Too Tough Too Die

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coffeepotman
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Too Tough Too Die

Post by coffeepotman »

After the excitement of the Ramones 40 anniversary boxes, Ive 'been listening to TTTD a lot lately, it really is one of my favs, if I had to choose one, which would be impossible for me. I've been thing a lot about TTTD and it's really a concept album. Dee Dee wanted to toughen up the sound back to their punk roots after the 60's try with the last 3 and I think he with some help from Joey and especially Tommy made a masterpiece.

I don't post much and never this big, you can read it if you want or just ignore it if you want, I did it more for me and I thought I'd share.

Tough to Die
1. Mama’s Boy – The protagonist immediately attacks the listener by declaring you are just a Mama’s boy
2. I’m Not Afraid of Life – The protagonist in a move of braggadocio proclaims I’m not afraid of life
3. This is followed by the 1-2 punch of Durango 95, which only prepares you for the onslaught of Wart Hog where the protagonist tells you it’s a sick nightmare world he lives in and he hates it.
4. Danger Zone – The protagonist again tells you he is all along in the danger zone
5. Chasing the Night - Finally some pop music but I prefer the live Whistle test version, it’s a declaration by the protagonist of independence and of no remorse. Lived my life as I choose, I don’t need no alibi and I’m never going to change my ways. End of side one
6. Side Two – Howling at the Moon, more pop music but I do prefer the demo. A statement of intent, there is no law and I’m gonna steal from the rich and give to the poor
7. Daytime Dilemma – the protagonist refers to his girlfriend
8. Planet Earth 1988 – no hope for the future
9. Humankind – He complains about everybody
10. Endless Vacation – more braggadocio but this time he’s falling apart, refers back to Wart Hog and his girl in Daytime Dilemma
11. He finally is ready to give up but his brain is racing
Bonus – If you have the 12inch or the CD you know there are extra songs
12. Smash You – He had it with his girlfriend
13. Street Fighting Man – Well what else can a poor boy do.
And I like to end with the demo of I’m Not an Answer – where our protagonist just says all those people, there not me, do you want to be my friend?

Marky Dread
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Re: Too Tough Too Die

Post by Marky Dread »

I love Too Tough to Die. It has that great Ramones toughness running through it and yet tons of melody. It also shows a lot of the bands influences. The cover of Street Fighting Man and the track Smash You from the TTtD sessions are killer. Daytime Dilema, Howling at the Moon and Chasing the Night are stone cold classics for me.
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coffeepotman
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Re: Too Tough Too Die

Post by coffeepotman »

Thanks Marky for the reply, didn't think anyone was going to reply and this would just fade away.

Marky Dread
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Re: Too Tough Too Die

Post by Marky Dread »

coffeepotman wrote:
07 Oct 2018, 8:47am
Thanks Marky for the reply, didn't think anyone was going to reply and this would just fade away.
Due to my busy remastering schedule I get around to everything eventually. ;)
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Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty


We're the flowers in the dustbin...
No fuchsias for you.

"Without the common people you're nothing"

Nos Sumus Una Familia

Rat Patrol
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Re: Too Tough Too Die

Post by Rat Patrol »

The last great Ramones album, for sure.

Wolter
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Re: Too Tough Too Die

Post by Wolter »

I dig it a lot. But I’m also the guy who digs late 80s Ramones too.
”INDER LOCK THE THE KISS THREAD IVE REALISED IM A PRZE IDOOT” - Thomas Jefferson

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Marky Dread
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Re: Too Tough Too Die

Post by Marky Dread »

Wolter wrote:
07 Oct 2018, 4:28pm
I dig it a lot. But I’m also the guy who digs late 80s Ramones too.
Yep me too. I don't subscribe to the idea that TTtD was the last great Ramones album as great as it is. I think Halfway to Sanity is underrated.
Image

Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty


We're the flowers in the dustbin...
No fuchsias for you.

