The Ramones Heard Them Here First on CD

The Ramones Heard Them Here First

CD (Compact Disc)

Conventional CD, playable with all CD players and computer drives, but also with most SACD or multiplayers.

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Current price: EUR 15.99

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Label:: Ace
Item number:: 2922452
UPC/EAN:: 0029667050722
Release date:: 27.8.2012

1, 2, 3, 4…Die US-Punk-Institution hatte von ihrem ersten Auftritt im CBGB’s bis zum finalen Gig 22 Jahre später immer Pop-Klassiker im Repertoire. Ihre Liebe zu 60er Jahre Girlgroup-, Pop-, und Surf-Sounds ist jedem Fan bekannt. Somit ist es auch endlich mal an der Zeit diese Einflüsse mit einem erstklassigen Sampler zu würdigen.
Die Ramones hatten diese Tracks nicht nur in ihrem Live-Repertoire, sondern auch auf ihren Studio-Alben, bis sie dann mit ‘Acid Eaters‘ 1993 sogar ein komplettes Cover-Album veröffentlichten. Hier sind 24 Songs in chronologischer Reihenfolge wie sie auf den Alben der Band erschienen. Von Chris Montez‘ ‘Let’s Dance‘ (auf dem 1976er Debüt) bis Louis Armstrongs ‘What A Wonderful Worls‘ von Joey’s erstem, posthum veröffentlichten Soloalbum. Es gibt Surf (Jan & Dean), Psychedelia (Amboy Dukes), Folkrock (Byrds), British Invasion (Searchers) oder Bubblegum Pop (Music Explosion). Begleitet wird das alles von einem umfangreichen Booklet mit Linernotes von Ian Johnston (Biograf von Nick Cave und Cramps).

Product Information

There’s no mistaking a Ramones song. The funny thing is, throughout their career, the band paid tribute to their roots and influences by peppering their albums with versions of their favourites by other artists, making them sound like Ramones songs too. To see what I mean, try listening to this CD without lurching into ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’, ‘Carbona Not Glue’ or ‘I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend’.

Sequenced in the order in which the Ramones cut the songs, this collection kicks off with Chris Montez’s original of ‘Let’s Dance’, which the band revived on their debut album “Ramones” in 1976.

In some instances, rather than be pedantic about original versions, some songs are included in the renditions first heard by the Ramones. Hence ‘California Sun’, featured on their second album “Leave Home”, is heard here by the Rivieras (not Joe Jones); ‘Surfin’ Bird’ and ‘Do You Wanna Dance’, from 1977’s “Rocket To Russia”, are by the Trashmen and the Beach Boys (as opposed to the Rivingtons and Bobby Freeman); and ‘Needles And Pins”, from their fourth LP “Road To Ruin”, is by the Searchers (rather than Jackie DeShannon).

In 1978 the guys teamed up with the Paley Brothers for an update of Ritchie Valens’ ‘Come On, Let’s Go’, a childhood favourite of Joey Ramone; the band’s 1980 album “End Of The Century”, produced by Joey’s hero Phil Spector, contained a revival the Ronettes’ ‘Baby I Love You’; and in 1982 Joey got together with Holly (of Holly & the Italians) to cut a version of Sonny & Cher’s ‘I Got You Babe’.

‘Little Bit O’ Soul’, here by the Music Explosion, and ‘Time Has Come Today’ by the Chambers Brothers were both revamped by the band on 1983’s “Subterranean Jungle”. The sessions also yielded a version of the 1910 Fruitgum Co’s ‘Indian Giver’, which sneaked out on the B-side of a 12-inch single in 1987.

In 1993 the Ramones released “Acid Eaters”, an entire album of cover versions, represented on this CD by Jan & Dean’s ‘Surf City’, the Troggs’ ‘I Can’t Control Myself’, the Byrds’ ‘My Back Pages’, the Seeds’ ‘Can’t Seem To Make You Mine’, Max Frost & the Troopers’ ‘Shape Of Things To Come’, the Amboy Dukes’ ‘Journey To The Center Of The Mind’, Jefferson Airplane’s ‘Somebody To Love’ and Love’s ‘7 And 7 Is’. TheJapanandBrazileditions of the album also contained the band’s version of the Beach Boys’ ‘Surfin’ Safari’.

“Adios Amigos”, the Ramones’ farewell album of 1995, included their version of Tom Waits’ ‘I Don’t Wanna Grow Up’. Waits repaid the compliment by contributing a cover of the band’s ‘The Return Of Jackie And Judy’ for the Ramones tribute album “We’re A Happy Family”. It’s not every day that one band records a tribute to another, but Motorhead did just that with ‘R. A.M. O.N. E.S.’ on their 1991 album “1916”. In return, the Ramones’ own version of the song was included on theJapanedition of “Adios Amigos”.

The set concludes with the Stooges’ ‘1969’ and, poignantly, Louis Armstrong’s ‘What A Wonderful World’, as covered on Joey’s solo album “Don’t Worry About Me”, released in 2002, by which time he, Johnny and Dee Dee were dead. The Ramones were no more. See, poignant.

By Mick Patrick

(acerecords. co. uk)