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."
Merry Christmas
Ramones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with you
Where is Santa at his sleigh?
Tell me why is it always this way?
Merry Christmas, merry merry merry Christmas
All the children are tucked in their beds
Sugar-plum fairies dancing in their heads
Snowball fighting, it's so exciting baby
I love you and you love me
And that's the way it's got to be
I loved you from the start
'Cause Christmas ain't the time for breaking each other's heart
Where is Santa at his sleigh?
Tell me why is it always this way?
Where is Rudolph? Where is Blitzen, baby?
Merry Christmas, merry merry merry Christmas
All the children are tucked in their beds
Sugar-plum fairies dancing in their heads
Snowball fighting, it's so exciting baby
Ay yeah yeah yeah
I love you and you love me
And that's the way it's got to be
I knew it from the start
'Cause Christmas ain't the time for breaking each other's heart
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with you
Ramones's song "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)" is a song about wanting to spend peaceful and enjoyable time with one's loved ones during the festive season of Christmas. The song begins with the lead singer stating that he doesn't want to fight on the night of Christmas, which is traditionally considered to be a night of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation. The repetition of the chorus, "Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight," emphasizes the sentiment that Christmas is meant to be about love and not conflict.
The song also includes imagery associated with Christmas, such as Santa Claus, his sleigh, Rudolph, and Blitzen, which adds to the festive mood of the song. The lyrics also describe children's excitement and anticipation at Christmas time, evident in their dreams of sugar-plum fairies and snowball fights. The chorus acts as a refrain that emphasizes the entire theme of the song, which is an appeal to avoid conflict during the season of joy and celebration.
Overall, Ramones's "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)" is a bouncy and upbeat song that reminds us to cherish the Christmas spirit by keeping love and harmony in our hearts throughout the festive season.
Line by Line Meaning
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight
Despite any differences, I wish you a happy Christmas filled with warmth and love, without any disagreements or hostility.
Where is Santa at his sleigh?
I'm wondering where Santa might be with his sleigh, perhaps wondering how long it may take him to arrive and bring joy to others on this special day.
Tell me why is it always this way?
I am frustrated with the repeated, stressful pattern of fighting or conflicts that always seem to arise around Christmas time, and I'm not quite sure why it always happens.
Where is Rudolph? Where is Blitzen, baby?
I'm asking for the whereabouts of Rudolph and Blitzen, two of Santa's reindeer, to add a lighthearted, festive tone to the song.
Merry Christmas, merry merry merry Christmas
Once again, I wish you a very merry Christmas with lots of joy and reminders of the holiday spirit.
All the children are tucked in their beds
The children are all safe and sound in their beds, waiting for Santa's arrival to bring them presents and spread cheer in their homes.
Sugar-plum fairies dancing in their heads
As the children sleep, they might dream of the magical holiday creatures like sugar-plum fairies, adding to the whimsical nature of the season.
Snowball fighting, it's so exciting baby
Snowball fights can be a lot of fun and thrilling, adding an element of excitement to the winter season.
I love you and you love me
I express my love for you, and acknowledge your love for me, highlighting the importance of love and connection during the holidays.
And that's the way it's got to be
I believe that love and harmony with one another is the only way to go, particularly on such an important day like Christmas.
I loved you from the start
I have loved you since the beginning, perhaps implying a long-standing relationship, and express that I don't want to let anything spoil this time of year.
'Cause Christmas ain't the time for breaking each other's heart
I emphasize that Christmas is not the time to create negative emotions or bad feelings with each other, but rather a time of happiness and togetherness.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Joey Ramone
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vindictivevillain
LYRICS
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with you
Where is Santa at his sleigh?
Tell me why is it always this way?
Where is Rudolph? Where is Blitzen, baby?
Merry Christmas, merry merry merry Christmas
All the children are tucked in their beds
Sugar-plum fairies dancing in their heads
Snowball fighting, it's so exciting baby
I love you and you love me
And that's the way it's got to be
I loved you from the start
'Cause Christmas ain't the time for breaking each other's heart
Where is Santa at his sleigh?
Tell me why is it always this way?
Where is Rudolph? Where is Blitzen, baby?
Merry Christmas, merry merry merry Christmas
All the children are tucked in their beds
Sugar-plum fairies dancing in their heads
Snowball fighting, it's so exciting baby
Ay yeah yeah yeah
I love you and you love me
And that's the way it's got to be
I knew it from the start
'Cause Christmas ain't the time for breaking each other's heart
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with you
@carlitos5984
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with you
Where is Santa at his sleigh?
Tell me why is it always this way?
Where is Rudolph? Where is Blitzen, baby?
Merry Christmas, merry merry merry Christmas
All the children are tucked in their beds
Sugar-plum fairies dancing in their heads
Snowball fighting, it's so exciting baby
I love you and you love me
And that's the way it's got to be
I loved you from the start
'Cause Christmas ain't the time for breaking each other's heart
Where is Santa at his sleigh?
Tell me why is it always this way?
Where is Rudolph? Where is Blitzen, baby?
Merry Christmas, merry merry merry Christmas
All the children are tucked in their beds
Sugar-plum fairies dancing in their heads
Snowball fighting, it's so exciting baby
Ay yeah yeah yeah
I love you and you love me
And that's the way it's got to be
I knew it from the start
'Cause Christmas ain't the time for breaking each other's heart
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with you
@solacefoxtrot
Lyrics:
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with.....
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with you
Where is Santa at his sleigh?
Tell me why is it always this way?
Where is Rudolph? Where is Blitzen, baby?
Merry Christmas, merry merry merry Christmas
All the children are tucked in their beds
Sugar-plum fairies dancing in their heads
Snowball fighting, it's so exciting baby
I love you and you love me
And that's the way it's got to be
I loved you from the start
'Cause Christmas ain't the time for breaking each other's heart
Where is Santa at his sleigh?
Tell me why is it always this way?
Where is Rudolph? Where is Blitzen, baby?
Merry Christmas, merry merry merry Christmas
All the children are tucked in their beds
Sugar-plum fairies dancing in their heads
Snowball fighting, it's so exciting baby
Ay yeah yeah yeah
I love you and you love me
And that's the way it's got to be
I knew it from the start
'Cause Christmas ain't the time for breaking each other's heart
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with
Merry Christmas, I don't want to fight tonight with you
@rhino
Celebrate this holiday season in style with all your favorite Christmas tunes like timeless classics by Donny Hathaway, Otis Redding, and the Drifters and new holiday favorites by Michael Bublé, Sia, Coldplay and more! Listen here https://TOPSIFY.lnk.to/100GreatestXmas 🎄 🎅 🎁
@markkenney9150
MERRY CHRISTMAS
@garycarr3857
@@markkenney9150RHINO
@garycarr3857
Dec 4, 2020
@sonicyouth7177
Feliz navidad a todos los que adoramos el legado de los Ramones.
Siempre estarán presentes.
@mariomutaja4317
Yes
@garycarr3857
@mariomutaDec 4, 2020ja4317
@jstohler
Hands down my favorite Christmas song.
@MD-ru5vs
the best christmas song ever made.
@SuperPsycho731
For sure 🤘