Blitzkrieg Bop
Encyclopedia
"Blitzkrieg Bop" is a song by the American punk rock
band Ramones
. It was released as the band's debut single in April of 1976 in the United States. It appeared as the opening track on the band's debut album, Ramones
, also released that month.
The song, whose composition was credited to the band as a whole, was written by bassist Dee Dee Ramone
(lyrics) and drummer Tommy Ramone
(music and lyrics). Based on a simple three-chord pattern
, "Blitzkrieg Bop" opens with the chant "Hey! Ho! Let's go!" The song is popular at sporting events where "Hey! Ho! Let's go!" is sometimes shouted as a rallying cry.
"Blitzkrieg Bop" is number 92 on the Rolling Stone
list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In March 2005, Q magazine placed it at number 31 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks, and in 2008 Rolling Stone
placed it number 18 on top 100 of Best Guitar Songs of All Time. In 2009 it was named the 25th greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1
.
World War II
tactic blitzkrieg
, which literally means "lightning war". The song was mainly written by drummer Tommy Ramone
, while bassist Dee Dee Ramone
came up with the title (the song was originally called "Animal Hop"). Dee Dee also changed one line: The original third verse had the line "shouting in the back now", but Dee Dee changed it to "shoot 'em in the back now". The precise meaning and subject matter of the song are, unlike many of The Ramones' other early compositions, somewhat vague and obscure. It may be a reference to attacking the exposed flank of tanks during a blitzkrieg operation, while some fans contend, based on lines such as "Shoot 'em in the back now", that the song tells of gang violence, which would seem to be more in line with the band's other songs of that era. But it is more likely that the song is simply about having a good time at a concert, perhaps an ode to early punk fans.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
. It was released as the band's debut single in April of 1976 in the United States. It appeared as the opening track on the band's debut album, Ramones
Ramones (album)
Ramones is the self-titled debut studio album by the American punk rock band Ramones. It was released on April 23, 1976, through Sire Records. Prior to the band signing to Sire they were seen by Lisa Robinson, an editor of Hit Parader, during an early 1975 performance. Robinson began popularizing...
, also released that month.
The song, whose composition was credited to the band as a whole, was written by bassist Dee Dee Ramone
Dee Dee Ramone
Dee Dee Ramone was an American songwriter and musician, best known as founding member, bassist and main songwriter of the punk rock band the Ramones....
(lyrics) and drummer Tommy Ramone
Tommy Ramone
Tommy Ramone, also known as Thomas Erdelyi , is a Hungarian American record producer and musician...
(music and lyrics). Based on a simple three-chord pattern
Three-chord song
A three-chord song is a song whose music is built around three chords that are played in a certain sequence. Perhaps the most prevalent type of three-chord song is the simple twelve bar blues used in blues and rock and roll....
, "Blitzkrieg Bop" opens with the chant "Hey! Ho! Let's go!" The song is popular at sporting events where "Hey! Ho! Let's go!" is sometimes shouted as a rallying cry.
"Blitzkrieg Bop" is number 92 on the Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In March 2005, Q magazine placed it at number 31 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks, and in 2008 Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
placed it number 18 on top 100 of Best Guitar Songs of All Time. In 2009 it was named the 25th greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
.
Origin and meaning
"Blitzkrieg Bop" was named after the GermanNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
tactic blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg
For other uses of the word, see: Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg is an anglicized word describing all-motorised force concentration of tanks, infantry, artillery, combat engineers and air power, concentrating overwhelming force at high speed to break through enemy lines, and, once the lines are broken,...
, which literally means "lightning war". The song was mainly written by drummer Tommy Ramone
Tommy Ramone
Tommy Ramone, also known as Thomas Erdelyi , is a Hungarian American record producer and musician...
, while bassist Dee Dee Ramone
Dee Dee Ramone
Dee Dee Ramone was an American songwriter and musician, best known as founding member, bassist and main songwriter of the punk rock band the Ramones....
came up with the title (the song was originally called "Animal Hop"). Dee Dee also changed one line: The original third verse had the line "shouting in the back now", but Dee Dee changed it to "shoot 'em in the back now". The precise meaning and subject matter of the song are, unlike many of The Ramones' other early compositions, somewhat vague and obscure. It may be a reference to attacking the exposed flank of tanks during a blitzkrieg operation, while some fans contend, based on lines such as "Shoot 'em in the back now", that the song tells of gang violence, which would seem to be more in line with the band's other songs of that era. But it is more likely that the song is simply about having a good time at a concert, perhaps an ode to early punk fans.
Composition
The time signature for this song is 4/4. The first chordal pattern in the intro goes as follows A, D, E. Until the lyrical motif of "Hey! Ho! Let's go!" occurs. The chorus contains a slight variation of the first chord progression (introduced in the intro) chord pattern with a B three bars before the end of the chorus (D,A,D,A,D,B,D,E). The majority of the chords played within this song would be "power chords" or "bare fifth" chords. This means they lack a third within the chord, this is what determines a chord major or minor (either the 3rd being flat or natural). Power chords are typical of punk and rock guitar playing. "Bare fifths" are also a characterisic of modal music.Dedications
- The punk rock band Blitzkrieg BopBlitzkrieg Bop (band)Blitzkrieg Bop were a punk band formed in Teesside, England in February 1977. They were named after a song by Ramones with the same name. They released three singles...
took their name after the song title. - A monthly club night at the ArchesArches-Places:* Arches National Park in the U.S. state of Utah* Arches, Cantal, a commune of the Cantal département, in France* Arches, Vosges, a commune of the Vosges département, in France-Other:* Arches of the foot...
in GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
is named after the song.
