HEARTBREAKERS - RAMONES inspired CHINESE ROCKS T-Shirt
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The story goes that Dee Dee Ramone wrote about 75% of Chinese Rocks and took it to the band but Joey rejected it as it was "too obviously about drugs" (seriously? Because Dee Dee's habit was a secret or because huffing clue and turning tricks was so much more in line with their family audience?) so off he went to Richard Hell to see if he wanted to help finish and use it for The Heartbreakers. Hell duly finished it off and all good and it became a Heartbreakers tune. If only it was that simple... Hell leaves the Heartbreakers, Johnny Thunders tries to claim he wrote it, Ramones decide they want it after all but change "is Dee Dee home" to "is Arty home" after Arturo Vega in whose apartment Dee Dee wrote it and for the next 40 years everyone squabbles about the songwriting credits. Are we surprised?