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 Want You Around
Ramones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They're telling us
They're gonna make a fuss
About the two of us
I want you around
I want you around
I know what you're thinking about
That you must have some doubts
I know what you're thinking
When you find out I want you around
You know if it comes true
I'll be so good to you
I'll never treat you cruel
As long as I've got you around
I want you around
I want you around
You heard that I'm no good
Yeah, yeah I'm no good
But I'll treat you like I should
I want you around
I want you around
You know if it comes true
I'll be so good to you
I'll never treat you cruel
As long as I've got you around
I want you around I want you around
They're telling us
They're gonna make a fuss
About the two of us
I want you around
I want you around
I want you around
I want you around
The Ramones' song "I Want You Around" is a classic love song that is an example of the band's ability to balance their punk rock sound with sentimental and romantic lyrics. The main character in the song is pleading with their lover to stick around despite rumors and doubts. The repeated line "I want you around" emphasizes the sincerity and urgency of the singer's message. The opening lines, "They're telling us they're gonna make a fuss about the two of us" sets the stage for the conflict that the singer faces in their relationship.
From the lyrics, it's evident that the couple is facing disapproval, possibly from family or society, for their relationship. However, the singer reassures their loved one that they will be good to them, treating them well and never being cruel. The verse, "You heard that I'm no good, but I'll treat you like I should" is a declaration of their intent to be a good partner despite any rumors or judgments.
Overall, the song's lyrics are a testament to the desire for love, loyalty, and validation in a relationship despite any obstacles. The Ramones' catchy and upbeat punk tune doesn't detract from the bittersweet nature of the lyrics. It's a great example of the band's versatility and range in their songwriting.
Line by Line Meaning
I want you around
The singer desires the person they are addressing to be present and close to them.
They're telling us
They're gonna make a fuss
About the two of us
Other people are warning or threatening the singer and the person they want around that there will be trouble or controversy if they get closer.
I know what you're thinking about
That you must have some doubts
I know what you're thinking
When you find out I want you around
The singer believes they understand the other person's hesitation and worries about entering a relationship with the singer, especially once they learn that the singer desires to be closer.
You know if it comes true
I'll be so good to you
I'll never treat you cruel
As long as I've got you around
The artist promises to treat the other person kindly if they decide to pursue a relationship with the artist, and to never mistreat or harm them as long as they remain together.
You heard that I'm no good
Yeah, yeah I'm no good
But I'll treat you like I should
The artist acknowledges that they have a bad reputation and may not be considered a good partner, but promises to behave properly and appropriately towards the other person if they choose to be with the artist.
I want you around
The singer reiterates their desire for the other person to be present and close to them.
I want you around
The singer repeats their desire for the other person to be present and close to them.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Douglas Colvin, Jeff Hyman, John Cummings
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rogerhr4687
I want you around
I want you around
They're tellin' us
They're gonna make a fuss
About the two of us
I want you around
I want you around
I know what you're thinking about
That you must have some doubts
I know what you're thinking
When you find out I want you around
You know, if it comes true
I'll be so good to you
I'll never treat you cruel
As long as I've got you around
I want you around
I want you around
You heard that I'm no good
Yeah, yeah I'm no good
But I'll treat you like I should
I want you around
I want you around
You know if it comes true
I'll be so good to you
I'll never treat you cruel
As long as I've got you around
I want you around
I want you around
They're tellin' us
They're gonna make a fuss
About the two of us
I want you around
I want you around
I want you around
I want you around
@strawberrylemonadekristina
Nice to see that the Ramones can be melodic and tender. Almost 50 years later and kids are still listening to them and dressing like them. Good music and fashion never go out of style. Rock 'n' Roll High School is a great movie. A classic of teenage rebellion and joy.
@wildnhairyone1632
❤
@AnnQuave-xw5yb
The first came out the year I was born. These are some of the Ramones best songs.
@MegaElvisd
This song is pure heaven. The jangly guitar break with the chorus effect is just perfect, man, perfect.
@sbebezas
i'm such a fangirl... just laying down watching ramones videos and smiling so hard my mouth hurts. so many little things in this video make me happy :3
@killingheros3554
They are so great.
@simplementelicha2127
That awkward moment when you can't have a shower because Dee Dee is playing bass
@fershux2960
JAJAJ
@AdiDrumming
HAHAHAHA Its kinda creepy too
@isabelnunez7134
Hermoso tema son los mejores del punk los amo ramones