Che senso ha per I Ramones fare un altro disco nel 1995, mentre tutti parlano nuovamente di punk e parecchi ragazzini sono disposti a giurare che il genere l'hanno inventato i Green Day? I tempi delle foto sul retro del CBGB's sono passati da un ventennio e i loro tre accordi suonati a velocità iperbolica per quell'epoca ormai non bastano più. Per giunta aver perso per strada Dee Dee, troppo affezionato a storie di droga sulla 53rd & 3rd, è stata una mazzata troppo forte per il marchio Ramone e le vendite latitano.

Gli album della seconda metà degli anni ottanta nonostante la sontuosa produzione, che poco va d'accordo con il loro stile spartano, hanno dimostrato una paurosa mancanza di materiale di una certa consistenza e non basta l'hit "Pet Semetary" trainato dal film di Stephen King per ritrovare l'ispirazione. Insomma c'è aria di smobilitazione in questo disco ironico fin dal titolo e dalla copertina, con quei dinosauri che testimoniano la commovente coerenza di ripercorrere le orme di un passato straordinario che oggi li vede avviati verso l'estinzione. Allora c'è bisogno anche della scrittura del vecchio Dee Dee per far capire quanto sia importante una testimonianza di questi sopravvissuti della preistoria in un momento in cui i giovani gruppi, grazie a MTV, sono capaci di arrivare ai primi posti delle classifiche vendendo il punk anche ai ricchi yuppies che nel '77 non erano nemmeno nati.

Non a caso il miglior momento del disco è la cover di un pezzo di Tom Waits "I Dont't Want to Grow Up", che anche un po' il manifesto della loro carriera: io non voglio crescere. Quindi la solita sequenza di brani tra i due e i tre minuti che ricordano le vecchie storie dei migliori anni della loro vita come l'altra bella cover, "I Love You", di un altro splendido perdente dell'estinta fauna newyorkese: Jonnhy Thunders (R.I.P.). Del resto la formula del gabba gabba hey è sempre quella: ritmo mozzafiato e melodia facile.

In questo disco i fratellini ci riescono molto meglio delle ultime prove, sembrano voler dire ai vari Offspring, Green Day, Rancid: siamo i Ramones, imparate.

Elenco tracce testi e video

01   I Don't Want to Grow Up (02:46)

When I'm lying in my bed at night
I don't wanna grow up
Nothing ever seems to turn out right
I don't wanna grow up

How do you move in a world of fog that's
Always changing things
Makes wish that I could be a dog

When I see the price that you pay
I don't wanna grow up
I don't ever want to be that way
I don't wanna grow up

Seems that folks turn into things
That they never want
The only thing to live for is today...

I'm gonna put a hole in my T.V. set
I don't wanna grow up
Open up the medicine chest
I don't wanna grow up

I don't wanna have to shout it out
I don't want my hair to fall out
I don't wanna be filled with doubt
I don't wanna be a good boy scout
I don't wanna have to learn to count
I don't wanna have the biggest amount
I don't wanna grow up

Well when I see my parents fight
I don't wanna grow up
They all go out and drinkin' all night
I don't wanna grow up

I'd rather stay here in my room
Nothin' out there but sad and gloom
I don't wanna live in a big old tomb on grand street

When I see the 5 o'clock news
I don't wanna grow up
Comb their hair and shine their shoes
I don't wanna grow up

02   Makin' Monsters for My Friends (02:35)

Everybody said so man you could see it on T.V.
They stood there ashamed with nowhere to go
Nobody wants them now the kids are alright
Every day is a holiday and pushin' people around

I'm making monsters for my friends
I'm making monsters for my friends

Someone caught one I could see so myself
I had to call 254 so they wouldn't blame me
We wanted to know how much trouble there was
When we asked our daddy he said it's just because

I'm making monsters for my friends
I'm making monsters for my friends

I don't wanna open a can of worms and I don't want any Spagetti-O's
And I could always tell when someone is holding a grudge

I'm making monsters for my friends
I'm making monsters for my friends
I'm making monsters for my friends
I'm making monsters for my friends

03   It's Not for Me to Know (02:51)

04   The Crusher (02:27)

Now I wanna wrestle in the garden
I'm on my way to stardom
I know I'm ready I know I'm great
But first I have to get in shape

Cause I've got my eyes on the Russian Bear
Gonna tear him up I swear
This guy thinks he's the champion
Gonna take his belt and beat him!

