- Mondo Bizarro
-
Mondo Bizarro 
Studio album by Ramones Released September 1, 1992 Recorded February 1992 Genre Punk rock Length 37:25 Label RadioactiveUS
ChrysalisUKProducer Ed Stasium Ramones chronology Brain Drain
(1989)Mondo Bizarro
(1992)Acid Eaters
(1993)Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic 
[1]Robert Christgau (A-)[2] Rolling Stone [3]
This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.Mondo Bizarro (meaning "Weird World" in Italian) is the twelfth studio album by the American punk band the Ramones, released in 1992 (see 1992 in music). It featured their new bassist, Christopher Joseph Ward (C.J. Ramone), who replaced departed member Dee Dee Ramone. Mondo Bizarro was the group’s first studio album in three years. The album was re-released by the record label Captain Oi! on August 10, 2004, with a bonus track, "Spider-Man".
"Censorshit" was written by Joey Ramone about how rock and rap albums were being censored by the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center), a group of Washington wives out to put warning labels on records, a practice which has become standard. It has a reference to Ozzy Osbourne and Frank Zappa. Quote: "Ask Ozzy, Zappa, or Me. We'll show you what it's like to be free." The song is addressed to Tipper Gore, former Tennessee senator, and Vice President Al Gore's wife.
"Take It as It Comes" is a cover song, originally recorded by The Doors in 1967. "Spider-Man," While having never appeared on the original release but later as a bonus track on the CD version, is a cover of the theme song from the original Spider-Man animated series. It was originally released as an unlisted Bonus track on the original release of "¡Adios Amigos!" (later editions omitted it) and then a completely different version was available on the Saturday Morning compilation in 1995.
Although Dee Dee Ramone had left the band, he provided the songs "Poison Heart", "Main Man", and "Strength To Endure", as payment for bailing him out of jail due to his long drug addiction. When Johnny Ramone was interviewed about the album for the End of the Century documentary, he states, "I don't like it. I don't like it at all.". This contradicts a statement from a 1992 interview in an Argentine newspaper, quote: "Generally I always find two or three songs that I hate. From Mondo Bizarro, I really like almost all the songs and I am very satisfied with the result."[4]
Two singles from the album were released; "Poison Heart" was released in June 1992, and Strength to Endure was released that October.
The original "Mondo Bizarro" was the title of a 1966 film sequel to "Mondo Cane".
The album was certified gold in Brazil in 1995.[5]
Contents
Track listing
- "Censorshit" (Joey Ramone, Mickey Leigh) – 3:13
- "The Job That Ate My Brain" (Marky Ramone, Garrett James Uhlenbrock) – 2:17
- "Poison Heart" (Dee Dee Ramone, Daniel Rey) – 4:04
- "Anxiety" (Marky Ramone, Garrett James Uhlenbrock) – 2:04
- "Strength to Endure" (Dee Dee Ramone, Daniel Rey) – 2:59
- "It's Gonna Be Alright" (Joey Ramone, Andy Shernoff) – 3:20
- "Take It As It Comes" (Jim Morrison/John Densmore/Robby Krieger/Ray Manzarek) - 2:07
- "Main Man" (Dee Dee Ramone, Daniel Rey) – 3:29
- "Tomorrow She Goes Away" (Joey Ramone, Daniel Rey) – 2:41
- "I Won't Let It Happen" (Joey Ramone, Andy Shernoff) – 2:22
- "Cabbies on Crack" (Joey Ramone) – 3:01
- "Heidi Is a Headcase" (Joey Ramone, Daniel Rey) – 2:57
- "Touring" (Joey Ramone) – 2:51
Bonus Tracks
- "Spider-Man" (Freddie Harris, Paul Francis Webster)
Personnel
Ramones
- Joey Ramone – lead vocals
- Johnny Ramone – guitar
- C. J. Ramone – bass, backing vocals & lead vocals on "Strength to Endure" and "Main Man"
- Marky Ramone – drums
Additional musicians
- Vernon Reid – guitar solo on "Cabbies on Crack"
- Joe McGinty – keyboards on "Take It as It Comes"
- Flo & Eddie – backing vocals on "Poison Heart" and "Touring"
Additional personnel
- Bryce Goggin – assistant engineer
- Joe Warda – assistant engineer
- Gary Kurfirst – executive producer
- Greg Calbi – mastering
- Ed Stasium – mixing, producer
- Paul Hamingson – engineer
- Eugene Nastasi – assistant engineer
- Garris Shipon – assistant engineer
- George DuBose – art direction, photography, design
Charts
Album
Year Chart Position 1992 The Billboard 200 190[6] Singles
Year Single Chart Position 1992 "Poison Heart" Modern Rock Tracks 6[7] Notes and references
- ^ Mondo Bizarro at Allmusic
- ^ Robert Christgau review
- ^ Rolling Stone review
- ^ Ramone, Johnny.Interview. In Spanish.
- ^ Dynamite Magazine.Article. In Portuguese.
- ^ "Billboard album chart history-The Ramones". http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=5489&model.vnuAlbumId=751597. Retrieved March 2, 2009.
- ^ "Billboard single chart history-The Ramones". http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Singles&model.vnuArtistId=5489&model.vnuAlbumId=751597. Retrieved March 2, 2009.
Categories:- Ramones albums
- 1992 albums
- Albums produced by Ed Stasium
- Chrysalis Records albums
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