[1] Musically, the songs vary from old school hip hop and doo-wop (e.g., "Mashed Potato Time", "Commotion In The Ocean") to rock and roll (e.g., "Baby Doll") and punk rock (e.g. "Poor Little Rich Girl", "The Crusher").

The album marks a radical shift from the Ramones guitar-based punk rock on some songs.

Dee Dee learned about rap music during drug rehabilitation, which led him to record the boastful "Funky Man" in 1987, although that song did not end up on the album.

[6] In his book Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life as a Ramone, Marky Ramone writes that he was asked to play drums on the album, but declined: "I preferred just to advise him on the beats to use and quietly take an acknowledgement.

It was recorded at New York City's Chung King Studios, which at the time had become one of the top recording studios due to their work with Beastie Boys, Run-D.M.C., and LL Cool J.

Standing in the Spotlight was not recorded using hip hop production techniques, according to engineer Greg Gordon: "Other hip-hop guys would come in and dig through old records and find grooves and try to play stuff off each other.

[8] Despite the departure from the band's music, Joey Ramone wanted Standing in the Spotlight to be well received, to help kickstart his own solo career.

Debbie Harry sings backup vocals on "Mashed Potato Time" and "German Kid".