"Judy Is a Punk" is said to be written about two overzealous real-life fans… Read Full Bio ↴"Judy Is a Punk" is said to be written about two overzealous real-life fans named Jackie and Judy. One interviewed in the documentary End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones claims that the song was "prophetic", due to Jackie and Judy's supposed later death in an airplane crash, corresponding to the lyrics, "Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah." The song features an intro that is simply one barre chord played at extreme speed. The Ramones recorded a follow-up song on the 1980 album End of the Century called "The Return of Jackie and Judy". The song was featured on the soundtrack of the 2001 film The Royal Tenenbaums.

Judy Is A Punk
Ramones Lyrics

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Jackie is a punk
Judy is a runt
They both went down to Berlin, joined the Ice Capades
And oh, I don't know why
Oh, I don't know why
Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah
Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah
Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah

Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah

Second verse, same as the first
Jackie is a punk
Judy is a runt
They both went down to Berlin, joined the Ice Capades
And oh, I don't know why
Oh, I don't know why
Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah
Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah
Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah
Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah

Third verse, different from the first
Jackie is a punk
Judy is a runt
They both went down to Frisco, joined the SLA
And oh, I don't know why
Oh, I don't know why
Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah
Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah

Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah
Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah

Overall Meaning

The Ramones' song Judy Is A Punk is a fast-paced and energetic song, with repetitive lyrics and a driving beat. The song tells the story of two rebellious characters, Jackie and Judy, who are both outsiders in society. The lyrics mention that they both went to Berlin to join the Ice Capades, a popular ice skating show. The chorus of the song repeatedly says "perhaps they'll die," which suggests that their reckless and rebellious behavior could lead to their downfall.

In the second verse, the lyrics are almost identical to the first verse, except that it's the chorus that hits harder this time. The third verse introduces a new setting, Frisco (or San Francisco), where Jackie and Judy joined the SLA, or the Symbionese Liberation Army, a radical left-wing group known for their kidnapping of Patty Hearst. The chorus repeats again, suggesting that the characters' behavior and involvement with extremist groups could lead to their eventual deaths.

Overall, the song seems to be a cautionary tale about the dangers of rebellion and extremist behavior. The repeated mention of death in the chorus suggests that the Ramones are warning listeners about the consequences of not conforming to society's norms.

Line by Line Meaning

Jackie is a punk
Jackie is a rebellious person who does not conform to societal norms

Judy is a runt
Judy is a smaller, underdog-type person who is often underestimated

They both went down to Berlin, joined the Ice Capades
They left their old lives behind and pursued a new adventure by joining a famous ice-skating troupe

And oh, I don't know why
The artist is unsure of the motivations behind Jackie and Judy's actions

Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah
The artist acknowledges the potential dangers of the choices that Jackie and Judy have made

Second verse, same as the first
The singer is repeating the same observations about Jackie and Judy to emphasize the consistency of their behavior

They both went down to Berlin, joined the Ice Capades
Once again, Jackie and Judy pursued a new, exciting experience and left their old lives behind

Third verse, different from the first
The artist is introducing a new, unexpected development in Jackie and Judy's story

They both went down to Frisco, joined the SLA
Jackie and Judy continued their trend of joining radical groups, this time becoming members of the infamous Symbionese Liberation Army

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Douglas Colvin, Jeff Hyman, John Cummings, Thomas Erdelyi

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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