End of the Century

In February 1977 after attending a Ramones concert in Los Angeles, music producer Phil Spector offered to assist in making Rocket to Russia. The band declined his offer, feeling as though the album would not be the same without Tommy Ramone and Tony Bongiovi producing the album.[2][3] While the band refused his initial offer, their management later asked Spector to help with the album because of their lack of popularity and sales. End of the Century would be the first album released without former drummer and producer Tommy.[4] Spector had become famous through his work with The Ronettes, The Righteous Brothers, Ike and Tina Turner, The Beatles and John Lennon, among others. With these releases, Spector defined what would become known as the "Wall of Sound", which is a dense, layered, and reverberant sound that came across well on AM radio and jukeboxes. These standards are created through instruments performing identical parts in unison, using high-quality overdubbing and echo chambers to aid in the production value.[4][5] The producer was convinced that the Ramones had talent with lyrics and musical structure, so he intended to promote the band through more advanced methods of sound output.[4]

Recording sessions for the album began on May 1, 1979 at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Gold Star Studios had become famous through its history with artists like Eddie Cochran and the Beach Boys.[2] At the Ramones' request,[6] Ed Stasium joined the band in Los Angeles, serving as 'musical director', playing additional guitar parts and singing backing vocals, but not engineering.[1] During the studio work, Spector's recording methods were different from those the Ramones were accustomed to from their four previous studio albums. The band recorded their earlier compositions in the shortest time possible for the lowest feasible budget, with a relatively low production value. With End of the Century, which took nearly six months to mix,[7] the band experienced Spector's infamous perfectionism, and a budget of $200,000 to fully record and produce the album.[8] This is significant because the band's debut album cost $6,400 total, and their second album cost $10,000.[9][10] End of the Century is the most expensive album in the Ramones' career.[11]

End of the Century was described by the band as an album written solely to gain popularity, resulting in more of a pop punk sound. Joey failed to contribute to the best of his abilities on the album and recalled: "I think that some of the worst crap I ever wrote went on the album. That was me at my worst."[20] Johnny also felt that the album was far from the band's prime:

End of the Century was just watered-down Ramones. It's not real Ramones. 'Baby, I Love You'—I didn't play on that at all. What am I gonna do—play along with an orchestra? There's no point. End of the Century was trying to get a hit on each song, instead of trying to get a hit on one or two of the songs on the album and trying to make the rest as raunchy as you can. They ain't gonna play the other ten songs, anyway.[21]

The album opens with "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?", a throwback to the rock music of the 1950s to late 1960s. The lyrics name several famous musicians of this era, including Jerry Lee Lewis, John Lennon, and T. Rex, and also cite The Ed Sullivan Show. Many instruments that were previously rarely—if ever—used in punk rock were featured in the song's score, including the saxophone and electronic organ. The lyrics, written by Joey, applied to all the band, Dee Dee explained. They depict his childhood in Germany where he would secretly listen to rock radio stations at night.[22]

Johnny's part is not heard on the next track, "I'm Affected", as reported by Johnny himself.[23] Joey admitted that he did not favor the song, recalling: "I couldn't believe how awful it sounded. It was horrible."[20] "Danny Says", the third track, was a lyrical depiction of what the band constantly went through while touring—soundchecks, autograph sessions, interviews, etc. The title "Danny Says" refers to the band's tour manager Danny Fields giving the members instructions, schedules, and demands. According to Joey, the ballad was inspired by Lou Reed, who had released the songs "Candy Says" and "Caroline Says".[8][24] Joey's brother Mickey Leigh called the song a "masterpiece" and said it "remains one of the most captivatingly beautiful songs I've ever heard."[21]

Dee Dee wrote the next song, "Chinese Rock", in 1976 (with lyrical help from Richard Hell), and Johnny Thunders later revised it. Dee Dee wrote the piece in response to Lou Reed's "Heroin", and attempted to concoct better lyrics on the same subject of drug use and heroin addiction.[25] After Johnny vetoed the song, it was recorded by Thunders's band the Heartbreakers before the Ramones, though the bands use slightly different words.[8] The lyrics deal with the daily life of a heroin addict, and the term "Chinese Rock" is a euphemism for the drug.[12] "The Return of Jackie and Judy" is a continuation to one of the band's earlier songs, "Judy is a Punk", which was released on their debut album Ramones. There were numerous studio guests involved in the album's recording, including producer/musicians, Dan Kessel and David Kessel, and California disc jockey Rodney Bingenheimer.[26]

