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."
Bop 'Til You Drop
Ramones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bop till you drop
Bop till you drop
Bop till you drop
No matter what, you just can't stop
Bop till you drop
Bop till you drop
Stick 'em up, give me your money
You act like a bigshot but you're really a dummy
They want your blood, they want every drop
Bop till you drop
Bop till you drop
Hey
You tried and tried but you're a flop
You're thirty-five still pushing a mop
No time to cop, do the cretin hop
Bop till you drop
Bop till you drop
The Ramones were one of the most influential American punk rock bands of all time, known for their simple, high-energy songs with catchy hooks and driving rhythms. In "Bop 'Til You Drop," the band continues their tradition of crafting upbeat, danceable tunes with seemingly nonsensical lyrics that nevertheless capture the spirit of youthful rebellion and fun.
The chorus of the song is simple: "Bop till you drop / No matter what, you just can't stop / Bop till you drop." This is a call to action, urging the listener to dance or party as long as they can, regardless of any obstacles or distractions. The repetition of the phrase "Bop till you drop" reinforces this message, emphasizing the idea that the joy of dancing or socializing should be pursued to the fullest extent.
The verses of the song, however, take a darker turn. The first verse presents a scenario of a robbery, with the lines "Stick 'em up, give me your money / You act like a bigshot but you're really a dummy / They want your blood, they want every drop." This suggests that even in the midst of pleasure and celebration, there are criminals who will seek to take advantage of the situation and exploit the vulnerable. The second verse is more personal, targeting an individual who has failed to achieve success and has settled for a menial job, with the lines "You tried and tried but you're a flop / You're thirty-five still pushing a mop / No time to cop, do the cretin hop." This implies that there are societal pressures and expectations that can limit one's ability to enjoy life fully, and that conformity or mediocrity should be resisted.
Overall, "Bop 'Til You Drop" is a catchy, energetic song that captures both the exuberance and the challenges of youth. The Ramones manage to mix a sense of fun and urgency with a dose of realism, creating a song that encourages listeners to dance their cares away while also acknowledging some of the harsh realities of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Bop till you drop
Dance until you're exhausted.
Bop till you drop
Keep dancing until you can't anymore.
Bop till you drop
Continue dancing no matter what.
Bop till you drop
Repeat the phrase to emphasize the importance of dancing.
No matter what, you just can't stop
Regardless of what's happening around you, don't stop dancing.
Bop till you drop
Reiterated - the most important message of the song.
Stick 'em up, give me your money
A threat for robbery.
You act like a bigshot but you're really a dummy
Referring to someone who thinks they're better than they are.
They want your blood, they want every drop
Shows the seriousness of the robbery.
Bop till you drop
A reminder to keep dancing even in a moment of danger.
Bop till you drop
Again, emphasizing the importance of dancing in any situation.
Hey
An auditory prompt to pay attention and take action.
You tried and tried but you're a flop
Despite trying, still unsuccessful.
You're thirty-five still pushing a mop
Working a menial job despite age and effort.
No time to cop, do the cretin hop
There isn't time for anything except dancing.
Bop till you drop
Keep dancing no matter what.
Bop till you drop
The end of the song, restating the message once more.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DEE DEE RAMONE, JOEY RAMONE, JOHNNY RAMONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brendastrummercuentavieja4713
Chorus]
Bop until you drop
Bop until you drop
Bop until you drop
Bop until you drop
[Bridge]
No matter what
You just can't stop
Bop until you drop
Bop until you drop
[Verse]
Stick them up
Give me your money
You act like a big shot
But you're really a dummy
They want your blood
They want every drop
[Chorus]
Bop until you drop
Bop until you drop
Hey!
[Outro]
You tried and tried
But you're a flop
You're thirty five
Still pushing a mop
No time to cop
Do the cretin hop
Bop until you drop
Bop until you drop
@Leo6655321
Bop 'til you drop
Bop 'til you drop
Bop 'til you drop
Bop 'til you drop
No matter what you just can't stop
Bop 'til you drop
Bop 'til you drop
Stick'em up give me your money
You act like a big shot but you're really a dummy
They want your blood they want every drop
Bop 'til you drop
Bop 'til you drop
Hey!
You tried and tried but you're a flop
You're thirty five still pushing a mop
No time to cop do the cretin hop
Bop 'til you drop
Bop 'til you drop
@jeanvlajean1870
Les Ramones, le groupe préféré de ma jeunesse. J'écoute toujours et je m'en lasse pas ! 🎸🎸🎸
@jeromewagschal9485
Moi non plus 😁😁😁
@patrickkever706
that's rock baby
@kalisipaunche2936
they arent even rock tf
@pabloochodos
No time to cop do the Cretin Hop!!
@cualfuneri2510
Ritchie on drums are some of the best Ramones music
@letitbeknown8126
Bop 'Til You Drop......as a Ramones fan, that's what I'll do👍
@tompowers4013
Don't forget to also do the Cretin Hop.
@letitbeknown8126
@@tompowers4013 I won't, i promise👍
@thomasheston257
“You think you’re a big shot but you’re really a dummy” classic Joey burn