THE RAMONES: "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker"
Dangerous. Deplorable. Degenerate. The Ramones were supposed to be dirty, filthy punks, likely to slit your throat for spare change, or just for kicks. They were loud. They were sloppy. They were beneath contempt.
And they were one of the greatest pop bands in the world.
That seeming incongruity has never quite resolved itself. In certain circles, one risks immediate scorn for the sin of considering The Ramones a power pop band. But it was never a sin. It was a revelation.
Perhaps it shouldn't have been such a surprise. If we hadn't been so distracted by the noise, the sheer velocity, and the off-putting lyrics about recreational glue-sniffing and chainsaw massacrees, we would have noticed that even The Ramones' earliest records carried influences beyond the obvious sturm und drang of The Stooges; many (if not most) of The Ramones' short 'n' sharp album tracks believed they were 45s. Definitely most. Maybe all. A few of them were released as singles--"Blitzkrieg Bop," "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend,""I Remember You," "Swallow My Pride"--but if records could talk, the bulk of their LP track brethren would have likewise self-identified as 7" slabs o' vinyl destined for playback at 45 rpm.
45s.
It's not about the format; it's the spirit, the attitude, what's in the grooves even if there aren't any literal grooves, from mp3 air to compact disc to cassette, eight-track, and of course vinyl. If we had listened more deliberately to The Ramones, even as they declared their preference for huffing Carbona Spot Remover rather than glue, we would have heard singles. Pop singles. Fodder for jukeboxes and transistor radio, meant to be played alongside girl-group 45s and British Invasion 45s and bubblegum 45s and Motown, The Monkees, and Jan and Dean. The Ramones specialized in 45s; most of those 45s just happened to be album tracks instead.
So the pristine pop of "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" shouldn't really have been any kind of shock. Nonetheless: in 1977, no one was prepared for it. No one.
When Joey Ramone first demoed the song for Sire Records boss Seymour Stein, Stein freakin' flipped out. We have to record this song NOW!!! Stein knew a hit when he heard it. The Ramones were dispatched to the studio, and the "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" 45 was rush-released in July of '77. Its seemingly effortless evocation of an urban East Coast version of The Beach Boys was indescribably catchy, effervescent, and fun. Its real-world Billboard chart peak of # 81 was probably a disappointment to Stein--it certainly sounded like a Top 40 smash, or better--but it did chart. No previous Ramones record had done that, nor had any other previous punk or new wave or label du jour artist managed it either. One suspects the perceived image of those dangerous, degenerate punks scared away the superstitious and cowardly lot we know as radio programmers. It was a missed opportunity to reclaim the glory of rock 'n' roll radio at its very best. It wasn't the slick corporate product against which punk rebelled, nor was it the angry nihilism that punk was known for; it was something else altogether: it was pure joy.
For those who heard "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" with open ears in 1977, it was a magical communique from a brighter, better pop world. It was for me, anyway. Forty years ago this week, home from college for Thanksgiving break, I played my new "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" 45 for the first time. No other single song, before or since, ever had such an immediate and durable impact on me. Nothing else ever came close.
The other day, I heard someone on the radio refer to "I Wanna Be Sedated" as the definitive Ramones track. Some would argue passionately on behalf of "Blitzkrieg Bop" instead, and either would present a compelling, convincing case. But only one record changed my life. The Greatest Record Ever Made? Oh yes. The kids are all hopped and ready to go. New York City really has it all. And Sheena is the queen of the urban jungle. Pop music conquers all.
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Our new compilation CD This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4 is now available from Kool Kat Musik! 29 tracks of irresistible rockin' pop, starring Pop Co-Op, Ray Paul, Circe Link & Christian Nesmith, Vegas With Randolph Featuring Lannie Flowers, The Slapbacks, P. Hux, Irene Peña, Michael Oliver & the Sacred Band Featuring Dave Merritt, The Rubinoos, Stepford Knives, The Grip Weeds, Popdudes, Ronnie Dark, The Flashcubes,Chris von Sneidern, The Bottle Kids, 1.4.5., The Smithereens, Paul Collins' Beat, The Hit Squad, The Rulers, The Legal Matters, Maura & the Bright Lights, Lisa Mychols, and Mr. Encrypto & the Cyphers. You gotta have it, so order it here.
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