Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba,
I wanna be cremated

Ramones: "I'd just like to say, this gig sucks! Hey, up yours Springfield! 1-2-3-4! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday Burnsie, happy birthday to you! Go to hell you old bastard!"

Mr. Burns: "Have the Rolling Stones killed."

Smithers: "But sir, that's not the..."

Mr. Burns: "Do as I say!"

Isn't it ironic that the day before Johnny Ramone died, there was a news article about MC Hammer returning to music?

I'm not nearly old enough to have been able to attend Ramones shows, but they've influenced pretty much every band I love today. Even if you hate the Ramones - and many people do - you still can't deny that they changed rock n' roll almost single-handedly. Downstrokes were their specialty, and that style is still alive today. Even Bruce Springsteen was a fan of the Ramones. He wrote the song "Hungry Heart" for them, but ended up using it himself instead.

In the end, the Ramones have become the essence of the rock cliche: live fast and die young. Along with guitarist Johnny Ramone's death from prostate cancer yesterday, Bassist Dee Dee Ramone died of a drug overdose in 2002, and lead singer Joey Ramone died of lymphatic cancer in 2001. Ironically, the only member of the band remaining is Tommy Ramone, the drummer. Two previous drummers for the band, Richie and Marky Ramone, are also alive. I guess the Ramones are the official anti-Spinal Tap.

They'd probably prefer that.

Anyway, in honor of the true end to the Ramones, here's a selection of four mp3's you can download. Enjoy.

-I Wanna Be Sedated
-Blitzkrieg Bop
-Beat on the Brat
-Sheena is a Punk Rocker

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