Happy Birthday To Joey Ramone! [VIDEO]

I guess it's hard to have a good birthday when you're dead. You certainly get less cake than you used to.  Anyways, one of my heroes was born on this date so I wanted to recognize it.

Joey Ramone died at the very rock star age of 49 (died before he got old).  He unfortunately didn't die a very rock star death, lymphoma got him.

I can't tell you how much time I spent listening to Ramones albums. I was very found of Pleasant Dreams, but the Ramones Mania album was mega-super-amazeballs awesome.

Joey recorded a solo album shortly before his death, but as he knew he was dying.  Among the songs was a cover of the Louis Armstrong classic "What A Wonderful World". It was proof that pretty much anything could get that Ramones sound with Joey's voice.  I still listen to that song a couple of times a month whenever I need to boost my faith in the human condition and the human race.  Damn video just made me tear up again.  I suggest you listen to it right now.

If you got a few extra minutes, just check out the opening number of this concert to see what all the talk, all the energy was all about.

Joey Ramone died while listening to this song.  Bono dedicates it to Joey and it's pretty heart-wrenching.