Too Tough to Die
Encyclopedia
Too Tough to Die is the eighth studio album by the American punk rock
band The Ramones
. It was released on October 1,1984. It is the first Ramones album to feature new drummer Richie Ramone
. It is regarded as a particular triumph for Dee Dee Ramone
, who wrote or co-wrote nine of the album's 13 tracks.
The album cover is a cultural reference to the movie A Clockwork Orange
; the band backlit at the mouth of a tunnel echoes the scene in the film where Alex and his droogs attack a derelict. The song title "Durango 95" is also the name of the car driven by Alex in A Clockwork Orange.
The album includes the two Ramones songs "Wart Hog" and "Endless Vacation" sung by Dee Dee Ramone
. The lyrics to "Wart Hog" were not allowed to be shown because the record company felt they were too offensive. This was the last critically acclaimed album by the Ramones, which ended their string of universally acclaimed albums that had started in 1976.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band The Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
. It was released on October 1,1984. It is the first Ramones album to feature new drummer Richie Ramone
Richie Ramone
Richie Ramone is an American drummer best known for being the drummer for the iconic punk band the Ramones and the only Ramones drummer to be the sole composer and writer of Ramones songs.-Biography:...
. It is regarded as a particular triumph for Dee Dee Ramone
Dee Dee Ramone
Dee Dee Ramone was an American songwriter and musician, best known as founding member, bassist and main songwriter of the punk rock band the Ramones....
, who wrote or co-wrote nine of the album's 13 tracks.
The album cover is a cultural reference to the movie A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange (film)
A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 film adaptation of Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel of the same name. It was written, directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick...
; the band backlit at the mouth of a tunnel echoes the scene in the film where Alex and his droogs attack a derelict. The song title "Durango 95" is also the name of the car driven by Alex in A Clockwork Orange.
The album includes the two Ramones songs "Wart Hog" and "Endless Vacation" sung by Dee Dee Ramone
Dee Dee Ramone
Dee Dee Ramone was an American songwriter and musician, best known as founding member, bassist and main songwriter of the punk rock band the Ramones....
. The lyrics to "Wart Hog" were not allowed to be shown because the record company felt they were too offensive. This was the last critically acclaimed album by the Ramones, which ended their string of universally acclaimed albums that had started in 1976.
Track listing
- "Mama's Boy" (Johnny Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone, Tommy Ramone) – 2:09
- "I'm Not Afraid of Life" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 3:12
- "Too Tough to Die" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 2:35
- "Durango 95" (Johnny RamoneJohnny RamoneJohn William Cummings , better known by his stage name Johnny Ramone, was an American guitarist and songwriter, best known for being the guitarist for the punk rock band the Ramones. He was a founding member of the band, and remained a member throughout the band's entire career...
) – 0:55 - "Wart Hog" (Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone) – 1:54
- "Danger Zone" (Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone) – 2:03
- "Chasing the Night" (Busta Cherry Jones, Joey RamoneJoey RamoneJoey Ramone was an American vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist in the punk rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon.-Early life:Joey Ramone was born Jeffry Hyman to parents Noel and Charlotte Hyman...
, Dee Dee Ramone) – 4:25 - "Howling at the Moon (Sha-La-La)" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 4:06
- "Daytime Dilemma (Dangers of Love)" (Joey Ramone, Daniel ReyDaniel ReyDaniel Rey is an American musician, music producer and songwriter from New York City best known for his work with the Ramones....
) – 4:31 - "Planet Earth 1988" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 2:54
- "Humankind" (Richie RamoneRichie RamoneRichie Ramone is an American drummer best known for being the drummer for the iconic punk band the Ramones and the only Ramones drummer to be the sole composer and writer of Ramones songs.-Biography:...
) – 2:41 - "Endless Vacation" (Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone) – 1:45
- "No Go" (Joey Ramone) – 3:03
2002 Expanded Edition CD (Warner Archives/Rhino) bonus tracks
- "Street Fighting ManStreet Fighting Man"Street Fighting Man" is a song by English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones featured on their 1968 album Beggars Banquet. Called the band's "most political song", Rolling Stone ranked the song #295 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.-Inspiration:Originally titled and recorded...
" (Mick JaggerMick JaggerSir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
) – 2:56 - "Smash You" (Richie RamoneRichie RamoneRichie Ramone is an American drummer best known for being the drummer for the iconic punk band the Ramones and the only Ramones drummer to be the sole composer and writer of Ramones songs.-Biography:...
) – 2:23 - "Howling at the Moon (Sha-La-La)" (Demo Version) (Dee Dee Ramone) – 3:17
- "Planet Earth 1988" (Dee Dee vocal version) (Dee Dee Ramone) – 3:02
- "Daytime Dilemma (Dangers of Love)" (Demo Version) (Joey Ramone, Daniel Rey) – 4:06
- "Endless Vacation" (Demo Version) (Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone) – 1:46
- "Danger Zone" (Dee Dee vocal version) (Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone) – 2:07
- "Out of Here" (Ramones) – 4:10
- "Mama's Boy" (Demo Version) (Johnny Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone, Tommy Ramone) – 2:15
- "I'm Not an Answer" (Ramones) – 2:16
- "Too Tough to Die" (Dee Dee vocal version) (Dee Dee Ramone) – 2:35
- "No Go" (Demo Version) (Joey Ramone) – 3:05
Personnel
- Joey RamoneJoey RamoneJoey Ramone was an American vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist in the punk rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon.-Early life:Joey Ramone was born Jeffry Hyman to parents Noel and Charlotte Hyman...
– lead vocals - Johnny RamoneJohnny RamoneJohn William Cummings , better known by his stage name Johnny Ramone, was an American guitarist and songwriter, best known for being the guitarist for the punk rock band the Ramones. He was a founding member of the band, and remained a member throughout the band's entire career...
– guitar - Dee Dee RamoneDee Dee RamoneDee Dee Ramone was an American songwriter and musician, best known as founding member, bassist and main songwriter of the punk rock band the Ramones....
– bass, backing vocals - Richie RamoneRichie RamoneRichie Ramone is an American drummer best known for being the drummer for the iconic punk band the Ramones and the only Ramones drummer to be the sole composer and writer of Ramones songs.-Biography:...
– drums, backing vocals
Production
- Tommy RamoneTommy RamoneTommy Ramone, also known as Thomas Erdelyi , is a Hungarian American record producer and musician...
– producer - Ed StasiumEd StasiumEd Stasium is an American record producer and engineer who has worked on albums by The Ramones, Talking Heads, The Smithereens and Living Colour.- History :Stasium first surfaced in 1970 fronting the band Brandywine, appearing on their sole LP Aged....
– producer - Dave StewartDavid A. StewartDavid Allan Stewart , often known as Dave Stewart, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Eurythmics. He is usually credited as David A. Stewart, to avoid confusion with other musicians named "Dave Stewart".-Early life:Stewart was born in Sunderland,...
– associate producer - Tony Wright – cover design
- George DuBose – photography