RAMONES - Leave Home 1977

Let's waste your time with the second album by the Ramones and it was released on January 10, 1977, through Sire Records and the songs were written immediately after their brilliant debut album writing process, which demonstrate the band's progression. The album had a higher production value than their debut and featured faster tempos. The front photo was taken by Moshe Brakha and the back cover, which would become the band's logo, was designed by Arturo Vega. The album spawned three singles, but only one succeeded in charting. It was also promoted with several tour dates in the States & Europe.

The songs in Leave Home concentrate on various themes, with the musical tones being diverse as well. Some tunes were more pop-oriented, while others, like Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment and Pinhead were loaded with distorted guitars and had a more punk rock sound. The song Carbona Not Glue was taken off the album because it potentially violated the trademark of the stain-removal product Carbona. The track was replaced with Babysitter in the UK and Sheena Is a Punk Rocker in the United States (prior to its inclusion on Rocket To Russia) both Carbona and Babysitter were included on the 2001 expanded edition. Critical reception for the album was generally favorable, with several reviewers pointing out the fact that it highly resembled the band's debut. Critics also said the album was less groundbreaking than their debut but had humorous and enjoyable pieces.

Joey relates: "We thought we had a lotta songs that should've been hits. If you grew up in the sixties, things would just get played and be hits right off the bat. So we thought since our music was doin' something unique that everyone would pick up on that. What really happened was we were so alien that no one wanted to touch us. And so we wouldn't get played."

Last Words: all previous Ramones posts in the blog are re-upped; The FOUR were brilliant, are brilliant and stay brilliant - R.I.P.

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