Following the perfection of the formula, the band entered a tumultuous period. They wanted hits, but the charts remained elusive. During this era, the band—specifically guitarist Johnny Ramone—resisted change, while others (like producers like Phil Spector) tried to impose it.
– The Refinement Faster, tighter, and slightly more melodic. The band tried to write actual songs about social anxiety ("Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment") and mental institutions ("You Should Never Have Opened That Door"). It contains "Pinhead," with the immortal gabba-gabba-hey chant, and "Carbona Not Glue" (a product reference that got the record pulled from shelves). Many hardcore fans prefer this to the debut because of its swing. It’s the sound of a band realizing they were geniuses. The Ramones - Discography
By this point, the Ramones were playing smaller clubs than they had in 1977. MTV ignored them. Subterranean Jungle is the sound of four men realizing the world has moved on—but they haven’t gotten the memo to quit. Following the perfection of the formula, the band
The band moved toward a power-pop sound. While the production is clean, the lyrics began to reflect the growing internal tension between Joey and Johnny Ramone. – The Refinement Faster, tighter, and slightly more