Spector used more advanced standards of engineering, such as high-quality overdubbing and echo chambers.
These painstaking methods caused conflict between the band and Spector
since the Ramones were accustomed to a quicker recording process.
Spector emphasized the production value as well, working with a budget
of around $200,000, far exceeding their earlier album sessions.
The songs on End of the Century were written primarily to expand the band's fan base, straying from the band's original punk genre and steering toward a more pop oriented sound. The lyrics on the album deal with various topics, ranging from drug addictions to the band's lifestyle while touring. The album also features a cover of the Ronettes' song "Baby, I Love You", as well as successors to the previous Ramones songs "Judy Is a Punk" and "Havana Affair".
The origins of the album began in February 1977, after attending a Ramones concert in Los Angeles, music producer Phil Spector offered to assist in making Rocket to Russia. The band declined his offer, feeling as though the album would not be the same without Tommy Ramone and Tony Bongiovi producing the album. While the band refused his initial offer, their management later asked Spector to help with the album because of their lack of popularity and sales.
Indeed; End of the Century would be the first album released without former drummer and producer Tommy. Spector had become famous through his work with the Ronettes, the Righteous Brothers, Ike and Tina Turner, the Beatles and John Lennon, among others. With these releases, Spector defined what would become known as the "Wall of Sound", which is a dense, layered, and reverberant sound that came across well on AM radio and jukeboxes. These standards are created through instruments performing identical parts in unison, using high-quality overdubbing and echo chambers to aid in the production value.
Spector was convinced that the Ramones had talent with lyrics and
musical structure, so he intended to promote the band through more
advanced methods of sound output. Recording sessions for the album began on May 1, 1979 at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles. At the Ramones' request, Ed Stasium
joined the band in Los Angeles, serving as 'musical director', playing
additional guitar parts and singing backing vocals, but not engineering. During the studio work, Spector's recording methods were different from
those the Ramones were accustomed to from their four previous studio
albums. The band recorded their earlier compositions in the shortest
time possible for the lowest feasible budget, with a relatively low
production value.
End of the Century took nearly six months to mix, the band experienced Spector's infamous perfectionism, and a budget of $200,000 to fully record and produce the album. This is significant because the band's debut album cost $6,400 total, and their second album cost $10,000. End of the Century is the most expensive album in the Ramones' career. Unfortunately this method of recording caused conflicts to arise. Bassist Dee Dee Ramone wrote of Spector's obsessive techniques: "Phil would sit in the control room and would listen through the headphones to Marky hit one note on the drum, hour after hour, after hour, after hour." During the recording of "Rock 'n' Roll High School", Johnny was forced by Spector to repeat his part hundreds of times for several hours. Sire Records owner Seymour Stein relates: "To Johnny, this must have been like the Chinese water torture." Marky was a little but different he said: "He was from The Bronx, I was from Brooklyn. We got along very well and had a nice rapport... But he had his way of working that was very slow, and the Ramones had their way of working which was very fast.
Early in the sessions, Spector reportedly held the Ramones hostage at gunpoint. According to Dee Dee, when Spector took Joey away for a three-hour private meeting in his mansion where the album was to be recorded, Dee Dee went looking for them. "The next thing I knew Phil appeared at the top of the staircase, shouting and waving a pistol."
The album was described by the band as an album written solely to gain popularity, resulting in more of a punk rock with pop sensibilities. Joey failed to contribute to the best of his abilities on the album and recalled: "I think that some of the worst crap I ever wrote went on the album. That was me at my worst." The album opened with "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?", a throwback to the rock music of the 1950s and 1960s. The lyrics name several famous musicians of this era, including Jerry Lee Lewis, John Lennon, and T. Rex, and also cite The Ed Sullivan Show. Many instruments that were previously rarely—if ever—used in punk rock were featured in the song's score, including the saxophone and electronic organ.
Johnny's part is not heard on the next track, "I'm Affected", as reported by Johnny himself. Joey admitted that he did not favor the song, recalling: "I couldn't believe how awful it sounded. It was horrible." "Danny Says", the third track, was a lyrical depiction of what the band constantly went through while touring—soundchecks, autograph sessions, interviews, etc. The title "Danny Says" refers to the band's tour manager Danny Fields giving the members instructions, schedules, and demands. According to Joey, the ballad was inspired by Lou Reed, who had released the songs "Candy Says" and "Caroline Says".
Dee Dee wrote the next song, "Chinese Rock", in 1975 (with lyrical help from Richard Hell), and Johnny Thunders later revised it. Dee Dee wrote the piece in response to Lou Reed's "Heroin", and attempted to concoct better lyrics on the same subject of drug use and heroin addiction. After Johnny vetoed the song, it was recorded by Thunders's band the Heartbreakers before the Ramones, though the bands use slightly different words. "The Return of Jackie and Judy" is a continuation to one of the band's earlier songs, "Judy is a Punk", which was released on their debut album Ramones.
Next was the beautiful "Baby, I Love You". Johnny constantly claimed that he hated the song and the band didn't even play on it, only Joey and some studio musicians. Joey exclaimed that he "hated" the song, despite it obtaining a level of popularity in Europe. The song is a cover version of the original by the Ronettes, and contained a string section arrangement."Rock 'n' Roll High School" originally appeared on the soundtrack to Rock 'n' Roll High School, a film directed by Allan Arkush. The movie depicts a storyline in which the Ramones are obsessed over by female high school student Riff Randell along with other pupils attending the school. The album concludes with "High Risk Insurance", which is a reaction to politics of that era.
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