Something to Believe In (Ramones song)
Encyclopedia
"Something To Believe In" is a song that was originally released as a single called the "Sire Single Version", and then re-recorded as a song on the Ramones
album Animal Boy
released in May 1986. There are also live video versions of the song. It was written by Dee Dee Ramone
and Jean Beauvoir
. The "Sire Single Version" was re-released as track 14 of the second disk of the Ramones Anthology. The song was re-released in 2005 by Rhino/Warner Bros, on the album Weird Tales of the Ramones
.
The song is more gentle sounding than most Ramones songs, particularly the cover by The Pretenders
, which was produced by Johnny Ramone and is sung at an extremely slow tempo for a Ramones song.
. In the video the Ramones are depicted in a group of people who give money to charity
. This video parodies Hands Across America
, by featuring t-shirts with the logo hands across your face. A large number of people appear in Ramones Aid including the Animotion
, Afrika Bambaataa
, Circle Jerks
, John Doe
and Exene Cervenka
of X
, The B-52's
, Ted Nugent
, Spinal Tap
, Weird Al Yankovic and The Untouchables. The video included lookalikes from the 1985 USA for Africa
video titled "We Are the World
" (Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, and Cyndi Lauper). When juxtaposed with images in parody of other aid videos the songs hook line, "I just want something to believe in", is frequently interpreted as making fun of true believers
whose identity is derived from embracing a cause.
's "Sledgehammer
". The album the song was on took New York City Music Awards best album, the other single track on the album took best single.
, and was done shortly before his death, was a cover version by The Pretenders
. It was included on the album We're a Happy Family: A Tribute to 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...
album Animal Boy
Animal Boy
Animal Boy is the ninth studio album by the American punk band the Ramones. It featured the songs "My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down ", written as a protest of President Ronald Reagan's visit to the Bitburg cemetery in West Germany; "Somebody Put Something in My Drink", written by Richie Ramone, the...
released in May 1986. There are also live video versions of the song. It was written by 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....
and Jean Beauvoir
Jean Beauvoir
Jean Beauvoir is an American singer bassist, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist.Beauvoir was born in Chicago to parents of Haitian background. He played drums as a child and switched to bass as a teenager. He was Gary U.S. Bonds's musical director at age 13; following this he sang in the doo wop...
. The "Sire Single Version" was re-released as track 14 of the second disk of the Ramones Anthology. The song was re-released in 2005 by Rhino/Warner Bros, on the album Weird Tales of the Ramones
Weird Tales of the Ramones
Weird Tales of the Ramones is a compilation album by American punk band The Ramones. It was released on August 16, 2005. 85 songs are contained on 3 CDs, plus a DVD containing the feature "Lifestyles of the Ramones", a documentary featuring several of their music videos up to 1990 interspaced by...
.
The song is more gentle sounding than most Ramones songs, particularly the cover by The Pretenders
The Pretenders
The Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
, which was produced by Johnny Ramone and is sung at an extremely slow tempo for a Ramones song.
Ramones Aid
"Something To Believe In" was also the background track for a music video called Ramones Aid which was frequently played on MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. In the video the Ramones are depicted in a group of people who give money to charity
Charity (practice)
The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.- Etymology :The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas".Originally in Latin the word caritas meant...
. This video parodies Hands Across America
Hands Across America
Hands Across America was a benefit event and publicity campaign staged on Sunday May 25, 1986 in which approximately 6.5 million people held hands in a human chain for fifteen minutes along a path across the continental United States...
, by featuring t-shirts with the logo hands across your face. A large number of people appear in Ramones Aid including the Animotion
Animotion
Animotion is a 1980s U.S. New Wave/synthpop band from Los Angeles, California best known for their songs "Obsession" , "Let Him Go", "I Engineer" and "Room to Move"...
, Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three originators of break-beat deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and the Amen Ra of Universal...
, Circle Jerks
Circle Jerks
The Circle Jerks are an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Los Angeles, California. It was formed by Black Flag's original singer, Keith Morris, and future Bad Religion guitarist Greg Hetson. They were among the preeminent hardcore punk bands of the L.A. scene in the late 1970s.The band...
, John Doe
John Doe (musician)
John Doe is an American singer, songwriter, actor, poet and bass player. Doe founded the much-praised L.A. punk band X, of which he is still an active member. His musical performances and compositions span the rock, country and folk music genres...
and Exene Cervenka
Exene Cervenka
Exene Cervenka is an American writer, musician and artist, most famous as the co-lead vocalist of the Los Angeles punk rock band X.-Career:...
of X
X (US band)
X is an American punk rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1977. Established among the first wave of American punk, the original members are vocalist Exene Cervenka, vocalist/bassist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom, and drummer DJ Bonebrake. They released seven studio albums from 1980 to...
, The B-52's
The B-52's
The B-52's are an American rock band, formed in Athens, Georgia in 1976. The original line-up consisted of Fred Schneider , Kate Pierson , Cindy Wilson , Ricky Wilson , and Keith Strickland . Following Ricky Wilson's death in 1985 Strickland switched to guitar...
, Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
, Spinal Tap
Spinal Tap (band)
Spinal Tap is a parody heavy metal band that first appeared on a failed 1979 ABC TV sketch comedy pilot called "The T.V. Show", starring Rob Reiner...
, Weird Al Yankovic and The Untouchables. The video included lookalikes from the 1985 USA for Africa
USA for Africa
USA for Africa was the name under which forty-seven predominantly U.S. artists, led by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, recorded the hit single "We Are the World" in 1985. The song was a US and UK Number One for the collective in April of that year...
video titled "We Are the World
We Are the World
"We Are the World" is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World...
" (Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, and Cyndi Lauper). When juxtaposed with images in parody of other aid videos the songs hook line, "I just want something to believe in", is frequently interpreted as making fun of true believers
True-believer syndrome
True-believer syndrome is an informal or rhetorical term coined by M. Lamar Keene in his 1976 book The Psychic Mafia. Keene used the term to refer to people who continued to believe in a paranormal event or phenomenon even after it had been proven to have been staged...
whose identity is derived from embracing a cause.
Awards
"Something to Believe In" was nominated for the New York City Music Award, for best video clip, and was only surpassed by Peter GabrielPeter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
's "Sledgehammer
Sledgehammer (song)
"Sledgehammer" is a song by British musician Peter Gabriel from his 1986 album So. It hit number one in Canada on 21 July 1986 where it spent four weeks; number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States on 26 July 1986; and number four in the UK singles chart, thanks in part to a...
". The album the song was on took New York City Music Awards best album, the other single track on the album took best single.
Pretenders version
The final version which was one of the last production accomplishments of Johnny RamoneJohnny Ramone
John William Cummings , better known by his stage name Johnny Ramone, was an American guitarist and songwriter, best known for being the guitarist for the punk rock band the Ramones. He was a founding member of the band, and remained a member throughout the band's entire career...
, and was done shortly before his death, was a cover version by The Pretenders
The Pretenders
The Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
. It was included on the album We're a Happy Family: A Tribute to Ramones.