Genres varied significantly throughout the album, with some songs showing the influence of hard rock, heavy metal music, and crossover thrash, while others showcased a bubblegum pop sound.

Additionally, Joey is heard singing a duet with Blondie vocalist Debbie Harry on "Go Lil' Camaro Go".

Despite receiving mixed critical reviews, Stephen Thomas Erlewine later wrote that the album was the last time the band "still sounded like they mattered.

"[1] Prior to producing the album, Daniel Rey had opened for the Ramones in the late 1970s as a member of Shrapnel.

[4] Recording sessions for Halfway to Sanity began in early 1987 at Intergalactic Studios in New York City, described by Rey as "a dingy place in midtown.

[11] Richie added that Johnny, along with their manager Gary Kurfirst, made the album process difficult by keeping the band on a tight budget.

He explained that he himself wanted the music to be more radio-friendly and promote it more so they might have a hit album, but Johnny and Kurfirst did not think it would make a difference.

Gary Kurfirst seemed to want to keep the Ramones an underground band, I guess his thinking was, he'd profit more.

'"[13] Rey claimed that the band was very impatient during the album process, and noted that members, especially Johnny and Joey, weren't getting along.

The album's opening track, "I Wanna Live", features heavy feedback and a musical style closer to hard rock than punk.

[16] Described by author Dave Thompson as similar to contemporary "romantic melodies,"[17] the song was written by Dee Dee, who quoted the lyrics "As I load my pistol / Fine German steel" years later in a photo session with Ken Hinchey and Mike Vought as he loaded a gun.

[18] The song runs 2 minutes 39 seconds and despite its brevity was called "too long" by music journalist Everett True.

"[20] Thompson wrote that "Go Lil' Camaro Go", a duet with Blondie's Debbie Harry, had a style similar to bubblegum pop.

"[23] Side A concludes with Richie's "I Know Better", which, along with "Go Lil' Camaro Go", was described by AllMusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine as having a "solid" hook.

[1] Joey wrote the opening track for Side B, "Death of Me", as well as "A Real Cool Time", which True said was a tribute to "summer beach" parties and "New York Cat Clubs," and compared the melody line to the Who's "The Kids Are Alright".

[25] He wrote that it features a "beautiful chiming guitar sound" that "stands out like a sore thumb" compared to the other songs on the album, because Joey "sings instead of shouting.

"[25] The song was deemed "Phil Spector-ish" in the WEG Publication's Digital Audio and Compact Disc Review,[21] who also described the album's final track, "Worm Man", as having a "hardcore punk thrashing" style.

Dubose's photos for the inner sleeve depict "Peking ducks hanging in the window of a restaurant, with glaze dripping off their tails.

[30] At a concert on August 12 in East Hampton, New York, Richie left the band due to financial conflicts with Johnny.

"[33] Richie later said that he had heard a rumour that Johnny was going to fire him even if he played the shows and that convinced him not to come back to the band.

Johnny deemed the whole situation a "disaster" because of Burke's drumming style, commenting that "double-time on the hi-hat was totally alien to him.

"[35] Burke was criticized for playing "Durango 95"'s fills incorrectly, and for misplaying the introduction on "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?

[37] During a sold-out Paris concert, fans who were not able to get in to see the performance began to throw stones at the venue, and were consequently tear-gassed by police.

At the rally, Joey announced, "We're here to uphold the honor of the students and the Ramones," and pointed out that their performances never incited violence.

[40] Village Voice critic Robert Christgau gave the album a "C+", writing that, while he felt pained to say it, "with Richie or whoever on the lam, Dee Dee moonlighting as a punk-rapper, Joey frequenting all-acoustic showcases, and Johnny Johnny, a great band has finally worn down into a day job for night people.

"[41] In a retrospective review, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the album one and a half stars out of five, calling it a "much sharper record" than its predecessor only because it did not overlook the band's "trashy pop roots.

[44] On the Netherlands MegaCharts, the album entered at its peak position of 68 on October 10, 1987, staying on the chart for a single week as well.

[46] Two of the tracks on Halfway to Sanity, "Bop 'Til You Drop" and "I Wanna Live", were featured on the band's first compilation album release, Ramones Mania.

[49] The 2006 video game Tony Hawk's Project 8 featured "I Wanna Live" on the soundtrack,[50] and the Polish metal band Behemoth covered "I'm Not Jesus" on their 2008 extended play Ezkaton.