Too Much Junkie Business

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Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers, New York Dolls

About Too Much Junkie Business

"Too Much Junkie Business" is a song written by Walter Lure of the New York punk band the Heartbreakers. Johnny Thunders sometimes introduced it as "written by Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and Waldo (Lure)." The lyrics are a black-humored takeoff on Chuck Berry's "Too Much Monkey Business" (1956), about the complications of everyday life. Its melody is the New York Dolls' version of "Pills" by Bo Diddley. Thunders performed it often in his post-Heartbreakers career. Lure has said that he let Thunders take co-writing credit because "he liked it so much and he wished he'd wrote it". A Heartbreakers demo recorded for EMI appears on L. A. M. F.: The Lost '77 Mixes and live versions are included on many compilations. Walter Lure has performed it often with and without his band the Waldos. He and Billy Rath recorded a version in 1978 for Island Records which was never released. With Dee Dee Ramone's "Chinese Rocks," the song became a nostalgic anthem of sorts for punk-era and Thunders memorial concerts and tributes. 


Year:
1999
2:52
57 
#1

Lyrics currently unavailable…


New York Dolls

The New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later spawned the Ramones, Blondie, Television and Talking Heads. more »

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10 facts about this song

MUSIC GENRE
"Too Much Junkie Business" by Johnny Thunders is often classified as protopunk, a term used to describe a number of performers who were instrumental in shaping the attitudes and music that gave rise to punk rock.
THE ARTIST
Johnny Thunders was an influential guitarist and singer-songwriter from the United States. He was a member of the New York Dolls before embarking on a successful solo career.
SONG RELEASE
The song, "Too Much Junkie Business," was released in 1982 as part of Johnny Thunders's live album "No More Johnny Thunders."
ALBUM PERFORMANCE
The album itself did not achieve commercial success on the charts, but it is appreciated by fans and critics as it showcases Thunders' raw and passionate live performances.
SONG INSPIRATION
There's a belief that Too Much Junkie Business was greatly inspired by Thunders' struggles with addiction. His experiences with drug dependency are a recurrent theme in his lyrics.
SONG STRUCTURE
The song actually bites the chord structure, chorus, and lyrics from the iconic Rolling Stones song "Too Much Monkey Business."
INFLUENCE
Johnny Thunders and his music, including songs like "Too Much Junkie Business," has been cited as an influence by numerous high-profile punk bands, including the Sex Pistols and The Ramones.
COVER VERSIONS
The song has been covered by several bands, further signifying its influence in the punk rock scene.
SONG SIGNIFICANCE
The song arguably offers a glimpse into the self-destructive lifestyle that engulfed the punk scene in the late 70s and early 80s, particularly in New York City.
JOHNNY THUNDERS LEGACY
Despite his relatively short career due to an untimely death in 1991, Thunders left a lasting impact on punk rock music, with "Too Much Junkie Business" as one of the memorable marks of his legacy.

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