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."
Touring
Ramones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spain, New Zealand and the USA
Europe, Japan and Pango Pango
Canada, Siam, Oz and Kamoto
The kids all come from miles around
The party get start when the sun goes down
And holiday inn's the only home I know
Rock'n roll's alive cause got the power, baby
Cruisin' down the highway at 500 miles an hour, maybe
We got a fuel injected tour bus, man, it really flies
With a video tape deck inside
Let's go rock'n roll, everybody com-along (2x)
Touring, touring, it's never boring (3x)
Touring, touring, oh baby, touring
Especially with your favorite girl
Touring, touring all around the world
Well, we've been around this great big world
And we've met all kind of guys and girls
From Kamoto Islands to Rockaway Beach
No, it's not hard, not far to reach
American girls knock me out, you know
Fast cars, cold beer and rock â??n' roll
America is the only home I know, I know, I know
Let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go
Five hundred miles to Mexico
Let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go
Two thoysand miles to Tokyo
Let's go, a- let's go, a- let's go
A- let's goooooo
Drive, drive, drive the night away
Straight all through to the break of day
Drive, drive, drive the night away
When it's in your blood, it's in your blood
Touring, touring, it's never boring (3x)
Touring, touring, oh baby, touring
Especially with your favorite girl
Touring, touring all around the world
Touring, touring, all around (3x)
Touring, touring all around the world
The Ramones' "Touring" is basically an epic rock song about the band's travels across the world. The lyrics talks about the different countries the band had toured, such as London, Los Angeles, Spain, New Zealand, Japan, and more. The verses describe how the party starts when they arrive at a new location, and the Holiday Inn is the only familiar place they have come to know. The chorus has an infectious upbeat tempo that captures the energy and excitement of traveling and performing on stage.
The song's lyrics reveal the band's love for rock and rolls and the thrill of the touring lifestyle. The track perfectly captures the essence of punk rock, rebellion, and unbridled energy, with its catchy guitar riffs, driving basslines, and pounding drums. The lyrics reference the different countries' cultures and lifestyles, creating a sense of adventure and excitement throughout the song. Ultimately, the track offers a fascinating insight into the world of the punk rock touring life.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, we've been to London and we've been to LA
We've traveled the entire world and visited iconic cities like London and Los Angeles.
Spain, New Zealand and the USA
We've visited multiple countries across the globe including Spain, New Zealand, and the United States of America.
Europe, Japan and Pango Pango
We've toured numerous continents including Europe, Japan, and even the remote island of Pango Pango.
Canada, Siam, Oz and Kamoto
We've covered more destinations like Canada, Siam, Australia, and Kamoto.
The kids all come from miles around
Our concerts attract audiences from far and wide.
The party get start when the sun goes down
Our gigs are high-energy and lively, usually commencing after sundown.
And holiday inn's the only home I know
Even though we travel constantly, touring has become the band's lifestyle and the Holiday Inn chain of hotels serves as their constant, temporary abode.
Rock'n roll's alive cause got the power, baby
The band believes that the rock 'n' roll genre is very much alive, and they have the capability of keeping it powerful and going.
Cruisin' down the highway at 500 miles an hour, maybe
The band travels quickly, sometimes perhaps even figuratively stating that they travel at impossible speeds.
We got a fuel injected tour bus, man, it really flies
They travel in a fuel-injected tour bus which helps them travel quickly and efficiently.
With a video tape deck inside
Their tour bus has a video tape deck for entertainment and relaxation purposes.
Let's go rock'n roll, everybody com-along
They invite everyone to join in their rock 'n' roll lifestyle.
Touring, touring, it's never boring
Touring is never dull or uneventful.
Especially with your favorite girl
Touring with your significant other makes it more enjoyable and memorable.
Well, we've been around this great big world
They emphasize having traveled to many corners of the world.
And we've met all kind of guys and girls
They've interacted with multitudes of people.
From Kamoto Islands to Rockaway Beach
The band has hung out with both locals of obscure places like Kamoto Islands, as well as iconic places like Rockaway Beach.
No, it's not hard, not far to reach
To join in on their touring party, it's not difficult nor far to go.
American girls knock me out, you know
The band finds American girls particularly attractive and desirable.
Fast cars, cold beer and rock â??n' roll
The American culture of fast cars, cold beer and rock music excites the band.
Let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go
The band is ready to travel more, party more and rock more.
Five hundred miles to Mexico
This is a challenging and exciting distance to travel particularly to Mexico.
Two thoysand miles to Tokyo
Traveling to Tokyo which is distant by two thousand miles would take a lot of effort, time and energy.
Drive, drive, drive the night away
It's possible to drive through the night without an end in sight when fueled by a love of rock 'n' roll music and touring.
Straight all through to the break of day
Traveling non-stop throughout the night, looking forward to reaching destination as the sun rises.
When it's in your blood, it's in your blood
Touring and rock 'n' roll are a part of the band's identity.
All around (3x) Touring, touring all around the world
The band travels everywhere and anywhere to play their music, bringing joy to audiences everywhere.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOEY RAMONE, JOHNNY RAMONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fabriciojosephhonoratoalca9007
Well, we've been to London and we've been to L.A.
Spain, New Zealand, and the U.S.A.
Europe, Japan, and Pango-Pango
Canada, Siam, Oz and Kamoto
The kids all come from miles around
The party gets started when the sun goes down
A Holiday Inn's the only home
I know, I know, I know, I know
Rock-n-roll's alive 'cause we got the power baby
Crusing down the highway at 500 miles an hour baby
We got a fuel-injected tour bus, man it really flies
With a video tape deck inside
Let's go, rock-n-roll, everybody c'mon
Let's go, rock-n-roll, everybody c'mon now
Touring, touring, is never boring
Touring, touring, is never boring
Touring, touring, is never boring
Touring, touring, oh baby, touring
Especially with your favorite girl
Touring, touring, all around the world
Well we've been around this great big world
And we've met all kinds of guys and girls
From Kamoto Islands to Rockaway Beach
No, it's not hard, not far to reach
American girls knock me out, ya know
Fast cars, cold beer, and rock-n-roll
America is the only home
I know, I know, I know, I know
Let's go let's go let's go let's go 500 miles to Mexico
Let's go let's go let's go let's go 200 miles to Tokyo
Let's go let's go let's go let's go
Drive, drive, drive the night away
Straight on through to the break of day
Drive, drive, drive the night away
Well, it's in your blood, it's in your blood
Touring, touring...
Touring touring, all around the world
Touring touring, all around the world
Touring touring, all around the world
@ricardoleiva4885
No tienen idea como estos 4 tipos cambiaron mi vida...voy a estar agradecido hasta el ultimo dia de mi vida...
@jardin904devillaballester9
totalmente
@peterpunck27
Amén mi hermano 😎
@lihuenmussocanupan54
Vi esta canción y me cambio la vida
@enriquegarduno17
The Ramones forever
@rocknrollloverboy9329
you forgot ac/dc
@homerpoikafani1336
"Sheena is punk rocker" and "rock n roll high school" mixed with references to "rockaway beach"
I like it!
@DeeckyRizzo
Fuck yeah! And they even mention Mexico, my country!
@A2Z83
another band did this song with different lyrics. it was called doreen by the mystics. joey wrote this and originally recorded it for pleasent dreams.
@luciano449
It's like a kind of sequel of these songs