I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement by Ramones

Album: The Ramones (1976)

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Songfacts®:

Early on, the Ramones had a lot of songs that simply stated something they did or didn't want to do:

"I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend"

"Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue"

"I Wanna Be Sedated"

This song, written by guitarist Johnny Ramone and bass player Dee Dee Ramone, is about how they don't want to go down to the basement, since there's something down there.
This song was part of the band's unique live show for about a year before they recorded it for their first album. At clubs like CBGB, the Ramones would play loud and fast, going from one song to the next with a count-in but no other break. The songs were about two-minutes long (this one is a hearty 2:35), so they would pound through a set in about 30 minutes.

And if you think the words are hard to understand on the studio recording, imagine what Joey Ramone sounded like in a club setting, where he made even less effort to enunciate. On this song in particular, his vocals were comically mushy.
According to the Obsever Music Monthly, the Sex Pistols' Sid Vicious learnt to play the bass by listening to the Ramones' self-titled debut album and in particular this song. He applied this tune's bump and grind pattern to nearly every Pistols number that he played on.

Comments: 6

Alfie from FloridaThis song has Deedee Ramone written all over it, I'm surprised it wasn't his.
Wire Moonshot from WiremoonshotAre u guys mentally deficient? Lmao this song is about turning down the advances of the older gay men that cruised the area around CBGB’s. Where young boypunx gather chickenhawx will descend. As it was so shall it ever be. Because duh. Anyway, no bigotry intended. U do u. Just tellin it like it is.
Luna Loud from Royal Woods, MichiganThomas The Tank Engine, what are you smoking, dude?
Thomas The Tank Engine from DunedinLittle know fact: this song was the inspiration for Celine Dion’s famous ballad “My heart will go on”
Bernie from Springfield, Pa"This song, written by lead singer Joey Ramone and bass player Dee Dee Ramone, is about how they don't want to go down to the basement, since there's something down there." LOL...
Zero from Nowhere, NjThis shows the Ramones' love for B-Horror movies.

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