SSHHHHHHH, The Ramones are in the Library of Congress
The Ramones’ 1976 eponymous debut album — which brought us “Blitzkrieg Bop,” “Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue,” and “I Don’t Wanna Go Down to the Basement” — is among the 25 recordings added Thursday to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress.
The LOC says*:
“The band’s first album captured the incandescence of guitarist Johnny Ramone’s speedy no-nonsense playing, Dee Dee Ramone’s propulsive bass and the surfy sonorities of Tommy’s drums. The youthful tone of Joey Ramone’s singing voice was equally influenced by Iggy Pop and bubblegum rock. When combined with the backing vocals and lyrics portraying teen love and anxiety, it gave the album a strong pop flavor despite its heavy sound and the disturbing aspects of other songs dealing with drug use, Nazism and male prostitution.”
The 2012 list also includes:
“Begin the Beguine.” Artie Shaw & His Orchestra. (1938)
Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto, No. 1. Van Cliburn (April 11, 1958)
“The Shape of Jazz to Come.” Ornette Coleman. (1959)
“The Twist.” Chubby Checker. (1960)
“Sounds of Silence” (album). Simon and Garfunkel. (1966)
“Cheap Thrills.” Big Brother and the Holding Company. (1968)
“The Dark Side of the Moon.” Pink Floyd. (1973)
“Saturday Night Fever.” The Bee Gees, et.al. (1977)
“Einstein on the Beach.” Phillip Glass, Robert Wilson. (1979)
*NOTE: An earlier version from the LOC incorrectly said Tommy Ramone played bass and Dee Dee was on drums.
