Ramones – The KKK Took My Baby Away

"The KKK Took My Baby Away" as written by Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone....
She went away for the holidays
Said she's going to L.A.
But she never got there
She never got there
She never got there, they say

She went away for the holidays
Said she's going to L.A.
But she never got there
She never got there
She never got there, they say

The KKK took my baby away
They took her away
Away from me
The KKK took my baby away
They took her away
Away from me

Hey ho
Hey ho

I don't know where my baby can be
They took her from me
They took her from me
I don't know where my baby can be
They took her from me
They took her from me

Ring me, ring me ring me up
The President
Find out where my baby went
Ring me, ring me, ring me up
The FBI
And find out if my baby's alive
Yeah, yeah, yeah

oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

She went away for the holidays
Said she's going to L.A.
But she never got there
She never got there
She never got there, they say

She went away for the holidays
Said she's going to L.A.
But she never got there
She never got there
She never got there, they say

The KKK took my baby away
They took her away
Away from me
The KKK took my baby away
They took her away
Away from me

The KKK took my baby away
They took her away
Away from me
The KKK took my baby away
They took my girl
They took my baby away


Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death

"The KKK Took My Baby Away" as written by Joey Ramone Dee Dee Ramone

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

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The KKK Took My Baby Away song meanings
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75 Comments

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  • +6
    Song MeaningWell, the story about Johnny stealing Joey's girlfriend is true and Joey didn't ever really get over that and wrote LOTS of songs about it. But in fact this is not one of them. I used to think so too, this rumour was supported by lots of important Ramones biographies (the documentary, Monte Melnick's book etc.) but in his new book, Mickey Leigh, Joey's brother, disproves it.
    The real story behind the song: Joey used to date a black girl when he was a teenager. Those girl's parents didn't want their daughter to go out with a white guy, so Joey and Mickey jokingly refered to them as the "KKK". It was - as some wise guy mentioned earlier - written years after that: in 1980, when Linda and Joey still were together.
    I understand how this myth could get so big, it would be just too perfect with the circumstances: Johnny stealing Linda away from Joey and being a hardcore conservative and the timing of the release of the song was perfect, too, but - I have to say unfortunately - it's not the truth. Sorry, folks.
    JJ_Ramoneon January 15, 2010   Link
  • +3
    General CommentMy undertanding of this song was always that his girlfriend had run off and left him and he was just making excuses, trying to convince himself that there was some other reason why she hadn't come back.
    quiffpornon August 04, 2002   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • +3
    General CommentIt's about how his girlfriend has gone on holiday and not come back and he is making up reasons about what might have happened, when really she has just left him. It has nothing to do with the KKK or racism or anything like that.
    quiffpornon July 02, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General CommentHas anyone thought that they were maybe just lyrics? I mean, these were he Ramones. maybe they just thought it sounded good. Not *everything* has a deeper meaning. Or maybe i'm just lazy and don't want to look into it.
    volksfreion July 12, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General CommentDuh,, u stupid idiot.

    His baby is his girlfriend
    HarlequinStarson August 28, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General CommentWE GOT TO LISTEN TO THIS SONG IN SOCIAL STUDIES
    CADEN MOOREon October 17, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Commenti thought every half-decent Ramones fan knew the story behind this song, "ZZZZZ" was the onlyone who seemd to know the story,

    Joey wrote it about Johnny stealing his girlfriend Linda, who Johnny later married. Johnny was a NRA card-holder (NRA was founded just after KKK was made illegal)

    Joey and Johnny did not realy talk to each other for the rest of their lives but somehow managed to keep touring together for another 15 or so years. Also Joey was a Democrate supporter and Johnny a Republican.
    RoverIACon December 30, 2009   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • +1
    General CommentUmm... no,, it's not about an actual child. It's about a girlfriend. I'm really not qualified to interpret this song anymore than that, but it is absolutely NOT about an actual infant.
    VerbalVeNomon February 15, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Commentyeah but is he saying that he had a black baby and shit or what i dont understand???
    badreligionpigeonon July 05, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Commentjoey is god!!!!! the ramones all together are the best!!! and this is one of my all time favorites of the ramones
    Joey_RAMONE_RIPon September 05, 2002   Link

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