Side B begins with "Baby, I Love You". Johnny constantly claims in his book Commando that he hated the song and the band didn't even play on it, only Joey and some studio musicians. Joey exclaimed that he "hated" the song, despite it obtaining a level of popularity in Europe.[20] The song is a cover version of the original by the Ronettes, and contained a string section arrangement that Leigh deemed "gooey" and that it "sounded right out of Redbone's 'Come and Get Your Love.'" He also confessed that the song "almost made [him] embarrassed."[21] "Rock 'n' Roll High School" originally appeared on the soundtrack to Rock 'n' Roll High School, a film directed by Allan Arkush. The movie depicts a storyline in which the Ramones are obsessed over by female high school student Riff Randell along with other pupils attending the school.[27] The album concludes with "High Risk Insurance", which is a reaction to politics of that era.[28]

End of the Century marks the final Ramones album to feature songs officially credited to Joey, Johnny and Dee Dee together.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[29]
Pitchfork	6.4/10[30]
Q	[31]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[32]
Smash Hits	7/10[33]
Uncut	[34]
The Village Voice	B+[28]

The album received generally positive reviews from critics, but not as favorable for many of the band's previous records. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, senior editor for AllMusic, noted that the Ramones desired mainstream success much more and were recording music in such a fashion as to expand their fan base.[29] Another AllMusic editor, T. Donald Guarisco, noted that the "entire album is pretty controversial in the world of Ramones fandom".[35] Although he gave the album a "B+" rating, music critic Robert Christgau nevertheless called the album "[s]ad", and described the band as "tired". He also felt that Spector's production failed to make much of a difference in the band's overall sound, saying "his guitar overdubs are worse than his orchestrations, and they're not uncute."[28]

Kurt Loder, reviewing the album for Rolling Stone, called it "Phil Spector's finest and most mature effort in years", and said that his production created a setting "rich and vibrant and surging with power". He noted that the Ramones are still "spotlighted", rather than their producer.[36] Author Richard Williams exclaimed that to "old fans the Ramones' version of 'Baby, I Love You' went too far, desecrating the memory of the original despite Joey's evident devotion to the task of emulating Ronnie's lead vocal."[37] Williams also said that "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio" and "Chinese Rock" maintained the principles of the Ramones in their earlier days.[37]

End of the Century is the Ramones' highest-peaking album on the US Billboard 200 (having reached No. 44 during a fourteen-week chart stay),[38] as well as their most successful on the UK Albums Chart and the Swedish chart Sverigetopplistan.[39][40] The album became the first—and only—Ramones' album to chart on Norway's VG-lista chart and New Zealand's Recorded Music NZ.[41][42] It was also the band's first album to chart on the Netherlands' MegaCharts, with their 1987 album Halfway to Sanity being their only other release to chart there as well.[43]

Two singles were spawned from End of the Century: "Baby, I Love You" and "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?", released respectively.[44] The first single charted on Belgium's Ultratop chart as well as reaching number 8 in the UK.[39][45] "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?" also charted in Europe, peaking and debuting at 54 on the UK Singles Chart.[39]

All tracks originally credited to the Ramones (except "Baby, I Love You"). Actual writers are listed alongside the tracks where applicable.

Notes

• Track 13: first issued on the Rock 'n' Roll High School soundtrack, May 1979. Recorded at Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles.
• Tracks 14–18: previously unissued. Recorded at Sire Studio, New York City, April 19, 1979.

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes,[52] except where noted.

Ramones

• Joey Ramone – lead vocals
• Johnny Ramone – guitar
• Dee Dee Ramone – bass, backing vocals
• Marky Ramone – drums

Additional musicians

• Ed Stasium – guitar,[53] backing vocals[1]
• Dan Kessel – guitar
• David Kessel – guitar
• Barry Goldberg – piano, organ
• Steve Douglas – saxophone
• Harvey Kubernik – percussion[54]
• Jim Keltner – drums (7)[55]
• Rodney Bingenheimer, Maria Montoya, Harvey Kubernik, Jeff Morrison, Phast Phreddie – handclaps (1, 5)
• Sean Donahue – disc jockey (1)

Technical

• Phil Spector – producer, remix (13)
• Ed Stasium – musical director,[56] producer (13–18), engineer (13)
• Larry Levine – engineer[57]
• Boris Menart – engineer[58]
• Bruce Gold – assistant engineer
• Joel Soifer – remix engineer (13)
• Phil Brown – mastering
• Mick Rock – photography
• John Gillespie – art direction
• Spencer Drate – album design

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• McNeil, Legs; McCain, Gillian (2006). Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk. Grove Press. ISBN 978-0-8021-4264-1.
• Leigh, Mickey (2009). I Slept with Joey Ramone: A Family Memoir. Touchstone Books. ISBN 978-0-7432-5216-4.
• Porter, Dick (2004). Ramones: The Complete Twisted History. Plexus Publishing. ISBN 978-0-85965-326-8.
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• Unterberger, Richie (2009). White Light/White Heat: The Velvet Underground Day by Day. Jawbone Press. ISBN 978-1-906002-22-0.
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• Bessman, Jim (1993). The Ramones: An American Band. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-09369-1.
• Ramone, Marky; Herschlag, Richard (2015). Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life As a Ramone. Atria Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1451687781.