasue like many others they were dissatisfied with the current pompous and exaggerated music. When this album was released in 1976, it sparked hundreds of other bands, calling themselves "Punk". The Ramones were the first band to truely be a punk-rock band. Once that was established, The Stooges and those bands becames known as Pre-Punk.

Buy this album.