The KKK Took My Baby Away

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“The KKK Took My Baby Away”
Single by Ramones from the album Pleasant Dreams
A-side	"We Want the Airwaves"
Released	1981
Genre	Punk rock
Length	2:32
Label	Sire
Writer(s)	Joey Ramone
Producer	Graham Gouldman
Ramones singles chronology
"Rockaway Beach" (1977) "The KKK Took My Baby Away" (1981) "Pet Sematary" (1989)

"The KKK Took My Baby Away" is a song written by Joey Ramone. It appears on the Ramones' 1981 album Pleasant Dreams.

Many Ramones fans claim that the song was penned by Joey after Ramones' guitarist Johnny Ramone "stole" Joey's ex-girlfriend Linda from him, although he claims that he wrote the song years before the incident. The KKK reference refers to Johnny's conservative political stance, which influenced Johnny's management of the band in a militant, slightly authoritarian way. Johnny first started to cheat on his girlfriend at the time, to see Linda. When he wanted to see one girl he would claim to visit his uncle in Philadelphia. To add insult to injury, Johnny eventually married Linda, while his relationship with Joey never recovered—even when Joey was stricken with cancer.

[edit] Cover versions

The KKK Took My Baby Away was covered by Marilyn Manson on the We're a Happy Family tribute album. The song has also been covered by The Datsuns, Pearl Jam, Face to Face, Relient K, Dead Kennedys, The Ordinary Boys, The Misfits, Dragonfly, The Huntingtons, Die Ärzte, Beatsteaks, The Ataris, Guttermouth, NOFX, MXPX, and Rough Bullet^{[citation needed]}.

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