Rockaway Beach

Ramones, an American punk rock group, released the song Rockaway Beach in 1977 from their third studio album, "Rocket to Russia." Dee Dee Ramone, a bassist, wrote the song in the vein of early surf rock bands including the Beach Boys. Dee Dee liked to hang out in Rockaway Beach in Queens, which is the subject of the song. According to guitarist Johnny Ramone, Dee Dee was "the only actual beachgoer" in the band. It was the Ramones' highest-charting song of their career when it was released in 1977 and peaked at number 66 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The actual Rockaway Beach in New York, where lead singer Joey Ramone grew up, served as the inspiration for the song Rockaway Beach. Dee Dee Ramone, a bassist who frequently visited the beach, wrote the song.

The Austin Chronicle's Greg Beets dubbed the song "backhanded greatness". Rockaway Beach is listed as one of the "finest collection of tracks" Ramones had composed for Rocket to Russia by AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Its musical arrangement, in his words, was "teeming with irresistibly infectious hooks." It's simple to feel as euphoric as the song does since the imagery transports you to the thick of a steamy New York summer in the middle to late 1970s. The song was praised as a "bubblegum masterpiece" by Time Out's Steve Smith.

Artist: Ramones

Released: 1977

Genre: Punk rock, surf punk