1976 Songs: Beat on the Brat

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Welcome to March! My birthday isn’t for another month and a half, but I like to start celebrating early. There are two myLotters with birthdays today, so I’ll say happy birthday to Sandra and Amber! This isn’t exactly a happy birthday song, but it’s a great way to kick off a look back at music that’s now 50 years old. Beat on the Brat - Ramones Dale Watson described the Ramones perfectly: rockabilly with loud guitars. And yes, the Ramones’ debut album is now half a century old. Wow. Most of the Ramones’ songs weren’t really to be taken seriously. They aren’t advocating child abuse here, anymore than they were celebrating the bombing of London with the song “Blitzkrieg Bop.” (Now, “I Wanna Be Sedated” was probably true, but… ) Here we are, 50 years after the formative years of the New York new wave/punk scene, and the contrast couldn’t be sadder. All four original Ramones have died, the oldest being 65 (drummer Tommy Ramone), most from hard living. All four members of Talking Heads, however, are in their 70s and well. Maybe we should’ve beaten on the brats to get them to not use drugs. Beat on the Brat Written by Joey Ramone (credited to the Ramones) Recorded by the Ramones From Ramones, 1976 What can you do?