Notable covers
- The song has been covered by various artists including studio versions by Rob ZombieRob ZombieRob Zombie is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the heavy metal band White Zombie and has been nominated three times as a solo artist for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.Zombie has also established a career as a film director, creating the...
(for his 2003 released album Past, Present & FuturePast, Present & FutureLyrics1 Richard Raymond Finch, Harry Wayne Casey2 Lionel B. Richie, Ronald LaPread, Walter Orange, Milan Williams, Thomas McClary, William King3 Jeffrey Hyman, John Cummings, Douglas Colvin, Thomas Erdelyi...
), The Beautiful SouthThe Beautiful SouthThe Beautiful South were an English alternative rock group formed at the end of the 1980s by two former members of Hull group The Housemartins, Paul Heaton and Dave Hemingway. The duo were initially joined by Sean Welch , Dave Stead and Dave Rotheray , all of whom stayed with the group throughout...
, Jason MrazJason MrazJason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved...
, Screeching WeaselScreeching WeaselScreeching Weasel is an American punk rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead.Since their formation, Screeching Weasel have broken up and reformed numerous times with numerous line-up changes. Ben Weasel has been the only constant...
and The Hanson BrothersThe Hanson BrothersThe Hanson Brothers are a Canadian punk rock band based in Vancouver, British Columbia and led by John and Rob Wright and Tom Holliston, all members of the punk rock band Nomeansno....
. - Die Toten HosenDie Toten HosenDie Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
covered the song for the 1991 cover albumCover Album-Tracklisting:#Misono to Utaou! Animedley I # #...
Learning English, Lesson OneLearning English, Lesson OneLearning English, Lesson One or Learning English, Lesson 1 is the second cover album by the German punk band Die Toten Hosen. The album includes covers of mostly British bands, which were big influences for DTH.This is also the first all-English album for DTH, although the first English language...
. It features Joey RamoneJoey RamoneJoey Ramone was an American vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist in the punk rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon.-Early life:Joey Ramone was born Jeffry Hyman to parents Noel and Charlotte Hyman...
as a guest musician. - Alvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
covered this song for their 2007 video game Alvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the Chipmunks (video game)Alvin and the Chipmunks is a video game based on the film of the same name. The game was released on December 4, 2007 and was the first release by short-lived video game company Brash Entertainment. It follows The Chipmunks as they play their way from small venues to massive crowds at Burning Munk...
. - Dee Dee RamoneDee Dee RamoneDee Dee Ramone was an American songwriter and musician, best known as founding member, bassist and main songwriter of the punk rock band the Ramones....
performed bass and backing vocals for the Youth Gone MadYouth Gone MadYouth Gone Mad is a punk rock band founded in California in 1980 by Paul "ENA" Kostabi . Youth Gone Mad signed onto the Posh Boy Records roster, scored a minor radio hit with "Oki Dogs" in 1981, and played with bands such as Black Flag, Caustic Cause, The Mentors, The Stains, Fear, and others.The...
version, included on the Ramones ManiacsRamones ManiacsRamones Maniacs is a 26-band salute to the Ramones. This is a track-by-track cover of the Ramones Mania album, by bands from across the US, plus one from Australia and one from Canada.Album artwork by Tim Bradstreet....
tribute album and the posthumous Youth Gone Mad featuring Dee Dee RamoneYouth Gone Mad Featuring Dee Dee RamoneYouth Gone Mad featuring Dee Dee Ramone is a collaboration studio album by the American punk band the Youth Gone Mad and former Ramones bassist Dee Dee Ramone, released in 2002 . This is known to contain Dee Dee's final studio recordings before his death in 2002...
album. - Green DayGreen DayGreen Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
covered this song along with "Teenage Lobotomy" at the 2002 Rock and Roll Hall of FameRock and Roll Hall of FameThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
induction ceremony for the remaining member of the Ramones, and regularly play the song live, sometimes getting kids out of the audience to play the song on their instruments, though more usually the song "KnowledgeKnowledge (song)"Knowledge" is a hardcore punk song by the ska-core band Operation Ivy. It was written by lead vocalist Jesse Michaels and appeared on the album Energy.During the opening of the song at Operation Ivy's last show at Gilman St...
". - PennywisePennywise (band)Pennywise is a Californian punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California, formed in 1988. The name is derived from the monster, It, from the Stephen King novel of the same title....
has done a cover version dedicated to Joey RamoneJoey RamoneJoey Ramone was an American vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist in the punk rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon.-Early life:Joey Ramone was born Jeffry Hyman to parents Noel and Charlotte Hyman...
. At Warped Tour July 26, 2008 at Nassau Colosseum, C. J. RamoneC. J. RamoneChristopher Joseph Ward , better known as C. J. Ramone, is an American musician best known as working as the bassist of punk rock group Ramones from 1989 to 1996.-Background:...
came on stage during Pennywise's set and played Blitzkrieg Bop with the band. - Shonen KnifeShonen KnifeShonen Knife, written in Japanese characters as 少年ナイフ, which transliterates as Shōnen Naifu, literally "Boy Knife," is an all-female Japanese pop-punk band formed in Osaka, Japan, in 1981...
recorded the song on their 2011 album of Ramones covers, Osaka Ramones. - New Found GloryNew Found GloryNew Found Glory is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida. Formed in the summer of 1997, founding members were lead vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarists Chad Gilbert and Steve Klein, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Joe Marino...
recorded the song for the deluxe version of their seventh album, RadiosurgeryRadiosurgery (album)Radiosurgery is the seventh studio album by American rock band New Found Glory and was released on October 4, 2011 through independent label Epitaph Records. To follow up Not Without a Fight , the band began writing new material during their stint on the 2010 Honda Civic Tour...
, which was released on October 4, 2011.