Ramones Weekend! 💿🎸 A Very Ramones Seventies Sunday! & Bonus Eighties Saturday Post! 🎸💿

Me & Ashlee picked some eighties Ramones tunes for my Eighties Saturday post on my solo account yesterday. Thought we’d do a bonus post here on our little used shared alt account for a Seventies Sunday post! Picking tunes from same band the Ramones but sticking to the first classic records from 1976 & 1977 🎸

We each pick a song off the first album 1976’s “ The Ramones ” & 1977’s “Rocket To Russia”

Ashlee goes with Judy Is a Punk from the first record (1976) & Rockaway Beach from Rocket To Russia the 1977 third album.

Gene goes with Teenage Lobotomy from the Rocket To Russia album (1977) & Blitzkrieg Bop from the first album (1976)

We post a bonus from the second record in between the two we chose from. The album also came out in 1977 and is titled Leave Home. For some reason it’s just a step below the first & third album. That will be at bottom and be the song Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment, which is the only song from this album that’s included on the classic collections. Where the first & third a bunch are.

And the Bonus Jam discussed from the second album ⬇️

Bonus! Eighties Era ⬇️

Eighties Saturday again! This week me & Ashlee pick eighties songs from the Ramones! Most known are the first few records from the mid to late seventies but they have some great songs on the seven albums they released in the eighties!

🎙️Eighties Saturday Mini Vlog 🎸

Ashlee picks the 1981 album Pleasant Dreams. Picking the song The KKK Took My Baby Away for DailyJam & the song We Want the Airwaves for BonusJam.

Gene goes with the 1986 album Animal Boy. Picking the song Bonzo Goes to Bitburg for DailyJam! Followed by the last track and lesser known song Something to Believe In for BonusJam. Something to Believe In Music video features insane amount of famous musicians. Definitely check it out’

I also bring ya 3 more songs at bottom showcasing the lesser known New Wave side of the Ramones. 7 songs total!

The Tumes! ⬇️

Extra bonus jam ⬇️

I originally said above I was gonna pick the song Howling At The Moon from 1984’s Too Tough to Die. I ended up going with two songs from 1986 record Animal Boy. So here’s one more for ya! Cheers!

In fact here’s more for ya! These are the slower New Wave kinda vibe tunes from eighties Ramones! ⬇️ 1989’s Pet Sematary & 1987’s I Wanna Live.

The Ramones burst onto the scene in the mid-1970s with a raw, stripped-down sound that helped define American punk rock. Their early albums, such as Ramones (1976), Leave Home (1977), and Rocket to Russia (1977), were built around fast tempos, simple three-chord structures, and catchy melodies. The band’s sound was characterized by its brevity, humor, and irreverence, all delivered with a sense of urgency. Their minimalist approach and refusal to embrace the mainstream trends of the time made them icons of punk’s first wave.

As they moved into the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Ramones began to experiment slightly with their sound without losing their core identity. Albums like End of the Century (1980), produced by Phil Spector, hinted at a more layered, pop-influenced direction. Spector’s “Wall of Sound” production style clashed with the band’s raw energy, leading to a polarizing album that smoothed out some of the band’s rough edges while amplifying their pop sensibilities. Despite mixed reactions, this record marked the beginning of the band’s willingness to expand their sonic palette.

In the early 1980s, the band continued to evolve in response to changes in the music industry and within the group itself. Pleasant Dreams (1981) and Subterranean Jungle (1983) incorporated more elements of power pop and hard rock, moving slightly away from the pure punk sound of their earlier work. Production became more polished, and the band leaned into melody and songcraft, reflecting a desire for broader commercial appeal. These records maintained the band’s identity but with a more radio-friendly edge.

By the mid-1980s, with albums like Too Tough to Die (1984), the Ramones made a conscious return to a harder-edged punk sound, partially in response to criticism that they had gone too soft. The album was also a nod to the rising influence of hardcore punk and the new generation of bands they had inspired. With Tommy Erdelyi (the original drummer and early producer) returning as producer, the band recaptured some of their earlier aggression while integrating more modern production techniques and heavier guitar tones.

As the decade progressed, the Ramones’ music reflected the tension between commercial aspirations and underground credibility. Albums like Animal Boy (1986) and Halfway to Sanity (1987) pushed further into a more metallic and intense sound. These records featured darker lyrical content, more complex arrangements, and a denser mix, influenced in part by the era’s rising thrash and crossover scenes. The band seemed to be wrestling with their legacy while trying to stay relevant in a rapidly changing musical landscape.

During this time, internal struggles within the band also influenced their music. Personality conflicts, especially between Joey and Johnny Ramone, as well as Dee Dee’s growing disillusionment, added a tension to their output. Dee Dee’s songwriting took on a more personal, sometimes chaotic edge, while Joey continued to inject emotion and melody into the tracks. This friction often resulted in a dynamic, if uneven, sonic evolution.

By the late 1980s, the Ramones were veterans in a punk scene they had helped create but no longer dominated. Their music became heavier, darker, and more introspective, echoing the themes of disillusionment, struggle, and persistence. While they never fully abandoned their core sound, they embraced a rougher, more layered production style that reflected both their age and the changing times. Tracks from this period often showed a band still capable of urgency and aggression, but with a grittier, more world-weary tone.

In summary, the Ramones’ sound matured throughout the 1980s by balancing their punk roots with evolving production styles and heavier influences. While their early music was defined by simplicity and speed, their later work reflected broader musical ambitions and a response to both internal and external pressures. Despite the changes, the band maintained their identity, proving their endurance and adaptability in a shifting musical era.