Sheena Is a Punk Rocker

"Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" is a song by the punk rock group the Ramones. Written by Joey Ramone, it is one of the Ramones' most popular songs, evidence of Joey's early 1960s surf rock and bubblegum pop influences. It first appeared in May 1977 as a single in the UK where it charted at #22. In the USA, it was released as a single in July 1977, and reached #81, and appeared on copies of the second issue of the band's 1977 album Leave Home (replacing the track "Carbona Not Glue"). The track, as well as its B-side "I Don't Care", was subsequently re-recorded for their third LP Rocket to Russia.

The song is notable for being one of the first to explicitly refer to "punk rock" in its title and lyrics in terms of a subculture. The song was ranked at No. 5 among the top "Tracks of the Year" for 1977 by NME;it is ranked #461 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. The "Sheena" referred to in the title is in fact the comic book character Sheena, Queen of the Jungle; the idea being that punk rock music would appeal to a savage jungle girl brought to civilization. Said Joey Ramone, "To me 'Sheena' was the first surf/punk rock/teenage rebellion song. I combined Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, with the primalness of punk rock. Then Sheena is brought into the modern day."