Don't Worry About Me
| Don't Worry About Me | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 19, 2002 | |||
| Recorded | 2000–2001 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | Punk rock | |||
| Length | 34:49 | |||
| Label | Sanctuary | |||
| Producer | Daniel Rey | |||
| Joey Ramone chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Don't Worry About Me | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | B+[2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A−[3] |
| Punknews.org |  [4] |
| Rolling Stone | [5] |
| Spin | 8/10[6] |
| Uncut | [7] |
Don't Worry About Me is the first album released by Joey Ramone as a solo artist.[8][9] It was released posthumously on February 19, 2002, by Sanctuary Records,[10] less than a year after his death. The album was produced by Daniel Rey, who also did most of the guitar work.[5] Rey had previously produced three of the Ramones' albums, between 1987 and 1995.
The album includes two covers: "What a Wonderful World," originally performed by Louis Armstrong, and "1969," originally performed by the Stooges.[11] "What a Wonderful World" was used for the ending credits of Michael Moore's film Bowling for Columbine.[12] It also appeared on the soundtrack to Freaky Friday.
A DualDisc version of the album was released on November 19, 2002. It included the album in the DVD-Audio format, which is in 5.1 surround sound, as well as the music video for "What a Wonderful World" (directed by Debbie Harry) and other material.
Don't Worry About Me peaked at #109 on the Billboard 200.[13]
Critical reception
The Austin Chronicle wrote that "though Ramones neophytes would be best served by starting at the beginning, Don't Worry About Me is a must for card-carrying superfans."[14] Entertainment Weekly called the album "a testament to the uplifting power of rock."[3] Now wrote that it "boasts better songwriting and playing than the last few Ramones albums, with Joey singing strong, free of any ironic or goofy pose."[15] Wired wrote that "pointless guitar solos are evident on several tracks, but Joey's goofy teenage romanticism still manages to carry the day."[16] Uncut compares the album favourably to the Ramones saying it's "no disrespect to say that the most successful tracks are the ones that do sound like the Ramones".[17]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Joey Ramone; except where indicated.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "What a Wonderful World" | Bob Thiele, George David Weiss | 2:23 |
| 2. | "Stop Thinking About It" | Ramone, Andy Shernoff | 2:57 |
| 3. | "Mr. Punchy" | 2:35 | |
| 4. | "Maria Bartiromo" | 3:58 | |
| 5. | "Spirit in My House" | 2:02 | |
| 6. | "Venting (It's a Different World Today)" | 3:17 | |
| 7. | "Like a Drug I Never Did Before" | 2:04 | |
| 8. | "Searching for Something" | Ramone, Al Maddy | 4:12 |
| 9. | "I Got Knocked Down (But I'll Get Up)" | 3:42 | |
| 10. | "1969" | Dave Alexander, James "Iggy Pop" Osterberg, Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton | 3:40 |
| 11. | "Don't Worry About Me" | 3:55 |
Personnel
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[18]
- Musicians
- Joey Ramone – lead vocals (all tracks)
- Daniel Rey – guitars, backing vocals (tracks 1–7, 9 and 10)
- Al Maddy – guitars, bass, backing vocals (track 8)
- Mickey Leigh – guitars, backing vocals (track 11)
- Andy Shernoff – bass, backing vocals (tracks 1–7, 9 and 11)
- Jerry Only – bass (track 10)
- Marky Ramone – drums (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8)
- Frank Funaro – drums (tracks 2, 5, 9 and 11)
- Dr. Chud – drums (track 10)
- Joe McGinty – keyboards (tracks 1, 5, 9 and 11)
- Veronica Kofman – backing vocals (track 3)
- Helen Love – backing vocals (track 3)
- Captain Sensible – backing vocals (track 3)
- Technical
- Daniel Rey – producer, engineer, mixing
- Jon Marshall Smith – engineer, mixing
- Joe Blaney – mixing ("Don't Worry About Me")
- Noah Simon – assistant mixing engineer ("Don't Worry About Me")
- Howie Weinberg – mastering
- George Seminara – front cover photography
- George DuBose – package design
- Charlotte Lesher – executive producer
- Mickey Leigh – executive producer
Charts
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[19] | 25 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[20] | 19 |
| US Billboard 200[21] | 109 |
References
- ^ "Don't Worry About Me - Joey Ramone | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ "Robert Christgau: Album: Joey Ramone: Don't Worry About Me". robertchristgau.com.
- ^ a b "Don't Worry About Me". EW.com.
- ^ "Joey Ramone - Don't Worry About Me". www.punknews.org. April 12, 2002.
- ^ a b "Joey Ramone: Don't Worry About Me : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. January 6, 2008. Archived from the original on January 6, 2008.
- ^ "Reviews". SPIN. SPIN Media LLC. March 27, 2002 – via Google Books.
- ^ Clerk, Carol (2002). "Joey Ramone: Don't Worry About Me (Sanctuary) ****". Uncut. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
- ^ "Joey Ramone | Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ Maerz, Jennifer (February 24, 2002). "Joey Ramone's 'Worry': Rest Assured" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
- ^ "Joey Ramone: Don't Worry About Me". PopMatters. March 27, 2002.
- ^ "Punk Rock Revolutionary: The Legacy of Joey Ramone". Los Angeles Times. February 13, 2002.
- ^ Bowling For Columbine End Credits.
- ^ "Joey Ramone". Billboard.
- ^ "Joey Ramone: Don't Worry About Me Album Review". www.austinchronicle.com.
- ^ Perlich, Tim (February 28, 2002). "JOEY RAMONE".
- ^ Poet, j. "Music". Wired – via www.wired.com.
- ^ Clerk, C. (2002) "Joey Ramone: Don't Worry About Me (Sanctuary) ****". Uncut. The Ramones. Retrieved June 21, 2025, from http://www.rocksbackpages.com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/Library/Article/joey-ramone-dont-worry-about-me-sanctuary-
- ^ "Joey Ramone - Don't Worry About Me". Discogs. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
- ^ "Joey Ramone: Don't Worry About Me" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
- ^ "Joey Ramone Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 May 2023.