All of the band members adopted pseudonyms ending with the surname "Ramone", though none of them were related. They performed 2,263 concerts, touring virtually nonstop for 22 years. In 1996, after a tour with the Lollapalooza music festival, the band played a farewell concert and disbanded. By a little more than eight years after the breakup, the band's three founding members—lead singer Joey Ramone, guitarist Johnny Ramone, and bassist Dee Dee Ramone—had died. Drummer Tommy Ramone, the last surviving original member, died in 2014.
Their only record with enough U.S. sales to be certified gold was the compilation album Ramones Mania. However, recognition of the band's importance built over the years, and they are now cited in many assessments of all-time great rock music, such as the Rolling Stone list of the 50 Greatest Artists of All Time and VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. In 2002, the Ramones were ranked the second-greatest band of all time by Spin magazine, trailing only The Beatles. On March 18, 2002, the Ramones—including the three founders and drummers Marky and Tommy Ramone—were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2011, the group was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Formation: 1974–1975
Forest Hills High School, attended by the four original members of the Ramones
The original members of the band met in and around the middle-class neighborhood of Forest Hills in the New York City borough of Queens. John Cummings and Tamás Erdélyi had both been in a high-school garage band from 1966 to 1967 known as the Tangerine Puppets. They became friends with Douglas Colvin, who had recently moved to the area from Germany, and Jeffry Hyman, who was the initial lead singer of the glam rock band Sniper, founded in 1972.
The Ramones began taking shape in early 1974, when Cummings and Colvin invited Hyman to join them in a band. The initial lineup featured Colvin on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Cummings on lead guitar, and Hyman on drums. Colvin, who soon switched from rhythm guitar to bass, was the first to adopt the name "Ramone", calling himself Dee Dee Ramone. He was inspired by Paul McCartney's use of the pseudonym Paul Ramon during his Silver Beatles days. Dee Dee convinced the other members to take on the name and came up with the idea of calling the band the Ramones. Hyman and Cummings became Joey Ramone and Johnny Ramone, respectively.
A friend of the band, Monte A. Melnick (later their tour manager), helped to arrange rehearsal time for them at Manhattan's Performance Studios, where he worked. Johnny's former bandmate Erdélyi was set to become their manager. Soon after the band was formed, Dee Dee realized that he could not sing and play his bass guitar simultaneously; with Erdélyi's encouragement, Joey became the band's new lead singer.
Dee Dee would continue, however, to count off each song's tempo with his signature rapid-fire shout of "1-2-3-4!" Joey soon similarly realized that he could not sing and play drums simultaneously and left the position of drummer. While auditioning prospective replacements, Erdélyi would often take to the drums and demonstrate how to play the songs. It became apparent that he was able to perform the group's music better than anyone else, and he joined the band as Tommy Ramone.
The Ramones played before an audience for the first time on March 30, 1974, at Performance Studios. The songs they played were very fast and very short; most clocked in at under two minutes. Around this time, a new music scene was emerging in New York centered around two clubs in downtown Manhattan—Max's Kansas City and, more famously, CBGB (usually referred to as CBGB's). The Ramones made their CBGB debut on August 16. Legs McNeil, who cofounded Punk magazine the following year, later described the impact of that performance: "They were all wearing these black leather jackets. And they counted off this song...and it was just this wall of noise.... They looked so striking. These guys were not hippies. This was something completely new."
The band swiftly became regulars at the club, playing there seventy-four times by the end of the year. After garnering considerable attention for their performances—which averaged about seventeen minutes from beginning to end—the group was signed to a recording contract in late 1975 by Seymour Stein of Sire Records. Stein's wife, Linda Stein, had seen the band play at CBGB; she would later co-manage them along with Danny Fields. By this time, the Ramones were recognized as leaders of the new scene that was increasingly being referred to as "punk". The group's unusual frontman had a lot to do with their impact. As Dee Dee explained, "All the other singers [in New York] were copying David Johansen [of The New York Dolls], who was copying Mick Jagger.... But Joey was unique, totally unique."
