Gabba Gabba Huh?: Underrated Ramones

Hey, Meh contributor @JasonToon checking in for the weekend playlist. So, uh, WTF, Gabba Goods? A Bluetooth headset built into an eye mask, huh? What, no lavender-scented nose clip or Ambien-infused gag? You’re leaving several orifices unexploited in the head alone, not to mention the rest of the body. Anyway, I don’t know if the Ramones’ “Gabba Gabba Hey” chant inspired that brand name, but it deffo inspired me to put together a list of my favorite little-heard tracks from one of my favorite bands.

“Blitzkrieg Bop” has long been a stadium staple, and the likes of “I Wanna Be Sedated” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” are liable to pop up at any time in a teen sitcom or car commercial. And with good reason: the best-known Ramones songs really are the best ones. It’s true that the Ramones’ output got spotty, at best, after their first few undisputed classic albums. It’s true that they went on way too long. But even the dullest doldrums produced a song or two worth hearing. Here’s a Ramones dozen of 14 overlooked punk-pop gems (also compiled in a YouTube playlist) from the originators of it all.

"Listen to My Heart"
The purest distillation of the Ramones’ buzzsaw-bubblegum concept, a Monkee-worthy pop masterpiece.

"53rd & 3rd"
And now let’s leap ahead to… um, the very next song on Ramones. The funniest example of the Ramones’ grimy NYC cartoons: “If you think you can win, come on babe / I was a Green Beret in Vietnam.”

"Babysitter"

“We can’t start kissing 'cause the kids a little spy.”

"Swallow My Pride"

Another absolute blast of pure pop, buried in the middle of an album that somehow was not a global smash hit.

"Locket Love"

In which a necklace token of affection becomes a noose.

"Questioningly"

By their fourth album, the Ramones were drifting, trying to figure out what else to do after cranking out 40-plus straitjacket-tight punk classics in three years. The search got off to a promising start, with Joey Ramone showing some real songwriting talent on songs like this.

"Danny Says"

With Phil Spector behind the board, End of the Century was an obvious move to join the pop canon of the Ramones’ heroes. It wasn’t totally commercially or artistically successful. But it’s a decent record, and Joey’s way with a ballad made for the album’s best song, a life-on-the-road lament about watching Get Smart in a crappy hotel instead of being with his lady.

"7-11"

That would have a been a fitting ending for the Ramones. But then they kept making records for 15 more years. Worse, they tended to ignore their pop instincts for a vaguely hard rock, not-quite-metal, not really punk sound that didn’t ultimately do much for anyone. I can’t make a super-strong case that you need to own any of these albums, or that they even need to exist. But they have their charms. And the band never lost its sense of humor: here’s the most romantic song ever written about a convenience store.

My My Kind of Girl"

OK, it’s another Joey love song. They really were the high points of these mid-period albums. The faster they played in these years, the more boring the songs were.

"Humankind"

The blazing guitars return for this humanist plea for understanding, generosity, and not knocking on Joey’s door.

"Love Kills"

The Ramones blamed the Sex Pistols’ gross-out antics for making punk commercial poison in the USA. But then, Dee Dee Ramone was a big influence on Sid Vicious’s heroin addiction, so we’ll call it even. Dee Dee recorded this Brit-punk-styled salute to everyone’s least favorite junkie couple in hopes that it would be used for Alex Cox’s movie Sid & Nancy. It wasn’t.

"A Real Cool Time"

As the '80s moved into the ‘90s, the Ramones’ attempts to move with the times finally scored them a couple of minor hits, with moody ballads like “Poison Heart” and “Pet Sematary”. But they remained at their best when they were out of step, aiming sing-along transistor-radio pop at a mass audience that didn’t exist anymore.

"Strength to Endure"

Not only did C. Jay replace Dee Dee on bass, he took up Dee Dee’s once-an-album vocal turn, and even one of his better songs.

"Life’s a Gas"

You could say (and I do say) that the Ramones hung on too long. But they always said they’d break up after 20 years, and they did. The terse “Life’s a Gas” (the lyrics of which use just nine different words) almost, almost makes you wonder what they’d been able to come up with if they’d done one more album.

See? There’s a lot more to the Ramones than the handful of Budweiser-approved anthems, even if you wouldn’t necessarily want to fall asleep to these through your Gabba Goods Sensory Deprivation Kidnapper Mask.

Here’s a blitzkrieg of past weekend playlists for your bopping pleasure:

• Beyond the Legend: Bob Marley Deep Cuts
• The Angry Young Men of New Wave
• Stand By Your Whatever: Gender-Bending Covers
• Lame Sequels
• Weekend playlist archive