
“You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory” is probably Johnny Thunders most well known solo track. The New York Dolls’ guitarist had one of the most successful solo careers of any of the Dolls, and possibly the most influential. Duff McKagan of Guns ‘n’ Roses covered this track for the Gunners’ The Spaghetti Incident and it’s also been covered most recently by Billie Joe Armstrong and Giant Sand, among others. Though a ballad, the original recording is typical Thunders, with a sloppy rock sound and a sing- or shout-along chorus. The latest cover, by Kris Gruen, is considerably softer and more ballady. Continue reading »