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."
Hey Ho Let's Go
Ramones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey Ho, Lets Go
Hey Ho, Lets Go
Hey Ho, Lets Go
They're forming in a straight line
They're goin through a tight wind
The kids are losing their minds
Blitzkreig Bop
They're generation steam heat
Pulsating to the back seat
Blitzkreig Bop
Hey Ho Lets Go
Shoot em' in the back now
What they want, I don't know
They're all reved up and ready to go
They're forming in a straight line
They're goin through a tight wind
The kids are losing their minds
Blitzkreig Bop
They're piling in the backseat
They're generation steam heat
Pulsating to the back seat
Blitzkreig Bop
Hey Ho Lets Go
Shoot em' in the back now
What they want, I don't know
They're all reved up and ready to go
They're forming in a straight line
They're goin through a tight wind
The kids are losing their minds
Blitzkreig Bop
They're piling in the backseat
They're generation steam heat
Pulsating to the back seat
Blitzkreig Bop
Hey Ho Lets Go
Shoot em' in the back now
What they want, I don't know
They're all reved up and ready to go
Hey Ho, Lets Go
Hey Ho, Lets Go
Hey Ho, Lets Go
Hey Ho, Lets Go
The Ramones are known for their punk rock sound and aggressive delivery of their lyrics. "Hey Ho Let's Go" is no exception. The repetitive nature of the song with simple and catchy lyrics make it a perfect anthem for fans to chant along to. The song opens with "Hey Ho, Lets Go" repeated four times. This chant, along with the fast-paced beat, quickly grabs listeners' attention and sets the tone for the rest of the song.
The next set of lyrics describe a group of people forming a straight line and going through a tight wind. The lyrics suggest that the group is moving quickly and with determination. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the group is teenagers, represented by the line "the kids are losing their minds." The chorus, "Blitzkreig Bop," may represent the frenzied and chaotic energy of the group.
The next set of lyrics describes the group piling into a backseat and generating steam heat, again emphasizing the intensity and energy of the group. The chorus repeats again, and the final set of lyrics again reference the group being reved up and ready to go. The repetition of the lyrics and the driving beat of the music create an almost hypnotic effect, encouraging listeners to join in and become part of the experience.
Overall, "Hey Ho Let's Go" is a high-energy, fast-paced song that captures the rebellious spirit of youth. The simplistic lyrics and catchy, repetitive chorus make it a classic punk rock anthem.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey Ho, Lets Go
This is a call to action, an urgent cry to start moving.
They're forming in a straight line
People are organizing and preparing to move as one towards a common goal.
They're goin through a tight wind
Obstacles may be in the way, but the group is determined to push through them and stay focused.
The kids are losing their minds
The group is so energized and passionate that they are acting out of the ordinary, almost like they're going insane with excitement.
Blitzkreig Bop
This is a high-energy battle cry, a declaration of the group's intention to charge forward and take on whatever challenges come their way.
They're piling in the backseat
The group is getting ready to take off, cramming themselves into whatever space they can to get moving as quickly as possible.
They're generation steam heat
The young people in this group are so fired up that they're practically boiling over with enthusiasm and passion.
Pulsating to the back seat
Everyone is jumping and vibrating with anticipation, ready to move with the energy of the group toward a shared destination.
Shoot em' in the back now
This is a violent phrase, but in this context it's more of a metaphor for propelling the group forward with power and force.
What they want, I don't know
The group is so focused on moving forward and achieving their goal that they're not thinking about what they might encounter along the way, or what might be waiting for them at the end of their journey.
They're all reved up and ready to go
They're eager, motivated, and brimming with excitement, ready to take on whatever lies ahead.
Contributed by Penelope F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@maartendevrieze4761
My oh my, such raw energy! The audience looks like they’re having so much fun, wish I was there :)
@taniamunoz9786
Amoooooooooo 🖤🖤🖤🖤
@annesilvah7982
Ramones forever ❤
@biglowe4776
Nothing but Love for this band. In that Era they were like a British Iron Battleship and the rest of the World was in wood sailing vessels
@JmieYoutube
Making real memories and being in the moment is what it’s all about.
@greggorsag9787
As someone who plays both guitar and bass, I am convinced that what Johnny and Dee Dee are doing here is physically impossible. I know that what Tommy is doing on the hat is.
@carnoysusamigos836
Me encanta
@Sniferex
I love Ramones.... I love punk rock
@robdepolo122
Love this. Plus this was what concerts were like.
@jean-charlesvuillemot6720
Les bons vieux Ramones , merci c'est cool