Animal Boy
Ramones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not an animal boy
Why don't they understand
I'm not an ape man
Don't have brain damage
I'm not a wild savage
Don't push me around
Animal boy
Animal boy
Animal boy
I'm not an imbecile
Don't treat me like an animal
I'm not a creature in the zoo
Don't tell me what to do
Animal boy
Animal boy
Animal boy
You don't know what it's like
You don't know how I feel
I don't have a monkey's brain
I am not an animal
You can't lock me in a cage
This ain't the Stone Age
Better get out of my way
Someone's gonna have to pay
Animal boy
Animal boy
Animal boy
Animal boy
The lyrics of "Animal Boy" by Ramones seem to center around the theme of rebellion and the need to assert oneself in the face of being treated like an animal. The main character of the song is clearly frustrated with how people treat him and refuses to be seen as an "animal boy." The song conveys the message that the character is not a savage, a creature in the zoo or an imbecile, but rather an individual who deserves respect.
The chorus "Animal boy" serves as a defiant refrain, asserting the character's humanity and dignity in the face of those who would treat him like an animal. The lyrics also suggest that the character is aware of how he is being perceived and does not want to be seen as a primal, wild creature. He is calling for understanding and the recognition of his intelligence.
The song is ultimately about standing up for oneself and being seen as an individual. It is an assertion of identity and agency in a world that may seek to oppress or subjugate those who are seen as different.
Line by Line Meaning
Gonna kill and destroy
I am feeling intense anger and aggression and I might act out in a destructive way.
I'm not an animal boy
I am a human being and should not be treated as a wild animal.
Why don't they understand
I am frustrated that people are not recognizing my humanity and are treating me unfairly.
I'm not an ape man
I am not a primitive species and should not be dehumanized by comparing me to animals.
Don't have brain damage
I am capable of rational thinking and should not be treated like a person with brain damage.
I'm not a wild savage
I am not a violent or uncivilized person and should not be treated as such.
Don't push me around
I am standing up for myself and demanding to be treated with respect.
Don't bring my head down
I will not allow others to make me feel weak or inferior.
Animal boy
Others are treating me like an animal instead of a human being.
Animal boy
I am being dehumanized and it is not acceptable.
Animal boy
My humanity is being ignored and I am being treated unfairly.
I'm not an imbecile
I am an intelligent person and should not be treated like a fool.
Don't treat me like an animal
I am demanding to be treated with the same respect as any other human being.
I'm not a creature in the zoo
I am not an object to be observed and stared at like an animal in a zoo.
Don't tell me what to do
I am asserting my independence and refusing to be controlled by others.
You don't know what it's like
Others cannot understand my experiences and the discrimination I am facing.
You don't know how I feel
Others cannot understand the emotions and frustrations that I am experiencing.
I don't have a monkey's brain
I have a human brain and should not be treated like an animal with less intelligence.
I am not an animal
I am a human being with inherent dignity and worth.
You can't lock me in a cage
I refuse to be controlled or confined like an animal in a cage.
This ain't the Stone Age
Society has progressed beyond treating people like ancient humans living in caves.
Better get out of my way
I am taking a stand for my rights and refusing to be pushed around by others.
Someone's gonna have to pay
There will be consequences for those who try to dehumanize or discriminate against me.
Animal boy
I will not be treated like an animal and demand to be treated with dignity and respect.
Animal boy
My humanity should not be disregarded or ignored by others.
Animal boy
I am standing up against discrimination and dehumanization.
Animal boy
I am declaring my inherent value as a human being.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DEE DEE RAMONE, JOEY RAMONE, JOHNNY RAMONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rusty Shackleford
I saw them live once, but I can't remember if they played 13 songs in 22 minutes, or 22 songs in 13 minutes.
\m/ \m/
Blake
For sure I saw them in 1996 it was pretty fast and intense
Miguel Azamar
Me llena de actitud este tema!!!
Let It Be Known
Some " fans" say that the music the Ramones made in the 80's sucks but i STRONGLY disagree and this song is proof!!!
Cesar Michaus
ramones! !!!!punk rock por siempre! !!!!2017
David Ramone
This Ramones track kicks ass .
60187guy
The drummer is able to keep up with the guitarists !
JJRJ 85
It's crazy how much the Ramones influenced Dave Mustaine from Megadeth
WonkeyCong
"Don't tell me what to do" 🤟😎
Tognoli
nunca le di tanta importancia a esta banda en especifico ahora se masomenos de porque su fama