.

Song Stories

“Sheena Is a Punk Rocker”

The Ramones | 1977

Written by Joey Ramone, this song is one of the few Ramones tunes that achieved even a tiny bit of U.S. chart success, and may or may not be the impetus for a name craze that surged in the late Seventies. "I combined Sheena, Queen of the Jungle with the primalness of punk rock," Joey told Rolling Stone. "It was funny, because all the girls changed their names to Sheena after that."

prev
“Killing in the Name”
Rage Against the Machine | 1992
Song Stories Main Next
“Sail Away”
Randy Newman | 1972

blog comments powered by Disqus

Photos & Videos

Go To Content

Random Notes: Hottest Rock Pictures

Go To Content Play Video

Video: Metallica, 'Hit the Lights' Live at Orion

Go To Content

Gallery: Readers' Poll: The 10 Greatest Rock & Roll Rebels

Best Ever Lists
100 Greatest Beatles Songs

Other Lists

Song Stories

“Everyday People”

Sly and the Family Stone | 1968

"Everyday People" managed to trailblaze in two different ways -- it was one of the first pop hits to deal with the subject of racial harmony, and it utilized Larry Graham's "slap" technique on the bass guitar, which would soon be copied by countless other bassists. Graham once said about his pulsating style, "I'd never done that before … that's where the freedom of creativity came in for the band, that we'd be allowed to do that." In 1978, the song's line "Different strokes for different folks" would be borrowed for the title of the hit television show Diff'rent Strokes.

More Song Stories entries »