The Ramones: Heard Them Here First

by N/A

Overview

Following a series of compilations called You Heard It Here First!, which collected original versions of songs made more famous when covered, Ace Records got artist-specific with the series, issuing compilations of songs either covered by or deeply influential to Elvis, the Fall, and now, the Ramones. The Ramones never shied away from a good cover tune, and their tastes were generally confined to '60s radio pop, girl group, surf, and a touch of psychedelic garage rock. They even went so far as to record an entire album of covers with 1993's lighthearted Acid Eaters, a set of covers that leaned heavily on masters of psychedelic garage like Love, the Seeds, and the Troggs as well as early-'60s surf classics from the Beach Boys and Jan & Dean. The Ramones: Heard Them Here First is an easy mark, collecting the original versions later recorded by a band whose members wore their influences proudly on their sleeves and were drawn more to genre-defining classics than obscure rarities. The collection is thorough, moving in chronological order from Chris Montez's "Let's Dance" (covered on the Ramones' 1976 debut album) through to Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" and the Stooges' "1969" as covered by Joey Ramone on his posthumous 2002 album, Don't Worry About Me. Ace did their homework, too, because not even a cover of 1910 Fruitgum Company's goofy bubblegum hit "Indian Giver" from a late-'80s 12" B-side was lost in the shuffle. The only covers that aren't from the golden age of late-'50s and 1960s teen pop and surf are Motoerhead's tribute to the band "R.A.M.O.N.E.S." and Tom Waits' wistful Peter Pan tale "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" from his 1992 masterpiece, Bone Machine. There's nothing revelatory about the collection, but these classic tracks make sense together as much as they did when covered in a sped-up punked-out fashion by the Ramones, who were a classic band in their own right. ~ Fred Thomas

Product Details

Release Date:	09/04/2012
Label:	Ace
UPC:	0029667050722
Rank:	96239

Tracks

1. Let's Dance  - Jim Lee  - Chris Montez
2. California Sun  - Bill Dobslaw  - Henry Glover  - Morris Levy  -  Rivieras
3. Surfin' Bird  - Al Frazier  - George Garrett  - John Harris  -  Trashmen  - Carl White  - Turner Wilson
4. Do You Wanna Dance  -  Beach Boys  - Bobby Freeman  - Brian Wilson
5. Needles and Pins  - Sonny Bono  - Tony Hatch  - Jack Nitzsche  -  Searchers
6. Come on, Let's Go  - Bob Keane  - Ritchie Valens
7. Baby I Love You  - Jeff Barry  - Ellie Greenwich  - Jack Nitzsche  -  Ronettes  - Phil Spector
8. I Got You Babe  - Sonny Bono  -  Sonny & Cher
9. Little Bit O' Soul  - John Carter  - Elliot Chiprut  - Jerry Kasenetz  - Jeff Katz  - Ken Lewis  -  Music Explosion
10. Time Has Come Today  -  Chambers Brothers  - Joe Chambers  - Willie Chambers  - Dave Rubinson
11. Indian Giver  -  1910 Fruitgum Company  - Bobby Bloom  - Ritchie Cordell  - Bo Gentry
12. Surf City  - Jan Berry  -  Jan & Dean  - Brian Wilson
13. I Can't Control Myself  - Larry Page  - Reg Presley  -  Troggs
14. My Back Pages  -  Byrds  - Bob Dylan  - Gary Usher
15. Surfin' Safari  -  Beach Boys  - Mike Love  - Brian Wilson  - Murry Wilson
16. Can't Seem to Make You Mine  - Sky Saxon  -  Seeds  - Marcus Tybalt
17. Shape of Things to Come  - Mike Curb  -  Frost  - Barry Mann  - Cynthia Weil
18. Journey to the Center of the Mind  -  Amboy Dukes  - Steve Farmer  - Ted Nugent  - Bob Shad
19. Somebody to Love  - Rick Jarrard  -  Jefferson Airplane  - Darby Slick
20. 7 and 7 Is  - Jac Holzman  - Arthur Lee  -  Love
21. I Don't Wanna Grow Up  - Kathleen Brennan  - Tom Waits
22. R.A.M.O.N.E.S.  - Michael Burston  - Phil Campbell  - Lemmy Kilmister  -  Motorhead  - Peter Soley  - Philip Taylor
23. 1969  - David Alexander  - Ron Asheton  - Scott Asheton  - John Cale  - Iggy Pop  -  Stooges
24. What a Wonderful World  - Louis Armstrong  - Tommy Goodman  - Bob Thiele  - George David Weiss

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jan & Dean   Primary Artist
Chris Montez   Primary Artist
Max Frost & the Troopers   Primary Artist
The Searchers   Primary Artist
The Trashmen   Primary Artist
The Beach Boys   Primary Artist
Sonny & Cher   Primary Artist
The Amboy Dukes   Primary Artist
Louis Armstrong   Primary Artist
Ritchie Valens   Primary Artist
Love   Primary Artist
Music Explosion   Primary Artist
The Ronettes   Primary Artist
The Seeds   Primary Artist
Motoerhead   Primary Artist
1910 Fruitgum Company   Primary Artist
The Rivieras   Primary Artist
The Stooges   Primary Artist
The Troggs   Primary Artist
Tom Waits   Primary Artist
The Byrds   Primary Artist
The Chambers Brothers   Primary Artist
Jefferson Airplane   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Ellie Greenwich   Composer
Carl White   Composer
Ritchie Cordell   Composer,Producer
Gary Usher   Producer
Jeff Katz   Producer
Lemmy Kilmister   Composer
John Carter   Composer
John Cale   Producer
Steve Farmer   Composer
Bobby Bloom   Composer,Producer
Jac Holzman   Producer
Barry Mann   Composer
Turner Wilson   Composer
Jan Berry   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Jeff Barry   Composer
Scott Asheton   Composer
Mike Curb   Producer
Iggy Pop   Composer
Arthur Lee   Composer
Murry Wilson   Producer
Henry Glover   Composer
Marcus Tybalt   Producer
Willie Chambers   Composer
Dave Rubinson   Producer
Joe Chambers   Composer
Ken Lewis   Composer
John Harris   Composer
Jerry Kasenetz   Producer
Colm O'Brien   Memorabilia
Tony Hatch   Producer
Sonny Bono   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Tommy Goodman   Direction
Harvey Williams   Illustrations
George Garrett   Producer
Phil Campbell   Composer
Danny Fields   Cover Photo
Ian Johnston   Liner Notes
Philip Taylor   Composer
Bill Dobslaw   Producer
David Alexander   Composer
Peter Soley   Producer
Ritchie Valens   Composer
Roger Armstrong   Illustrations
Kathleen Brennan   Composer,Associate Producer
Jim Lee   Composer,Producer
Rick Jarrard   Producer
Michael Burston   Composer
Reg Presley   Composer
Mike Love   Composer
Duncan Cowell   Mastering
Darby Slick   Composer
Morris Levy   Composer
Al Frazier   Composer
Alec Palao   Illustrations
Tom Waits   Composer,Producer
Brian Wilson   Composer,Producer
George David Weiss   Composer
Phil Spector   Composer,Producer
Sky Saxon   Composer
Ted Nugent   Composer
Bo Gentry   Composer,Producer
Bob Keane   Producer
Ron Asheton   Composer
Bob Shad   Producer
Bobby Freeman   Composer
Bob Dylan   Composer
Mick Patrick   Illustrations
Bob Thiele   Composer,Producer
Jack Nitzsche   Arranger,Composer
Larry Page   Producer
Elliot Chiprut   Producer
Cynthia Weil   Composer