"The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" | ||||
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Single by U2 | ||||
from the album Songs of Innocence | ||||
Released | 15 September 2014 | |||
Recorded | 2010–2014 | |||
Genre | Pop rock [1] | |||
Length | 4:16 | |||
Label | Island | |||
Composer(s) | U2 | |||
Lyricist(s) | Bono and the Edge | |||
Producer(s) | Danger Mouse, Paul Epworth, Ryan Tedder | |||
U2 singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
"The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" |
"The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the opening track from their thirteenth studio album, Songs of Innocence , and was released as its lead single. It was produced by Danger Mouse, Paul Epworth, and Ryan Tedder. It was first unveiled by the band during their performance at an Apple Inc. product launch event on 9 September 2014, coinciding with an announcement that Songs of Innocence would be released digitally to iTunes Store customers free of charge. The song's title refers to American musician Joey Ramone, lead singer of influential punk rock band the Ramones.
"The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" originated from U2's recording sessions with Danger Mouse in 2010, initially consisting of a drum loop and acoustic guitar. [2] With the input of producers Ryan Tedder and Paul Epworth, it evolved into a rockier song called "Siren", with one lyric comparing the music of the punk rock band Ramones to a siren song. [2] The band settled on the final melody and lyrics with Epworth during the final two months of the album's recording sessions. [2]
The song pays tribute to Joey Ramone, the lead singer of Ramones, who had a strong influence on Bono. [3] During their teenage years, U2 snuck into a Ramones concert, [4] and the experience of watching Joey perform made Bono feel less self-conscious about his own singing. [5]
In the days leading to an Apple Inc. product launch event on 9 September 2014 in Cupertino, California, reports began to circulate that U2 would be involved, [6] which were promptly denied by a spokesperson for the band. [7] Nonetheless, towards the end of the event U2 appeared and performed a new song titled "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)", the lead single from their thirteenth studio album Songs of Innocence , with Apple CEO Tim Cook announcing that the album would be released digitally in its entirety at no cost to all iTunes Store customers. [8] The presentation concluded with the unveiling of an Apple advertisement featuring U2 performing the song. [9]
"The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" was subsequently released to United States adult album alternative (triple A) radio stations on 15 September 2014 [10] and modern rock stations on 16 September. [11] Ahead of its official radio release, it had already been added to the playlists of several stations and subsequently debuted at numbers 19 and 38 on the Billboard Adult Alternative Songs and Rock Airplay charts, respectively. [12] [13]
Former Ramones drummer Marky Ramone praised the song but was perplexed that U2 did not mention Joey Ramone's name anywhere in the lyrics. Regardless, he added that Joey would be very grateful for the tribute. [14]
The official music video for the song was launched on 14 October 2014, first in the iTunes store [15] and later on the band's official website. [16]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Netherlands (NVPI) [26] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Jeffrey Ross Hyman, known professionally as Joey Ramone, was an American singer, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of the punk rock band Ramones. His image, voice, and his tenure with the Ramones made him a countercultural icon. He, along with the guitarist Johnny Ramone, are the only two original members who stayed in the band until the disbandment in 1996.
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin, formed in 1976. The group consists of Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr.. Initially rooted in post-punk, U2's musical style has evolved throughout their career, yet has maintained an anthemic quality built on Bono's expressive vocals and the Edge's chiming, effects-based guitar sounds. Bono's lyrics, often embellished with spiritual imagery, focus on personal and sociopolitical themes. Popular for their live performances, the group have staged several elaborate tours over their career.
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Marc Steven Bell is an American drummer. He began playing in hard rock bands in the New York City area, notably Dust and Estus. He was asked to drum for punk rock band Richard Hell and the Voidoids. He replaced drummer Tommy Ramone in the Ramones in 1978, and went by the stage name Marky Ramone from then on. He has also played drums for other punk rock and heavy metal bands, including his own band Marky Ramone and the Intruders. He continues to keep the Ramones legacy alive around the world with his band Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg.
Road to Ruin is the fourth studio album by the American punk rock band Ramones, released on September 22, 1978, through Sire Records as LP record, 8 track cartridge & audio cassette. It was the first Ramones album to feature new drummer Marky Ramone, who replaced Tommy Ramone. Tommy left the band due to low sales of previous albums as well as stress he experienced while touring; however, he stayed with the band to produce the album with Ed Stasium. The artwork's concept was designed by Ramones fan Gus MacDonald and later modified by John Holmstrom to include Marky instead of Tommy.
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Brain Drain is the eleventh studio album by the American punk rock band Ramones, released on May 23, 1989. It is the last Ramones release to feature bassist/songwriter/vocalist Dee Dee Ramone, the first to feature Marky Ramone since his initial firing from the band after 1983's Subterranean Jungle and the band's last studio album on Sire Records.
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"Elevation" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track on their tenth studio album, All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000), and was released as the album's third single on 25 June 2001. The song became the band's 16th number-one single in their native Ireland and their second number one in the Netherlands. It also topped the charts in Canada and reached the top 10 in Australia, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. A different mix of the song, entitled the "Tomb Raider mix", was included on the soundtrack of the 2001 film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. In 2002, "Elevation" won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony. The song lent its namesake to the band's 2001 Elevation Tour.
"Sweetest Thing" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It was originally released as a B-side on the "Where the Streets Have No Name" single in 1987. The song was later re-recorded and re-released as a single in October 1998 for the band's compilation album The Best of 1980–1990.
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