Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979)

As a huge Ramones fan, I was saddened to hear of the death of Tommy Ramone last week. Tommy was the original drummer for the group (well, Joey was the original drummer, but couldn’t keep up with the fast beat and sing at the same time, so they put Tommy, the band’s manager at the time, on the stool). Isn’t it weird how all the original Ramones died at fairly young ages from cancer (except Dee Dee, who died unsurprisingly of a heroin overdose). So let’s pay tribute to Tommy by listening to some songs from a movie he wasn’t even in, since he had left the band by 1979 with Marky taking over. Rock ‘n’ Roll High School is not a good movie by any stretch of the imagination, but the presence of the Ramones at least ensures that it wasn’t completely forgotten. I’d like to think that the guys are playing a reunion concert at the CBGBs in heaven right now, but that’s ridiculous.

“Do You Wanna Dance?”

“I Want You Around”

(a.k.a., the song where P.J. Soles fantasizes about The Ramones pulling a train on her)

“I Just Want to Have Something to Do”

” Blitzkrieg Bop; Teenage Lobotomy; California Sun; Pinhead and She’s The One”

The big concert scene!

“Rock ‘n’ Roll High School”

And let’s not forgot how they were snubbed for Academy Awards for Greatest Acting Ever!