Ramones
ListenBlitzkrieg Bop · 1976
Ramones — “Blitzkrieg Bop,” remastered single version, official artist-channel audio.
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1976 · Sire
The Blitzkrieg Bop!! / Havana Affair
The Ramones’ debut single reached Britain in a sleeve that looked like a comic strip. “Blitzkrieg Bop” and “Havana Affair” brought the New York band’s short, forceful songs to a new audience in 1976. [1]
| Accession | OMMA-0060 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Ramones |
| Release | 1976 · United Kingdom |
| Label | Sire · 6078 601 |
| Format | 7-inch vinyl single · 45 rpm |
| Issue | UK solid-centre issue · comic picture sleeve |
| Runouts | A (stamped): 6078601 1F//1▽420 B (stamped): 6078601 2F//1▽420 |
| Recorded grade | NM · VG+ sleeve |
Release history and significance
Produced by Craig Leon, the two songs belong to the sessions for the Ramones’ first album. Leon recalled a surprisingly grand recording room: a large former orchestral studio with a pipe organ, paired with a small control room. The band’s stripped-down music was made in surroundings built for a very different kind of performance. [2]
Leon also remembered the label insisting on stereo when he preferred the mono mix. The resulting wide separation drew on early Beatles records. His account shows how deliberate studio decisions helped turn the band’s live attack into a record. [2]
This UK Sire edition pairs “Blitzkrieg Bop” with “Havana Affair” in the illustrated picture sleeve. The release reference dates it to June 1976, after the debut album’s spring release. [1]
Market context
A UK 6078 601 copy with green labels and a picture sleeve sold for £333 on 2 October 2019 after three bids. The disc was graded EX and the sleeve G, with storage wear, bending and damp spotting. [3]
Physical Description
Black vinyl with a solid centre, housed in the original thin-paper comic-style picture sleeve. No inserts accompany the record.
Condition
The disc is graded NM, retaining strong gloss with no obvious playing marks. The labels are clean and unmarked. The sleeve is a strong VG+, with faint ring wear and minor edge handling.
Provenance
Purchased from French Ramones enthusiast Marc Meyer, trading as 2MStore, in 2025.
Sources
- Discogs, Ramones — The Blitzkrieg Bop!!, release 753427. UK Sire issue, picture-sleeve configuration and runouts.
- Red Bull Music Academy, Craig Leon lecture. First-person account of the recording room and stereo mixing.
- Popsike, archived eBay auction. £333 sale, 2 October 2019; EX disc and G sleeve.
Catalogue text reviewed 13 September 2026.