'Don't worry,' punk lives on

Don't Worry About Me\nJoey Ramone\nSanctuary\nThe Ramones ushered in a musical revolution during the '70s, influencing everyone from the Clash to U2. Their stripped-down rock set the foundations of punk and showed that anyone can be a musician. Joey Ramone was at the head of this revolution, crafting simple and catchy punk songs. Joey's posthumous solo record carries the torch of punk one last time, showing that while Joey might be gone, the enduring spirit of his music will never die.\nDon't Worry About Me is a rousing, emotional trip that shows Joey Ramone being himself. In typical punk fashion, the record is 11 tracks in a little more than 30 minutes. The songs are tightly arranged and well produced. Backing Joey is a cavalcade of musicians including members of The Damned, The Misfits and Ramone's brother, Marky. \nThe songs themselves lend much to the guitar-driven nature of the late Ramones albums. Short punk tunes like "Mr. Punchy," "Stop Thinking About It" and "Don't Worry About Me" will please old Ramones fans. Joey's speedy cover of the Stooges classic "1969" is on par with the original. His strange sense of humor is apparent in "Maria Bartiromo," a loving tribute to his favorite CNBC business reporter. In sharp contrast to the lightheartedness of "Maria" is a song that proves he still has a dark edge. "Venting" fiercely admonishes school shootings and do-nothing politicians. \nAmong these sharp contrasts of silly, serious and straight-up punk reside two poignant emotional moments that make the album a classic. The first is the disc's opener, a cover of the Louis Armstrong hit "What a Wonderful World." When I looked at the track listing and saw this I was worried it would be uncharacteristically sappy pop, but Joey's rendition absolutely blew me away. He delivers the song so convincingly that you can truly feel that he loved life more than anything. The emotional apex of this album is "I Got Knocked Down (But I'll Get Back Up)." Here Joey sings about his battle with lymphoma. I can't help but get chills every time he sings, "Sitting in a hospital bed/ I want life/ I want my life." His words are a mix of fear and hope that give the song an extreme emotional impact. Joey's final musical statement is a classic collection of punk tracks that leave you with a good feeling, which is ideally how he'll be remembered.\n

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