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."
I Believe in Miracles
Ramones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Believed in miracles 'cause I'm one
I've been blessed with the power to survive
After all these years I'm still alive
I'm out here kickin' with the band
Oh I'm no longer a solitary man
Every day my time runs out
Lived like a fool, that's what I was about
Oh I believe in miracles
Oh I believe in a better world for me and you
Oh-oh-oh, I believe in miracles
Oh I believe in a better world for me and you
Tattooed your name on my arm
I always said my girl's a good luck charm
If she can find a reason to forgive
Then I can find a reason to live
Oh I believe in miracles
Oh I believe in a better world for me and you
Oh-oh-oh, I believe in miracles
Oh I believe in a better world for me and you
I close my eyes and think how it might be
The future's here today
It's not too late
It's not too late, no!
Oh I believe in miracles
Oh I believe in a better world for me and you
Oh-oh-oh, I believe in miracles
Oh I believe in a better world for me and you, you, you
The Ramones' song "I Believe in Miracles" is an uplifting and optimistic tune about receiving second chances and the power of belief. The first verse is a reflection of the singer's past and how they were once in a constant cycle of running away and making reckless decisions, but now they're grateful to still be alive and kicking with their band. They've come to believe in miracles because they believe they are one themselves, having been gifted with the power to survive. The chorus then repeats the affirmation of believing in a better world, not just for themselves but for others as well.
The second verse speaks about the singer's significant other and how they view them as a good luck charm. But it's not just about luck; they know that if their partner has the power to forgive, then they too have a reason to keep going. At the end of the verse, the singer imagines a better future and emphasizes that it's not too late to change things. The final chorus is a reaffirmation of their belief that miracles are possible, and they hold onto this hope for a brighter future for themselves and others.
Overall, "I Believe in Miracles" is a testament to the power of hope and the belief that better things are possible even in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to be on an endless run
I used to always be on the move and never stop.
Believed in miracles 'cause I'm one
I believe in miracles because I am one. I have been lucky to survive.
I've been blessed with the power to survive
I have been fortunate to have the resilience to survive.
After all these years I'm still alive
Despite all the hardships, I'm still alive and kicking.
I'm out here kickin' with the band
I'm out here with my band, making music and enjoying life.
Oh I'm no longer a solitary man
I'm no longer alone, I have a support system around me.
Every day my time runs out
Every day I come closer to the end of my life.
Lived like a fool, that's what I was about
I used to live recklessly and foolishly, not valuing my life.
Oh I believe in miracles
I believe that unlikely things can happen and things can get better.
Oh I believe in a better world for me and you
I believe that there is hope for a better world for everyone.
Tattooed your name on my arm
Your name, my good luck charm, is permanently marked on my skin.
I always said my girl's a good luck charm
I always considered my girl to bring me good luck and fortune.
If she can find a reason to forgive
If my girl can find it in her heart to forgive me, then there's hope for me yet.
Then I can find a reason to live
If I can find hope and reason to live, then there's still a chance for me.
I close my eyes and think how it might be
I often think about how things could be different or better.
The future's here today
The future is not far away, it's already here and happening.
It's not too late
It's never too late to hope for the best and make things right.
Oh-oh-oh, I believe in miracles
I still have faith in unlikely miracles happening.
Oh I believe in a better world for me and you, you, you
I believe in a world where everyone has a chance for happiness and success.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Daniel Rey, Dee Dee Ramone, Douglas Colvin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@biatrice98
I used to be on an endless run
Believe in miracles 'cause I'm one
I have been blessed with the power to survive
After all these years I'm still alive
I'm out here kickin' with the band
I am no longer a solitary man
Every day my time runs out
Lived like a fool, that's what I was about, oh
I believe in miracles
I believe in a better world for me and you
Oh-oh, I believe in miracles
I believe in a better world for me and you
Tattooed your name on my arm
I always said my girl's a good luck charm
If she can find a reason to forgive
Then I can find a reason to live
I used to be on an endless run
Believe in miracles 'cause I'm one
I have been blessed with the power to survive
After all these years I'm still alive
I believe in miracles
I believe in a better world for me and you
Oh-oh, I believe in miracles
I believe in a better world for me and you
I close my eyes and think how it might be
The future's here today
It's not too late
It's not too late, no!
I believe in miracles
I believe in a better world for me and you
Oh-oh, I believe in miracles
I believe in a better world for me and you
Alright!
@danielsan2142
In my opinion the best opening track released by Ramones and one of the best songs ever. Classic, masterpiece!
@DontSpamCauseYouHaveNoDick
Yup
@sasacoro4223
Yeah!
@ricofalzone6134
Well said
@porcoddiogesubastardo9669
Best is pet sematary
@Ireneket
I soooo agree. Love this song !!
@Chris-ve8ub
Honestly one of the greatest songs ever made
@alandesouzacruz5124
Listening is classic in january of 2024 🤟🏻😎
@canaldoyoutube2383
😂
@galexander9857
Where have I been???
Been listening to Ramones tunes for many many years. Tonite is the first time I've heard this song. The live versions are fantastic!!!