I'm the crusher king of the ring
I'm the crusher king of the ring
I'm the crusher king of the ring
I'm the crusher king of the ring

I'm ready for a match with the Russian Bear
Gonna pile drive him pull his hair
I might have a foreign object in my trunks
I might have to use on that punk

Got the hardest hold you can put on anyone
If you're my victim you're beaten
I'm a lean mean fighting machine
Powerful and strong like King Kong

I'm the crusher king of the ring
I'm the crusher king of the ring
I'm the crusher king of the ring
I'm the crusher king of the ring

Started having second thought I was scared as hell
The last thing I wanted was to hear them ring the bell
I mean the Russian Bear could probably
tear me limb from limb
He'd probably grin be real happy with himself
This is not good for my health
I'm not coming out of the dressing room
And get beaten up by that goon

Go back to Russia go back home!
Don't wanna get a broken bone
Or a lump on my head
Ain't gonna hide under the bed

I'm the crusher king of the ring
I'm the crusher king of the ring
I'm the crusher king of the ring
I'm the crusher king of the ring
I'm the crusher (crusher)

I'm the Crusher

05   Life's a Gas (03:34)

Life's a gas, Life's a gas, Life's a gas, a gas, oh yea
Life's a gas, Life's a gas, Life's a gas, a gas, oh yea

So don't be sad cause I'll be there
Don't be sad at all

Life's a gas, Life's a gas, Life's a gas, a gas, a gas, oh yea
Life's a gas, Life's a gas, Life's a gas, a gas, a gas, oh yea

So don't be sad cause I'll be there
Don't be sad at all

Life's a gas, Life's a gas, Life's a gas, a gas, oh yea
Life's a gas, Life's a gas, Life's a gas, a gas, oh yea

So don't be sad cause I'll be there
Don't be sad at all

06   Take the Pain Away (02:42)

07   I Love You (02:21)

08   Cretin Family (02:09)

09   Have a Nice Day (01:39)

I heard it from the gangster I heard it from the priest
I heard it from my best friend Way down in the middle east

Have a nice day. That's all I hear every day
Have a nice day. I don't believe a word you say

I heard from the landlord When he kicked me out
I heard it from the spirits As they possessed my house

Have a nice day. That's all I hear every day
Have a nice day. I don't believe a word you say

When they look me in the eye I turn the other way
It's just a trained reaction something they gotta say... yeah

I heard it from New Zealand I heard it at the club
I heard it from my doctor Before he pulled the plug

Have a nice day. That's all I hear every day
Have a nice day. I don't believe a word you say
Have a nice day. That's all I hear every day
Have a nice day. I don't believe a word you say

10   Scattergun (02:30)

Smooth bore, scattergun, you are the only one To cover me
When I sleep, cover me in my dreams carry a smooth bore
Scattergun, steal from me there'll be no time to run I got
The bead on you, she fires true Take what you want and I'll
Do what I have to do Smooth bore, scattergun, scattergun, scattergun

Triple-O bucks the only shot for me Cut any man right off at the knees
Don't need to bother the police, I've got my Mossberg 590

Smooth bore, scattergun, you are the only one To cover me when


I sleep, cover me in my dreams carry a smooth bore Scattergun,
steal from me there'll be no time to run I got the bead on you,
She fires true Take what you want and I'll do what I have to do
Smooth bore, scattergun, scattergun, scattergun

Smooth bore, scattergun, you are the only one
To cover me when I sleep, cover me in my dreams carry
A smooth bore Scattergun, scattergun, scattergun

11   Got a Lot to Say (01:41)

12   She Talks to Rainbows (03:14)

13   Born to Die in Berlin (03:32)

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