I Dream Of Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, Tommy (and occasionally Marky, Richie, CJ, and/or new recruits)

I occasionally dream about The Ramones. It doesn't happen often, but it's happened a few times. In the dreams, they're still alive, still playing. Sometimes the personnel has changed, and there are newer Ramones in place of some veteran Ramones. As I dream, I don't know if I'm aware that Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, and Tommy have all gone to that great 53rd & 3rd in the sky. I generally don't dream of interacting with them; I'm just there, standing in the back at a crowded concert hall, enjoying the live sound of the group I call the American Beatles, the greatest American rock 'n' roll band of all time.

My most recent Ramones dream was different. I met Joey Ramone at a café. We sat and chatted at a little table, awaiting our drink orders. Joey was excited about a brand new Ramones single. This is gonna be a hit, he said, This one's finally gonna be our hit single!

Joey produced a Walkman or an iPod--you know how dreams are--and played the song for me. It was poppy and fast and catchy, like a Ramones record should be. But the vocals weren't what I expected. It definitely wasn't Joey singing.

I asked Joey, Is that CJ singing? Joey's expression changed. No, he said, a tinge of melancholy in his voice. We got a girl singer now. He sighed, a saddened tone in his voice. This is gonna be a hit.

I woke up. And I was sad, too.



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