Leave Home

Infobox Album
Name = Leave Home
Type = studio


Artist = The Ramones
Released = January 10, 1977
Genre = Punk rock
Recorded = October 1976 at Sundragon Studios, New York
Length = 30:49
Label = Sire
Producer = Tony Bongiovi, Tommy Ramone
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:ymdjyl5jxpcb link]
*Robert Christgau (A) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=ramones link]
*"Rolling Stone" [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theramones/albums/album/102778/review/5940639/leave_home link] Rhino Records expanded release:
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:knc1z85a3yv6 link]
Last album = "Ramones"
(1976)
This album = "Leave Home"
(1977)
Next album = "Rocket to Russia"
(1977)

"Leave Home" is the Ramones' second album. It features the classic Ramones songs "Pinhead" and "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment." This is the only Ramones album to go through different incarnations on its original release, due to label controversy over the song "Carbona Not Glue."

History

The band had written most of the songs appearing on their first two albums by the time they were signed to Sire (as evidenced by the song listing of the 1976 live tracks appearing on the CD rerelease). They were placed roughly in chronological order on the first two albums; as explained by Johnny Ramone: "We recorded them in the order they were written; we wanted to show a slight progression in song structure."

Many fans and critics point to the more polished pop sensibilities of the second album as evidence of the band's evolving musical skill and style. The second album was recorded at the relatively upscale Sundragon Studios in Manhattan, New York.

Craig Leon, the producer of the first album, "Ramones", had left Sire Records by fall 1976 and was replaced by Tony Bongiovi. Bongiovi had mentored drummer Tommy Ramone while the two were working together at the Record Plant producing Jimi Hendrix's "Band of Gypsys" album. Tommy also assisted with production on the album, a role he would repeat for many later albums.

Carbona controversy

The original release included "Carbona Not Glue" as the fifth track on the album. However, the song was deleted from the album after Tony Morris, Managing Director of Phonogram UK, Sire's British distributor, complained. The song "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue" on the band's debut album had caused controversy with the Home Office, and Morris wanted the new pro-substance abuse song removed. The album was re-released with the single B-side "Babysitter" in its place. [Gimarc, George (1994). "Punk Diary: 1970-1979." New York: St.Martin's Press. 53.] Additionally, Carbona was a trademarked brand of cleaning fluid, so the song's removal may have pre-empted possible trademark infringement lawsuits.

When Sire Records suddenly switched distributors from ABC Records to Warner Bros. Records, yet another version of the album was released, with "Babysitter" being replaced by "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker", then a non-LP single already planned to be on the next Ramones album in a different mix.

Rhino expanded rerelease

Rhino Records re-released the album in a remastered format on June 19, 2001. The bonus tracks on this release are live tracks that encompass a full concert. They were recorded live at their first show at The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles, California on August 12, 1976).

This release included both "Carbona Not Glue" and one of its replacements, "Babysitter." The former was put back in its original place in the track sequence, and the latter was included at the end of the album, before the live bonus tracks. While the single mix of "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" was not included, it can be found on multiple Ramones compilations, including the anthologies "Ramones Mania" and "".

ongs

"Carbona Not Glue" is a follow-up to the song "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue" appearing on their first album. The band sarcastically suggested that the high obtained from sniffing Carbona cleaning solvent was more pleasurable than that of airplane glue. In the hardcover book included in some versions of "Hey! Ho! Let's Go: The Anthology", Tommy Ramone says, "Something like "Carbona Not Glue" has to be tongue-in-cheek. It's absurd, like saying that you should try something "more" poisonous."

The Beastie Boys sampled the song "Suzy Is a Headbanger" on their 1989 album "Paul's Boutique". The sample is found at 3:45 into the song "High Plains Drifter."

New York Radio station WNEW refused to play the song "Glad to See You Go" due to its off-the-cuff reference to Charles Manson. The song was actually written by Dee Dee about his volatile ex-girlfriend, Connie.

"Pinhead" was inspired after the band attended a screening of the 1932 film "Freaks" when a show in Ohio was canceled. The song became, along with "Blitzkrieg Bop", something of an anthem for the band, as the chorus of "Gabba gabba hey," based on the line from the film "gooble gobble, gooble gobble, one of us, one of us" (uttered in the song as "gabba gabba/we accept you/we accept you/one of us") became a rallying cry for the band. At many shows a roadie in a pinhead costume would take to the stage during a performance of the song, carrying a large sign with the phrase written across it.

"California Sun" is a cover song originally recorded by The Rivieras in 1964 and also covered by The Dictators.

Track listing

All songs written by the Ramones except where noted.

# "Glad to See You Go" (lyrics by Dee Dee Ramone, music by Joey Ramone) – 2:10
# "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment" (Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone) – 1:38
# "I Remember You" (Joey Ramone) – 2:15
# "Oh Oh I Love Her So" (Joey Ramone) – 2:03
# "Carbona Not Glue" – 1:56
# "Suzy Is a Headbanger" – 2:08
# "Pinhead" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 2:42
# "Now I Wanna Be a Good Boy" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 2:10
# "Swallow My Pride" (Joey Ramone) – 2:03
# "What's Your Game" (Joey Ramone) – 2:33
# "California Sun" (Henry Glover, Morris Levy) – 1:58
# "Commando" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 1:51
# "You're Gonna Kill That Girl" (Joey Ramone) – 2:36
# "You Should Never Have Opened That Door" (Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone) – 1:54

Rhino bonus tracks

All songs are live tracks except for "Babysitter".

#

"Babysitter" (Joey Ramone) – 2:44
# "Loudmouth" (Ramones) – 2:08
# "Beat on the Brat" (Joey Ramone) – 2:36
# "Blitzkrieg Bop" (Tommy Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone) – 2:13
# "I Remember You" (Joey Ramone) – 2:17
# "Glad to See You Go" (lyrics by Dee Dee Ramone, music by Joey Ramone) – 2:03
# "Chain Saw" (Joey Ramone) – 1:51
# "53rd & 3rd" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 2:27
# "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" (Tommy Ramone) – 2:22
# "Havana Affair" (Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone) – 1:53
# "Listen to My Heart" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 1:47
# "California Sun" (Henry Glover / Morris Levy) – 1:58
# "Judy Is a Punk" (Joey Ramone) – 1:23
# "I Don’t Wanna Walk Around With You" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 1:31
# "Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 2:52
# "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 1:28
# "Let’s Dance" (Jim Lee) – 2:06

Personnel

Ramones

*Joey Ramone – lead vocals
*Johnny Ramone – guitar
*Dee Dee Ramone – bass, backing vocals
*Tommy Ramone – drums, producer

Additional personnel

*Tony Bongiovi – producer
*Ed Stasium – engineer
*Greg Calbi – mastering
*Moshe Brakha – photography
*Arturo Vega – artwork

References