40 Years of Punk & New Wave: Leave Home - Ramones (1977)

 Leave Home - Ramones

Sire Records

Produced by Tony Bongiovi and Tommy (Ramone) Erdrlyi

Released 10th January 1977

US Chart #148

UK Chart #45

Side A

Side B

Personnel
Ramones
    Joey Ramone – lead vocals
    Johnny Ramone – lead guitar
    Dee Dee Ramone – bass guitar, backing vocals
    Tommy Ramone – drums

Note on Tracklisting

Due to a Trademark Issue Carbona Not Glue was removed from the album in both the US and UK (and of course other territories where it was released).

In the US the track was replaced with Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (which would also be included on the Rocket To Russia Album in November 1977) and in the UK, Babysitter replaced it.

Notes on Singles released from Leave Home

A- I Remember You    
B- California Sun/I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You

Sire Records

Released 18th February 1977 (UK)

Did Not Chart

The Front Picture Sleeve is exactly the same as the Sleeve for the US Single Release in 1976 of I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend and contains the same B-Sides, though the back cover is different on this single.

A- Swallow My Pride    
B- Pinhead

Sire Records

Released 18th February 1977 US

Did Not Chart

 A- Sheena Is A Punk Rocker

B1- Commando    
B2- I Don't Care

 Sire Records

Released 13th May 1977 UK

UK Chart #22 

Released on a Numbered Limited Edition of 12,000 12" and on 7"

The Front Picture Sleeve was the same photo used on the US Release of Swallow My Pride!

A- Sheena Is A Punk Rocker    
B- I Don't Care

Sire Records

Released July 1977 US

US Chart #81

A- Swallow My Pride    
B1- Pinhead    
B2- Let's Dance (Recorded Live At The Roxy, L.A.)

Sire Records

Released 15th July 1977 UK

UK Chart #36

*****************

One of the first major Punk and New Wave Album releases of 1977 went not to any band from the UK, as many of them by this point were not signed, or were between labels or were with a label and getting their act together to record Debut Singles and future albums. The first shot went to the Ramones as they unleashed their second album, Leave Home.

Their Debut Album in April 1976 had really set the cat amongst the pigeons and had spurred bands in the UK to up their own game when it came to speed and getting to the point musically. After a successful visit to London in July '77 Punk in the UK would never really be the same again and it would be very common to hear bands with a similar sound to the Ramones playing. The sheer simplicity of it led one fanzine (Sideburns not Sniffin' Glue) to include this little ditty in one of their issues from 1977:

The second album was much better production wise than the Debut and it was the first album from the Ramones to break into the album charts here in the UK (#45) whilst not doing to well at all in their homeland (#148).

Leave Home was also the first album to include what was to become their famous Seal Logo created by Arturo Vega.

It contains a few songs that almost twenty years later that were still part of their live set: Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment, Pinhead, and Commando.

They toured Europe for this album hitting the UK on May 19th with a show at Eric's in Liverpool and ending up with a two night stand at the Roundhouse, London on the 5th and 6th June. 

Special guests on the Tour were Talking Heads who had released their Debut Single Love → Building on Fire (Love Goes to Building on Fire) in February 1977 and were labelmates at Sire Records with the Ramones.  Talking Heads had actually played a number of times at CBGB with Ramones including their Debut Live Performance on 5th June 1975!

A couple of days after returning from playing a packed out Roundhouse they played a three night stand at CBGB.

CBGB - 10th June 1977 - 2 Sets.
SET 1:
1 I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement
2 Beat On The Brat
3 Now I Wanna Be A Good Boy
4 Swallow My Pride
5 Glad To See You Go
6 Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment
7 I Don't Care
8 Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue
9 Sheena Is A Punk Rocker
10 You Should Never Have Oppened That Door (Last Time Played Live)
11 I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend
12 Suzy Is A Headbanger
13 Listen To My Heart
14 California Sun
15 Chain Saw
16 I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You
17 Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World

SET 2:
1 Loudmouth
2 Do You Wanna Dance? (First Time Played Live)
3 Blitzkrieg Bop
4 I Remember You
5 Glad To See You Go
6 Teenage Lobotomy
7 You're Gonna Kill That Girl
8 Carbona Not Glue
9 Sheena Is A Punk Rocker
10 Commando
11 Babysitter (Last Time Played Live)
12 Havana Affair
13 Oh Oh I Love Her So
14 Let's Dance
15 Judy Is A Punk
16 I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You
17 Pinhead
18 Suzy Is A Headbanger
19 Chain Saw
20 California Sun