R.A.M.O.N.E.S.

Album: 1916 (1991)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is a tribute to the punk rock trailblazers the Ramones, done in their style, complete with a frantic count-in to start the song. Running a Ramone-like 1:25, it gets in references to six of their members:

    CJ, now, hit the gas
    Hear Marky kick your ass
    Go, Johnny, go, go, go
    Tommy o-way-o
    Dee Dee, he left home
    Joey call me the phone
  • In a Songfacts interview with Phil Campbell, the Motörhead guitarist explained how this song came about. "I came up with it," he said. "I did like a ZZ Top thing, and then Lem (frontman Lemmy) says, 'Let's double speed it up.' So we did that. And then Lem said, 'That sounds pretty good,' and then he wrote the lyrics for 'R.A.M.O.N.E.S.' But originally, it was a ZZ Top groove, which I came up with."
  • The Ramones show up in a lot of songs. Here are a few:

    U2: "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)"

    Sleater-Kinney: "I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone"

    Frank Black: "I Heard Ramona Sing"

    Heideroosjes: "Ode To The Ramones"

    Wesley Willis: "The Ramones"

    Eastern Dark: "Johnny and Dee Dee"

    Helen Love: "Debbie Loves Joey"

Comments: 1

  • Dan Gillespy from Courtenay BcA perfect tribute to the punk legends the Ramones.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"They're Playing My Song

Gramm co-wrote this gorgeous ballad and delivered an inspired vocal, but the song was the beginning of the end of his time with Foreigner.

Michael W. Smith

Michael W. SmithSongwriter Interviews

Smith breaks down some of his worship tracks as well as his mainstream hits, including "I Will Be Here For You" and "A Place In This World."

David Sancious

David SanciousSongwriter Interviews

Keyboard great David Sancious talks about his work with Sting, Seal, Springsteen, Clapton and Aretha, and explains what quantum physics has to do with making music.

Joe Elliott of Def Leppard

Joe Elliott of Def LeppardSongwriter Interviews

The Def Leppard frontman talks about their "lamentable" hit he never thought of as a single, and why he's juiced by his Mott The Hoople cover band.

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull

Ian Anderson of Jethro TullSongwriter Interviews

The flautist frontman talks about touring with Led Zeppelin, his contribution to "Hotel California", and how he may have done the first MTV Unplugged.

The Punk Photography of Chris Stein

The Punk Photography of Chris SteinSong Writing

Chris Stein of Blondie shares photos and stories from his book about the New York City punk scene.