Throughout their time, the Ramones, were quite the prolific songwriters. In only a few short years, the band managed to write so many songs. Having four people in the band that had something to say be it musically or lyrical was quite profound.

By the time the Ramones hit their fourth album, they were tour de force. Their impact left an undeniable mark and impression on the kids and more. Their album Road To Ruin, was released in September of 1978. While it has gone on to become a fan favorite, and my favorite Ramones album, this record didn’t quite sell well. This was also the first album without Tommy Ramone, who was replaced by Marky Ramone. You can hear the difference in playing style between Tommy and Marky.

The first song on Road To Ruin is my all time favorite Ramones song, “I Just Want To Have Something To Do.” The song kicks off a truly great album. The mid tempo vibe the song has gives it a very different approach than being super fast. “I Just Want To Have Something To Do” is one of those songs that hits just right. There’s a frustration in the lyrics and Joey Ramone’s vocals deliver it with precision. There’s way the song is slower allows the listener to truly hear the subtle nuances that Johnny, Dee Dee and Marky play with. Johnny especially on guitar. His signature downstroke style of play shines through on this song in a great way.

Ramones are legendary for all the right reasons. Their album catalog is astoundingly good and full of great songs that have gone overlooked. Road To Ruin is a great example of a band experimenting with different styles all the while keeping their roots.

Now you have something to do by listening to “I Just Want To Have Something To Do.”

Ramones- I Just Want To Have Something To Do: