Too Tough to Die

Infobox Album
Name = Too Tough to Die
Type = studio


Artist = Ramones
Released = October 1984
Genre = Punk rock
Recorded = July 1984
Length = 36:13
Label = Sire
Producer = Tommy Ramone, Ed Stasium
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:znex97w7krgt link]
*Robert Christgau (A) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=ramones link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theramones/albums/album/168307/review/6210218/too_tough_to_die link]
Last album = "Subterranean Jungle"
(1983)
This album = "Too Tough to Die"
(1984)
Next album = "Animal Boy"
(1986)

"Too Tough to Die" is the eighth album by the Ramones, released in 1984 (see 1984 in music). It is the first album recorded with Richie Ramone. It is regarded by Allmusic as "the last great record they would ever make" [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gi2zefwkhgfo All Music Guide review of "Too Tough To Die"] ] and as a particular triumph for Dee Dee Ramone, who wrote or co-wrote nine of the album's 13 tracks.

The album cover is a cultural reference to the movie "A Clockwork Orange"; the band backlit at the mouth of a tunnel echoes the scene in the film where Alex and his droogs attack a derelict. [ [http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/07/cover-story---t.html Cover Story - The Ramones - "Too Tough To Die" cover by George DuBose] Rockpopgallery July 20, 2007] The song title "Durango 95" is also the name of the car driven by Alex in "A Clockwork Orange".

The album includes the two Ramones songs "Wart Hog" and "Endless Vacation" sung by Dee Dee Ramone. The lyrics to "Wart Hog" were not allowed to be shown because the record company felt they were too offensive.

Track listing

# "Mama's Boy" (Johnny Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone, Tommy Ramone) – 2:09
# "I'm Not Afraid of Life" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 3:12
# "Too Tough to Die" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 2:35
# "Durango 95" (Johnny Ramone) – 0:55
# "Wart Hog" (Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone) – 1:54
# "Danger Zone" (Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone) – 2:03
# "Chasing the Night" (music by Busta Jones, lyrics by Joey Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone) – 4:25
# "Howling at the Moon (Sha-La-La)" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 4:06
# "Daytime Dilemma (Dangers of Love)" (music and lyrics by Joey Ramone, music by Daniel Rey) – 4:31
# "Planet Earth 1988" (Dee Dee Ramone) – 2:54
# "Human Kind" (Richie Ramone) – 2:41
# "Endless Vacation" (Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone) – 1:45
# "No Go" (Joey Ramone) – 3:03

Re-release bonus tracks

The album was remastered and released by Rhino Records on August 20th, 2002 with the following bonus tracks:
#

"Street Fighting Man" (Jagger/Richards) – 2:56
# "Smash You" (Richie Ramone) – 2:23
# "Howling at the Moon (Sha-La-La)" (demo) (Dee Dee Ramone) – 3:17
# "Planet Earth 1988" (Dee Dee vocal version) (Dee Dee Ramone) – 3:02
# "Daytime Dilemma (Dangers of Love)" (demo) (music and lyrics by Joey Ramone, music by Daniel Rey) (Joey Ramone, Daniel Rey) – 4:06
# "Endless Vacation" (demo) (Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone) – 1:46
# "Danger Zone" (Dee Dee vocal version) (Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone) – 2:07
# "Out of Here" (Ramones) – 4:10
# "Mama's Boy (Demo)" (Johnny Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone, Tommy Ramone) – 2:15
# "I'm Not an Answer" – 2:16
# "Too Tough to Die" (Dee Dee vocal version) (Dee Dee Ramone) – 2:35
# "No Go (Demo)" (Joey Ramone) – 3:05

OTHERS SONGS

# "Can't Say Anything Nice" (sung by Richie Ramone)
# "Elevator Operator"

Personnel

Ramones

*Joey Ramone – lead vocals
*Johnny Ramone – guitar
*Dee Dee Ramone – bass, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Wart Hog" and "Endless Vacation"
*Richie Ramone – drums, backing vocals

Additional musicians

*Walter Lure – guitar
*Benmont Tench – keyboards
*Jerry Harrison – synthesizers on "Howling at the Moone (Sha-La-La)"

Additional personnel

*Sire Records – label
*Tommy Ramone – producer
*Ed Stasium – producer
*Dave Stewart – associate producer
*Tony Wright – cover design
*George DuBose – photography

Links

* [http://antipunk.org/ramones-too-tough-to-die/ RAMONES | Too Tough To Die]

References