# Explain the Ramones to me \[edited title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 1, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-ramones-to-me-edited-title/608089 "2012-01-01T23:25:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-ramones-to-me-edited-title/608089/81 "2012-01-05T21:31:58Z")
Heh, I’ll tell you my Ramones story: one day around a year ago, my (then) five year old son suddenly stood up, began to play air guitar, and yell out “Hey Ho … Let’s Go!” I was startled to say the least … turns out he’d seen a Ramones video at a playdate with a little friend of his. To my mind this sort of explains the appeal of the band: it is the distilled essence of energetic and boppity, which is a wavelength 5 year old boys can relate to. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-ramones-to-me-edited-title/608089/82 "2012-01-05T21:36:00Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Heh, I’ll tell you my Ramones story: one day around a year ago, my (then) five year old son suddenly stood up, began to play air guitar, and yell out “Hey Ho … Let’s Go!” > > I was startled to say the least … turns out he’d seen a Ramones video at a playdate with a little friend of his. > > To my mind this sort of explains the appeal of the band: it is the distilled essence of energetic and boppity, which is a wavelength 5 year old boys can relate to. Good lord, yes. I started playing the Ramones for my kids at an early age and the LOVED them. Also the up-tempo Beach Boys stuff…and Fox on the Run by the Sweet 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-ramones-to-me-edited-title/608089/83 "2012-01-05T21:49:22Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I hope that **Inigo Montoya** is still reading… Still here. Sometimes I put forth a little extra effort to keep the noise/signal ratio at a more constructive level–that’s why I’m staying (mostly) quiet here. Often, appreciation is based less on listening than on knowing what to listen for. I tried listening…and then decided I needed this thread. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-ramones-to-me-edited-title/608089/84 "2012-01-05T23:11:13Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Heh, I’ll tell you my Ramones story: one day around a year ago, my (then) five year old son suddenly stood up, began to play air guitar, and yell out “Hey Ho … Let’s Go!” > > I was startled to say the least … turns out he’d seen a Ramones video at a playdate with a little friend of his. > > To my mind this sort of explains the appeal of the band: it is the distilled essence of energetic and boppity, which is a wavelength 5 year old boys can relate to. > [@WordMan](#): > > Good lord, yes. I started playing the Ramones for my kids at an early age and the LOVED them. Also the up-tempo Beach Boys stuff…and Fox on the Run by the Sweet 😉 If you’re kids are young enough, [the Boogers](http://www.meet-the-boogers.com/) area a great band that sing Ramones-like songs for kids. 6 years old may be pushing it. My son loves to sing “Hey daddy-o, I don’t wanna go down to the basement,” though I’ve been singing that to him since he was 5 months old whenever I took him downstairs. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-ramones-to-me-edited-title/608089/85 "2012-01-06T02:55:31Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > I had to wait for **Repo Man** before I saw a movie that “got” punk. Make no mistake, **Rock & Roll High School** was not about punk rock. It was just a funny movie that happened to feature the Ramones prominently. FWIW, I think they perfectly fit the role they played both visually and musically. But I agree that **Repo Man** is one of a very few movies, if not the only one, that ever perfectly “got” punk rock. I still quote it all the time, even tho no one ever understands that I’m doing so. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-ramones-to-me-edited-title/608089/86 "2012-01-06T07:13:20Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Make no mistake, **Rock & Roll High School** was not about punk rock. It was just a funny movie that happened to feature the Ramones prominently. FWIW, I think they perfectly fit the role they played both visually and musically. > > But I agree that **Repo Man** is one of a very few movies, if not the only one, that ever perfectly “got” punk rock. I still quote it all the time, even tho no one ever understands that I’m doing so. I remember when I first saw Rock and Roll High School on the newly introduced cable channel around '81 or '82 (think it was HBO). It blew my prepubuscent mind, it was weird and avant garde in the same artistic vein as up in smoke. saw all of that new wave “Nick Cage” and “Hughes” come around at the same time. The video they did for the soon to follow MTV I wanna be sedated just cemented them indeliabaly into the American Pantheon of Music. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-ramones-to-me-edited-title/608089/87 "2012-01-06T08:36:06Z")
Mind you, I saw rock and Roll High School, as a Junior High Student. just before I went to Hgh Schooll… the angst was also amplified by the movie “My Bodyguard”. Not to mentiona an already 30 year cold war. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-ramones-to-me-edited-title/608089/88 "2012-01-06T09:06:35Z")
Wargames alsocame along. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-ramones-to-me-edited-title/608089/89 "2012-01-06T09:10:47Z")
Maybe I should do a Wargames/Ramones mashup. To the video, a compsition to the video, Green Prell with some California Sunshine… what was that one with the guy from Third Rock (not 30 Rock)? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-ramones-to-me-edited-title/608089/90 "2012-01-06T09:13:05Z")
Oh yeah, Lithgow. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-ramones-to-me-edited-title/608089/91 "2012-01-06T10:35:49Z")
I am sorry, I am once again conflating _Wargames_ with _The Manhattan Projext_ (Broderick/Lithgow). And perhaps a bit of Joe Huxley from _The day After_. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-ramones-to-me-edited-title/608089/92 "2012-01-06T11:03:50Z")
Turn the volume up, and listen to [I Wanna Be Sedated](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_wssByW7JQ) and [Blitzkrieg Bop](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K56soYl0U1w). Immediately likable songs, and I’m confident you agree. Now, don’t turn the volume down and listen to one of their first albums. It’s almost all similar to that. Catchy, memorable melody and action-packed guitar playing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-ramones-to-me-edited-title/608089.md?page=4)