Dee Dee Ramone Goes Nuts, Vol. 37
Topic: Ramones


Dee Dee King
Standing In The Spotlight

(download the mp3 here.)

Yo, homies - betcha didn't know Dee Dee Ramone did a rap album? Yep, unfortunately, he did... Standing In the Spotlight is a collection of lame Rap attempts, ultra cheesy pop ballads, and bargain-bin Ramonesy rockers that suggest that Mr. King was at the time surrounded by more Yes-Men than Elvis himself ("Yeah, Dee Dee, that sounded HOT, man..."). That Sire actually released this turd onto an unsuspecting public is even more baffling. Throughout the album, the lyrics are concerned with how bad-ass Dee Dee is, his problems with love and sobriety, famous wrestlers, and (again) how bad-ass Dee Dee is. The ballads ("Baby Doll," "Brooklyn Babe") and punkers ("Poor Little Rich Girl," "The Crusher"- no, not the Novas/ Cramps song...) on the album are all kinda painful to sit through, but the Rap tunes are pretty damn hee-larious. Basically, Dee Dee can't rap his way out of an Addidas shoe box. The King busts out his rhymes with a monotone finesse more similar to "Monster Masher" Bobby "Boris" Pickett than to Chuck D, LL Cool J, or Ice Cube. One Hip Hop highlight is the "Mashed Potato Time"- in which the King boasts he's badder than Sly Stalone to a dorky Happy Days/ 1950's type musical arrangement with an ultra-nasty bit of 1980's Pop saxophone wank grafted on. The blame for the frightening lack of judgement here is not to be shouldered entirely by Dee Dee alone. Debbie Harry actually does the backing vox on this one. For a basic idea of the level of guffaws that this stinker will cause when played in a crowded room, try spinning the"Monster Mash" and rap along the following lyrics (preferrably in a nasal New York accent)...

[read the rest here.]