"Without the common people you're nothing"

Nos Sumus Una Familia

Wolter
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Re: Too Tough Too Die

Post by Wolter »

Marky Dread wrote:
07 Oct 2018, 7:51pm
Wolter wrote:
07 Oct 2018, 4:28pm
I dig it a lot. But I’m also the guy who digs late 80s Ramones too.
Yep me too. I don't subscribe to the idea that TTtD was the last great Ramones album as great as it is. I think Halfway to Sanity is underrated.
Same! I love that album.
”INDER LOCK THE THE KISS THREAD IVE REALISED IM A PRZE IDOOT” - Thomas Jefferson

"But the gorilla thinks otherwise!"

AudioAmmunition
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Re: Too Tough Too Die

Post by AudioAmmunition »

I've been loving these Ramones 40th anniversary re-issues, have bought them all (download only - don't like these 'multi-media' issues where you're forced to buy a vinyl album which you won't play (unless you dig your old turntable out from the loft!)). Personally don't think the remixed version of each album adds much to the package but enjoy all the demos, unreleased tracks and live stuff,

Have a special soft spot for Road To Ruin as I saw them promoting this album at Hammersmith Odeon 2nd October 1978.

Wonder how many of these 40th Anniversary releases they will do? Next up would be End Of The Century, they could do a 'Let It Be' naked and de-Spector-ize it.

I suppose how far they go will depend on sales, I think their high water mark in sales originally would have been End Of The Century.

coffeepotman
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Re: Too Tough Too Die

Post by coffeepotman »

Halfway is a great album, Animal Boy has that weird guitar sound like car gears grinding together and Brain Drain has that horrible mix with those drums sounding like something, I'm not sure. All have really good songs on them.

I just brought up TTTD because their seemed to be a story being told throughout the album. Probably just a coincidence but if you play it along to The Sound of Music some weird things happen.

WestwayKid
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Re: Too Tough Too Die

Post by WestwayKid »

Marky Dread wrote:
07 Oct 2018, 7:51pm
Wolter wrote:
07 Oct 2018, 4:28pm
I dig it a lot. But I’m also the guy who digs late 80s Ramones too.
Yep me too. I don't subscribe to the idea that TTtD was the last great Ramones album as great as it is. I think Halfway to Sanity is underrated.
Halfway to Sanity has grown on me. It has some good moments. I like the relatively bare bones production. It's tough sounding. Some of the song writing is weak...but overall not a bad listen.
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Olaf
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Re: Too Tough Too Die

Post by Olaf »

Like that album a lot. Only Ramones album I had on vinyl.
Who pfaffed the pfaff? Who got pfaffed tonight?

Wolter
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Re: Too Tough Too Die

Post by Wolter »

Olaf wrote:
13 Oct 2018, 4:51pm
Like that album a lot. Only Ramones album I had on vinyl.
I only had Leave Home and Rocket To Russia. I found them in a thrift store one day for the grand total of $0.40 for both.
”INDER LOCK THE THE KISS THREAD IVE REALISED IM A PRZE IDOOT” - Thomas Jefferson

"But the gorilla thinks otherwise!"

Olaf
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Re: Too Tough Too Die

Post by Olaf »

Wolter wrote:
13 Oct 2018, 5:00pm
Olaf wrote:
13 Oct 2018, 4:51pm
Like that album a lot. Only Ramones album I had on vinyl.
I only had Leave Home and Rocket To Russia. I found them in a thrift store one day for the grand total of $0.40 for both.
I think I bought it when it came out, around the time I stopped buying Iron Maiden records and got more into punk.
Who pfaffed the pfaff? Who got pfaffed tonight?

Marky Dread
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Re: Too Tough Too Die

Post by Marky Dread »

Olaf wrote:
13 Oct 2018, 5:19pm
Wolter wrote:
13 Oct 2018, 5:00pm
Olaf wrote:
13 Oct 2018, 4:51pm
Like that album a lot. Only Ramones album I had on vinyl.
I only had Leave Home and Rocket To Russia. I found them in a thrift store one day for the grand total of $0.40 for both.
I think I bought it when it came out, around the time I stopped being unwell and got more into punk.
Image

Forces have been looting
My humanity
Curfews have been curbing
The end of liberty


We're the flowers in the dustbin...
No fuchsias for you.

"Without the common people you're nothing"

Nos Sumus Una Familia

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