The American punk band that had a hit with “I Wanna Be Sedated” was the Ramones.
Written by Joey Ramone, the song first appeared on the band’s fourth studio album, *Road to Ruin*, released in September 1978. It was initially issued as the B-side to “She’s the One” in the United Kingdom, then received a US single release in 1980 through RSO Records after appearing on the *Times Square* soundtrack.
The song’s relentlessly catchy chorus and fast, compact arrangement became one of the Ramones’ signature recordings. Its lyrics describe wanting relief from the boredom and exhaustion of travel, making the song’s comic desperation part of its appeal. The famous music video, released in 1988, shows the band calmly eating cereal while a chaotic cast performs around them. “I Wanna Be Sedated” is sometimes confused with “Blitzkrieg Bop,” another major Ramones song, but both belong to the same influential New York punk catalogue.