Tommy Ramone and Tom Waits outside the Tropicana Motel on Santa Monica Boulevard. the beginning of the song is “1 2 3 4” not “why cant they grow” smh… thats something they do in so many ramones songs lol, The first song off of the Ramones' final album is actually a cover of a Tom Waits song that came out 3 years prior. About “I Don't Want to Grow Up”. It’s understandable why they wanted to cover this song. The…. It’s understandable why they wanted to cover this song. This song was originally written by Tom waits in 1992 on his album “Bone machine” while this album (Adios Amigos) didn’t come out until 1995, 3 years later. The lyrical content is very in-tune with the punk lifestyle and ideals the Ramones exemplify, and the simple chord structure is a perfect fit for their sound. 3 contributors. The first song off of the Ramones' final album is actually a cover of a Tom Waits song that came out 3 years prior. The first song off of the Ramones' final album is actually a cover of a Tom Waits song that came out 3 years prior. Johnny Ramone also chose Waits to cover “Return of Jack and Judy” for the We’re A Happy Family tribute album.