While
earlier bands such as the Stooges and the New York Dolls may have laid the
foundations of punk, the Ramones were arguably the first punk band in the
strict, three-chord sense of the term. Their musical formula was simple and
straightforward, and consisted of playing crude songs about lowbrow topics that
were powerfully performed at fast pace and in minimal fashion. Unsophisticated
as this recipe may seem, it not only lent itself to easy listening, but also
provided a lasting staple to rock and roll during 20 years since its inception.
The Ramones steadfastly adhered to this musical formula throughout their
career, so I think that their eponymous first record is the most relevant and
appropriate for review. “Blitzkrieg Bop” opens the hostilities with an
indelible call to arms interspersed with lyrics “about kids going to a show and
having a good time”, as Tommy Ramone once put it. ”Beat on the Brat”
constitutes a brutal critique of the spoiled New York City upper class that
Joey Ramone witnessed during his youth, while “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” is
the softest and mellowest tune in the record. Toward the end of the record, two
songs stand out: “53rd and 3rd” tells the probably autobiographical story of
Dee Dee Ramone “turning tricks” in Midtown Manhattan, and “Let’s Dance” is a
faithful yet accelerated cover of Chris Montez’s composition. For a condensed
sample of Ramones, listen to “Judy Is
a Punk”, which is the shortest song in the record lasting a mere minute and a
half:
No comments:
Post a Comment