No matter what they did The Ramones never broke a single Stateside. A victim of the times you could say because in this MTV age with their look and sound they would have been mega. Any way below are nuggets of 24 carat Ramones punk gold and all essential.

1975 Looking for a hit on the subway - Photo Bob Gruen

Blitzkrieg Bop / Havana Affair - July 1976

"Hey Ho Lets go" and the first single from the Ramones was launched. Drums and bass right, guitar left and vocals. Simple, primitive, infectious and a rallying cry to a generation of punks. That is to the few who bought it. Mighty b side too with Havana Affair. Classic punk rock.

I Remember You / I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You/California Sun
 March 1977

Mid paced toon from the boys for the second UK single. Its a love song with a sixties lilt and harmonies set to a three chord rifferama with minimal lyrics.

"I remember lying awake at night and thinking just of you
But things don't last forever and somehow babyimal
They never really do They never really do
I remember you I remember You I remember you"

Sheena Is A Punk Rocker /
 I Don't Care - May 1977

As perfect a slice of heaven as you could possibly want for. Superb melody, buzzsaw guitar and the first song to feature 'Punk' in the title. Reached No 22 in the UK charts helped by the 12" version and free tshirt. Well that and the fact that's its so fucking good. Period.

Swallow My Pride/ Pinhead July 1977

'Gabba gabba we accept you, we accept you one of us!'

Joey "...I read a review that says when The Ramones wrote 'Pinhead' and 'DUMB' they were finally admitting how stupid they are. Then I also heard the other day on the radio that we were actually smart and we were just playing stupid. So no matter what you say, no matter what you do with the music press you lose." New Wave Fanzine 1977
 

In my view the equal of Sheena. Superb surf melodies against the buzzsaw guitar of Johnny Ramone. This paean to the only beach in New York and reachable by subway just conjures up hot lazy days and the sound of punk.

"Up on the roof, out on the street
Down in the playground the hot concrete
Busride is too slow
They blast out the disco on the radio"

Do You Wanna Dance / Cretin Hop/ Its A Long Way Back To Germany March 1978

Take an old sixties tune by Chris Montez and punk it up a la Ramones and you've got a cool little stomper. Cretin Hop?...file under another singalonga Ramones style chant...

"1-2-3-4 - Cretins wanna hop some more
4-5-6-7 - All good cretins go to heaven"

Don't Come Close / I Don't Want You - Sep 1978

Medium tempo acousticy song from the boys with an almost country & western lilt. Specifically written to get more radio airplay and so exposure for the band. Of course it bombed. Part of a change for the band on Road To Ruin from the fast songs of the first three albums. Better production with Tommy Ramone producing and Marky on Drums.

She's The One / I Wanna Be Sedated January 1979

Another example of the Ramones' attempt to craft a chart song. Insidiously catchy, no picture to put the non punk punters off but still no big break. The flip side I Wanna Be Sedated is yer more standard Ramones track along the lines of Beat On The Brat. Supposedly about Joeys fear of going on stage. There's a video knocking around of this song featuring the boys stationary while various people flit around them while 24 hours elapse. Again from the Road To Ruin album.

Rock'n'roll High School / Rockaway Beach / Sheena August 1979

From the film of the same name. Spirited gallop  with a punkabilly riff and teenage chicks and cars lyrics. Perhaps more famous for the outrageous number of takes Phil Spector made the band just for the opening guitar chord in his production of the song. The song wouldn't have been out of place in 'Grease'!