Animal Boy
Animal Boy is the ninth studio album by the Ramones, released on 19 May 1986. It arrived after Too Tough to Die and came at a time of tension inside the band. Joey Ramone sings and writes less than usual, Johnny plays less, and Dee Dee steps forward with more songs and more lead vocals than before. Richie Ramone also contributes songwriting, making him the first drummer since Tommy to do so.
The lyrics move between frustration with bandmates, with oneself and with loved ones, and a rare turn to politics. "My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes to Bitburg)" takes aim at Ronald Reagan, though Johnny disagreed with its message. The video for "Something to Believe In" parodied Live Aid and Hands Across America. All four singles charted in the UK. Critics were cooler on it than on its predecessor, noting a band drifting from its original style, but it charted in four countries, including the US and UK.
Animal Boy: tracklist, credits and charts
12 tracks · 32:27Tracklist
- 1Somebody Put Something in My DrinkRichie Ramone3:28
- 2Animal BoyDouglas Glenn Colvin and Johnny Ramone1:54
- 3Love KillsDouglas Glenn Colvin2:23
- 4Apeman HopDouglas Glenn Colvin2:06
- 5She Belongs to MeJean Beauvoir and Douglas Glenn Colvin3:57
- 6Crummy StuffDouglas Glenn Colvin2:08
- 7My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes to Bitburg)Beauvoir, Colvin, Ramone4:01
- 8Mental HellJoey Ramone2:42
- 9Eat That RatDouglas Glenn Colvin and Johnny Ramone1:41
- 10Freak of NatureDouglas Glenn Colvin and Johnny Ramone1:36
- 11Hair of the DogJoey Ramone2:24
- 12Something to Believe InJean Beauvoir and Douglas Glenn Colvin4:07
- Produced by
- Jean Beauvoir
- Recorded at
- Intergalactic Studios, New York City, Polar Studios, Stockholm
- Recorded
- c. May 1985, December 1985 – January 1986
- Mixed by
- Jean Beauvoir, Anders Oredsson
- Engineered by
- Jorge Esteban, Anders Oredsson
- Labels
- Torso, Sire
- Length
- 32:27
Line-up
- Dee Dee Ramone · bass, bass guitar · guest
- Johnny Ramone · guitar · guest
- Richie Ramone · membranophone, drums (drum set) · guest
- Joey Ramone · vocals, lead vocals · guest
Singles
- “Bonzo Goes to Bitburg" b/w "Daytime Dilemma (Dangers of Love)” · June 1985 (UK)
- “Somebody Put Something in My Drink" b/w "Something to Believe In” · April 1986 (Double A – side, UK)
- “Crummy Stuff" b/w "Something to Believe In” · July 1986 (UK)
- “Something to Believe In" b/w "Animal Boy” · August 1986 (US)
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart · 1986 | 38 |
| US Billboard 200 · 1986 | 143 |
| Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts) · 1986 | 31 |
| Swedish Albums · 1986 | 37 |
| Canadian Albums (RPM) · 1986 | 94 |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
Released the same week
Also released on 19 May
Every year →More from Ramones
Full discography →The best of 1986
All of 1986 →Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia only
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | May 1986 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 19 May 1986 | |
| Wikidata | May 1986 | |
| US release | May 1986 | earliest US date |
4 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | NL | Torso | other | |
| May 1986 | US | Sire Records | 075992543316 | original |
| 8 March 1994 | US | Sire Records | 075992543323 | other |
| 9 August 2014 | US | Rhino | other |
Cover art sources
deezer · native: native 1800x1800
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| deezer ✓ | 1800×1800 | native: native 1800x1800 |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |
| coverartarchive | 953×953 | upscaled |