...Ya Know?

The front man for punk pioneers Ramones died of lymphoma in 2001 at age 49. Here are 15 songs written & sung by Joey without the Ramones. Some sound just like that band, some are quite different. Seems he was trying out different songwriting and singing styles.

Mild FCC issue in track 2

1 * Mid-fast. Rolling Stones style rocker. It’s the weekend; let’s party! (4:39)
2 * Mild FCC: Lyric contains “all that crap.” Keep it in safe harbor, or pick another song. Mid-fast. Classic punk-rock power-chord thrash, but with mild-mannered vocal. (4:27)
3 ** Mid-fast. Hard rock anthem to NYC, sung with a nihilist, punk sneer. (3:32)
4 * Mid-slow. Lonesome, love-lost folk song. Acoustic guitar & a hint of accordion. (4:45)
5 *** Fast. Like a Ramones impression of Billy Idol doing Bobby Darin. The right dance for this number would be a cross between the pogo and the watusi. (2:35)
6 *** Fast. Sarcastic anti-love song. Power chords, loud drums, very good singing. (2:53)
7 ** Fast & loud. Sounds like something Patti Smith Group could have done: the guitar, lead vocal, choral harmony vocals from the band—all are reminiscent. (3:58)
8 Mid-fast & loud. Indistinct singing, muddy sound. (2:26)
9 ** Mid-fast, faux 60s rock-n-roll. Spector’s wall-of-sound & girl-group harmonies. (3:05)
10 Slow. Christmas-themed blues. Play on Christmas day only if you need to. (4:20)
11 Mid-tempo. Hey-lil-schoolgirl lustiness, not the update of “Sheena” I’d hoped for. (3:18)
12 Mid-fast. Dreadfully monotonous. Thump-thump-thump. (3:12)
13 Mid-tempo, calypso sway. Half a dozen ideas tossed together but not worked out. (3:16)
14 ** Mid-fast. Grungy and powerful like early Pearl Jam. Damn good. (3:41)
15 * Mid-slow. Tongue-in-cheek folk rock. Acoustic guitar. Odd ending fades out. (2:03)