Road to Ruin (Ramones album)

Road to Ruin
Studio album by Ramones
Released	September 22, 1978
Recorded	May – June 1978 at Media Sound, New York
Genre	Punk rock
Length	31:02 (original) 51:53 (Expanded Edition)
Label	Sire
Producer	Tommy Erdelyi, Ed Stasium
Ramones chronology
Rocket to Russia (1977) Road to Ruin (1978) End of the Century (1980)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Robert Christgau	(A)
Rolling Stone	(favorable)
Allmusic (Rhino Records expanded release)
This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.

Road to Ruin is the fourth studio album by the American punk rock band The Ramones. It was released on September 22, 1978 through Sire Records. It was the first Ramones album to feature new drummer Marky Ramone, replacing founding member Tommy Ramone.

Album information

Road to Ruin shows a more "classic" pop sound as well as a shift to a more serious personality to the music, a theme that would remain in later albums, most notably the band's fifth album End of the Century (1980). The influence of 1960s girl groups is evident, as well as the influence of The Byrds on tracks including "Don't Come Close" and the cover of "Needles and Pins," originally by Jackie DeShannon and later a hit for The Searchers.

The album also contains the track "I Wanna Be Sedated", one of the band's most famous songs.

Road to Ruin was the Ramones' first album with Marky Ramone on drums, after original drummer Tommy Ramone left due to fatigue from touring. However, Tommy (credited as his birth name, Tommy Erdelyi) stayed to produce Road to Ruin, as well as a brief comeback for 1984's Too Tough to Die.

The album was remastered and released by Rhino Records on June 19, 2001. It also featured bonus tracks, which included alternate versions and demos. Two of the bonus tracks, "Rock 'n' Roll High School (Ed Stasium version)" and "Blitzkrieg Bop/Teenage Lobotomy/California Sun/Pinhead/She’s the One (Live)," are from the soundtrack for Rock 'n' Roll High School.

American hardcore punk band Bad Brains took their name from the album song "Bad Brain".

"I'm Against It" was covered by American heavy metal band Overkill on their album Coverkill.

The original US version of the album was pressed on traditional black vinyl, while the original UK version was pressed on transparent yellow vinyl.

The album was repressed on coloured vinyl in 2008.

The album cover design was done by Punk Magazine artist, John Holmstrom.

Track listing

All songs written by the Ramones except where noted.

1. "I Just Want to Have Something to Do" – 2:42
2. "I Wanted Everything" – 3:18
3. "Don't Come Close" – 2:44
4. "I Don't Want You" – 2:26
5. "Needles & Pins" (Sonny Bono, Jack Nitzsche) – 2:21
6. "I'm Against It" – 2:07
7. "I Wanna Be Sedated" – 2:29
8. "Go Mental" – 2:42
9. "Questioningly" – 3:22
10. "She's the One" – 2:13
11. "Bad Brain" – 2:25
12. "It's a Long Way Back" – 2:20

2001 Expanded Edition CD (Warner Archives/Rhino) bonus tracks

13. "I Want You Around" (Ed Stasium version) – 3:02
14. "Rock 'n' Roll High School" (Ed Stasium version) – 2:20
    • Tracks 13-14 first issued on Hey Ho! Let's Go: The Anthology, Rhino #75817 (7/20/99)
15. "Blitzkrieg Bop/Teenage Lobotomy/California Sun/Pinhead/She's The One" (Live) – 11:00
    • From the original soundtrack album Rock 'n' Roll High School, Sire #6070 (4/79). Produced & Engineered by Ed Stasium. Remix Engineer: Joel Soifer
16. "Come Back, She Cried A.K.A. I Walk Out" (Demo) – 2:21
    • Previously unreleased. Outtake from Road To Ruin sessions.
17. "Yea, Yea" (Demo) – 2:08
    • First issued on All the Stuff (And More!) Volume 2, Sire #26618 (7/91). Produced by Tommy Erdelyi, written by Joey Ramone. Recorded during demo sessions for Pleasant Dreams.

Personnel

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