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 Wanted Everything
Ramones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Presents under a Christmas tree
It was dreaming and fantasy
There was no Mom or Daddy
I wanted everything
I wanted everything
I wanted everything
I had the world on my shoulder
But I was getting older
Knew I was ready for it
Some kind of envelopment
I wanted everything
I wanted everything
I wanted everything
All day working on a truck
Bringing the groceries up
Not much of a salary
No tip for the delivery
I wanted everything
I wanted everything
I wanted everything
There's no success for me
Involved in a robbery
There's money in the supermarket
And I'm goin' after it
I wanted everything
I wanted everything
I wanted everything
I wanted everything
I wanted everything
The Ramones's song "I Wanted Everything" starts with the singer dreaming about getting presents under a Christmas tree from the Easter bunny. The lyrics hint at the character being neglected or abandoned by their parents, as they mention there was no Mom or Daddy. The character then expresses a general desire for everything, with the refrain "I wanted everything" being repeated throughout the song.
The second verse mentions the character having the world on their shoulders, and feeling ready for some kind of envelopment. This could suggest that they are feeling burdened by adulthood and responsibility, and are yearning for a simpler time. They then reference a job working on a truck and delivering groceries, despite not earning a lot of money or receiving tips.
The final verse takes a darker turn, with the singer revealing that they are involved in a robbery and plan to steal money from a supermarket. This could be seen as an act of desperation or a means of fulfilling their desire for everything. The song ends with the repetition of the refrain, emphasizing the character's insatiable desire.
Overall, the song explores themes of yearning and desperation, as well as the societal pressures and responsibilities of adulthood. It is a melancholy and somewhat existential reflection on the nature of desire and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
I heard about the Ester bunny
I was exposed to all forms of advertising and commercialization, including Easter Bunny and Christmas presents, which were marketed as dreamy and fantastic, but I could not find any real emotional connection in the absence of my parents.
Presents under a Christmas tree
Materialistic things were pushed as important, with expensive presents as the ultimate symbol of happiness and fulfillment.
It was dreaming and fantasy
The ideal life was painted as an unattainable dream, a fairytale that could never truly live up to expectations.
There was no Mom or Daddy
The absence of parents left me yearning for a sense of belonging and love that material possessions could not provide.
I wanted everything
I was desperate to have it all - money, success, happiness, material things, and a sense of belonging and purpose - but I never really knew what any of it truly meant or how to achieve it.
I had the world on my shoulder
I felt a great burden and responsibility to achieve everything I desired.
But I was getting older
Despite my youthful ambitions, I was growing more and more aware of the harsh realities of life.
Knew I was ready for it
I believed that I was ready to face and conquer anything that stood in my path.
Some kind of envelopment
I was searching for a sense of identity and belonging, hoping to find it in the outside world.
All day working on a truck
I worked hard every day, performing menial and unappreciated labor, just to make ends meet and survive.
Bringing the groceries up
I did whatever it took to prove myself, even if it meant doing demeaning and unfulfilling work.
Not much of a salary
Despite my hard work, I was not making enough money to achieve the kind of success I desired.
No tip for the delivery
Even when I went above and beyond, I was never appreciated or rewarded for my efforts.
There's no success for me
I felt that success was beyond my reach, even though I worked tirelessly to achieve it.
Involved in a robbery
In a moment of desperation, I turned to crime, hoping to find the shortcut to success and fulfillment that I had been seeking.
There's money in the supermarket
I believed that wealth was the key to happiness and that the supermarket was the place to find it.
And I'm goin' after it
I was willing to do whatever it took to achieve my goals, even if it meant taking risks or breaking the law.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Douglas Colvin, Jeff Hyman, John Cummings
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Racheal Plymale
on I Wanna Be Sedated (Live)
My Alltime favorite band!!!!!!!!! Joey Ramone was yummmy!!!!!