013 - 'Subterranean Jungle' Side A Deep Dive

Hey kids! Welcome to another Deep Dive episode of CJ Says: A Ramones Podcast.

This week, we explore the bizarre world of the Ramones' seventh studio album, Subterranean Jungle—a record that divides fans as much today as it did back in 1983.

An unexpected pair of cover songs kick things off, and the production is notably more ‘experimental’ than anything the band had attempted to date, which begs the question: were the Ramones consciously evolving their sound... or simply fighting to survive as the musical landscape of the early '80s drifted further and further away from the proto-punk, glam, and bubblegum pop sounds that shaped them?

Here, we pick apart the songs, the sound, the stories, and the circumstances that produced one of the most divisive records in the Ramones' back catalogue. From the undeniable punch of Psycho Therapy to the left-field cover songs, uneven songwriting, and alienating production decisions that continue to baffle and bemuse longtime fans, nothing escapes the microscope.

Subterranean Jungle may never top anyone's list of favourite Ramones records—you'd be mad to call it their finest hour—but sometimes the most illuminating insights are found in the albums that refuse to fit neatly into the band’s wider discography.

So grab your leather jacket, drop the needle on Side A, and join us as we venture down one of the Ramones' most intriguing and confusing musical rabbit holes.

To stream our Side B Deep Dive and unlock the rest of our exclusive bonus content, head over to www.patreon.com/cjsays

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