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1977 single by Ramones

"Rockaway Beach" is a song by the American punk rock band Ramones, released in 1977 from the band`s third studio album Rocket to Russia. The song was written by bassist Dee Dee Ramone in the style of the Beach Boys and early surf rock bands.[4] The song is about Rockaway Beach in Queens, where Dee Dee liked to spend time. Guitarist Johnny Ramone claimed that Dee Dee was "the only real beachgoer" in the group.[citation needed] Released in 1977, it was the Ramones` highest-charting single in their career, peaking at number 66 on the Billboard Hot 100.[5]

Background

"Rockaway Beach" was inspired by the actual Rockaway Beach located in New York, where lead singer Joey Ramone was raised.[6] The song was written by bassist Dee Dee Ramone who frequently visited the beach.[7]

Composition

"Rockaway Beach" is a punk rock song that runs for a duration of two minutes and six seconds.[1] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Music, it is written in the time signature of common time with the exception of the interlude, which is in 5
4,[8] with a driving punk rock tempo of 185 beats per minute.[1] "Rockaway Beach" is composed in the key of A major, while Joey Ramone`s vocal range spans from the low-note of E4 to the high-note of A5.[1] The song has a basic sequence of C♯–D–C♯–D during the introduction, follows A–D–E in the verses and chorus, and changes to G–Dtype2–D–E–F–C at the bridge as its chord progression.[1]

The musical arrangement opens with an instrumental introduction, where a rhythm guitar part is played at high-speed using downstrokes with grinding distortion.[9][1] "Rockaway Beach" is a breezy number laden with catchy hooks.[6][9] It express carefree lyrics that hearken back to simpler, brighter days of the band`s youth.[6] The song`s verses illustrate an idiosyncratic worldview, one flanked by surfboards and discotheques.[10][2] They celebrate a scene set in the middle of a hot summer in New York.[10][11][6]

Critical reception

Greg Beets of The Austin Chronicle called the song "backhanded genius".[12] AllMusic`s Stephen Thomas Erlewine cites "Rockaway Beach" as being among the "finest set of songs" Ramones had written for Rocket to Russia.[9] He characterized its musical composition as "teeming with irresistibly catchy hooks".[9] Gina Boldman, from the same publication, praised the song`s "mindless, bopping opening" and summarized, "One of the group`s most carefree and breezy songs ... The imagery puts you right in the middle of a hot New York summer in the mid-to-late `70s, and it`s easy to feel as jubilant as the song (and Ramone) does.[6] Time Out`s Steve Smith hailed the song as a "bubblegum masterpiece".[10] Music critic Robert Christgau regarded "Rockaway Beach" as an "actual potential hit".[13] In his review of the anniversary edition, Zachary Hopskins from Slant Magazine ranks the song one of the group`s "stone-cold classics: as likely to put a smile on one’s face and a bounce in one’s Chucks in 2017 as they were 40 years ago".[14]

Chart performance

"Rockaway Beach" has since become the Ramones` highest charting single, peaking at number sixty-six on Billboard Hot 100.[10][11]

Other uses

• The song was used in 2002 in the What`s New, Scooby-Doo? episode "She Sees Sea Monsters by the Sea Shore".
• In June 2013, the song was used in a radio ad campaign sponsored by Queens Economic Development Corporation to promote recovery from Hurricane Sandy by drawing New Yorkers back to Rockaway Beach.[15]