Animal Boy by Ramones, album cover
Album · 40 years old this year

Animal Boy

Released19 May 1986
LabelTorso
Popularity62.9

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 · 32:27

Tracklist

  1. 1Somebody Put Something in My DrinkRichie Ramone3:28
  2. 2Animal BoyDouglas Glenn Colvin and Johnny Ramone1:54
  3. 3Love KillsDouglas Glenn Colvin2:23
  4. 4Apeman HopDouglas Glenn Colvin2:06
  5. 5She Belongs to MeJean Beauvoir and Douglas Glenn Colvin3:57
  6. 6Crummy StuffDouglas Glenn Colvin2:08
  7. 7My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes to Bitburg)Beauvoir, Colvin, Ramone4:01
  8. 8Mental HellJoey Ramone2:42
  9. 9Eat That RatDouglas Glenn Colvin and Johnny Ramone1:41
  10. 10Freak of NatureDouglas Glenn Colvin and Johnny Ramone1:36
  11. 11Hair of the DogJoey Ramone2:24
  12. 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

ChartPeak
UK Albums Chart · 198638
US Billboard 200 · 1986143
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts) · 198631
Swedish Albums · 198637
Canadian Albums (RPM) · 198694

From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.

62.9
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
2.0k
ListenBrainz listeners
47k
Wikipedia views, last 12 months
2.6k
Deezer fans (all editions)

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
SourceDateNote
MusicBrainzMay 1986
Wikipedia infobox19 May 1986
WikidataMay 1986
US releaseMay 1986earliest US date
4 editions
DateCountryLabelBarcodeKind
1986NLTorsoother
May 1986USSire Records075992543316original
8 March 1994USSire Records075992543323other
9 August 2014USRhinoother
Cover art sources

deezer · native: native 1800x1800

SourceSizeVerdict
deezer ✓1800×1800native: native 1800x1800
fanarttv1000×1000upscaled
coverartarchive953×953upscaled