Johnny Thunders - You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory (2002)

You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory Review by Greg Prato

You would have to be the utmost fanatical Johnny Thunders worshiper to be able to keep track of all the Thunders-related releases over the years -- especially since his 1991 death, when the floodgates really seemed to open. But if you're looking to acquire most of Thunders' best-known post-New York Dolls recordings in one fell swoop, then the 2002 box set You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory is the way to go. This three-disc set includes L.A.M.F. Revisited (which is basically Thunders' own remix of the Heartbreakers' classic debut release), D.T.K. Live at the Speakeasy, Live at the Lyceum Ballroom 1984, and a smattering of acoustic tracks. By far the best of the bunch is L.A.M.F., which features the Heartbreakers' best-known lineup cranking out such classics as "Chinese Rocks" (which created some controversy with Dee Dee Ramone, who felt he was never given proper credit for penning it); "Can't Keep My Eyes on You"; and a Dolls-era leftover, "Pirate Love." D.T.K. is one of the better live Heartbreakers releases on the market, as the group was still firing on all cylinders, yet the same cannot be said for the heavily dubbed-over Lyceum tracks, which are also available as the DVD Dead or Alive. And although Thunders will always be associated with cranked-to-ten amps (after all, his pre-Thunders moniker was "Johnny Volume"), the ex-Doll did have a gentle side, reflected in "unplugged" versions of such songs as the Stones' "As Tears Go By" and the set's title track. By purchasing this set along with Thunders' 1978 solo release, So Alone, you'll be covering most of the bases of the guitarist's solo standouts.

Disc 1
1. One Track Mind (Remix) (02:39)
2. I Wanna Be Loved (Remix) (02:47)
3. Pirate Love (Remix) (03:57)
4. Let Go (Remix) (02:25)
5. Do You Love Me? (Remix) (02:08)
6. Can't Keep My Eyes On You (Remix) (03:48)
7. Get Off The Phone (Remix) (02:02)
8. All By Myself (Remix) (02:52)
9. Chinese Rocks (Remix) (02:55)
10. Baby Talk (Remix; Live) (02:24)
11. Going Steady (Remix) (02:44)
12. It's Not Enough (Remix) (03:49)
13. I Love You (Remix) (02:24)
14. Born to Lose (Remix) (03:01)

Disc 2
1. Introduction (Spoken Word;Live at The Lyceum) (00:17)
2. Pipeline (Live at The Lyceum) (02:29)
3. Personality Crisis (Live at The Lyceum) (02:56)
4. One Track Mind (Live at The Lyceum) (03:35)
5. Too Much Junkie Business (Live at The Lyceum) (02:52)
6. Do You Love Me? (Live at The Lyceum) (02:06)
7. Just Because I'm White (Live at The Lyceum) (03:47)
8. Copy Cat (Live at The Lyceum) (01:34)
9. Baby Talk (Live at The Lyceum) (01:42)
10. Born to Lose (Live at The Lyceum) (02:38)
11. All By Myself (Live at The Lyceum) (02:35)
12. In Cold Blood (Live at The Lyceum) (02:16)
13. Seven Day Weekend (Live at The Lyceum) (02:17)
14. So Alone (Live at The Lyceum) (07:57)

Disc 3
1. Chinese Rocks (Live at The Speakeasy) (03:55)
2. All By Myself (Live at The Speakeasy) (03:03)
3. Let Go (Live at The Speakeasy) (02:50)
4. Can't Keep My Eyes On You (Live at The Speakeasy) (03:49)
5. I Wanna Be Loved (Live at The Speakeasy) (03:30)
6. Do You Love Me? (Live at The Speakeasy) (02:38)
7. Get Off The Phone (Live at The Speakeasy) (02:22)
8. Going Steady (Live at The Speakeasy) (02:57)
9. I Love You (Live at The Speakeasy) (02:28)
10. Born to Lose (Live at The Speakeasy) (03:26)
11. Joey Joey (Live & Wasted, Unplugged 1990) (04:35)
12. As Tears Go By (Live & Wasted, Unplugged 1990) (03:50)
13. Disappointed In You (Live & Wasted, Unplugged 1990) (05:34)
14. Sad Vacation (Live & Wasted, Unplugged 1990) (03:49)
15. Lydia (Live & Wasted, Unplugged 1990) (04:23)
16. You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory (Live & Wasted, Unplugged 1990) (06:49)
17. Bring It On Home (Live & Wasted, Unplugged 1990) (03:50)
18. Eve Of Destruction (Live & Wasted, Unplugged 1990) (06:01)
19. You Can Walk My Dog (Live & Wasted, Unplugged 1990) (04:08)
20. It's Not Enough (Live & Wasted, Unplugged 1990) (04:08)