This CD is full of raw, high-energy punk rock performances
in New York before enthusiastic crowds. The sound is certainly not perfect, but
it feels appropriate. It seems like a more accurate representation of the
concerts, giving you the feel of being the room, particularly if you turn it
up, drink quite a bit and move around until you’re dizzy. It would be wrong
somehow to have a crystal clear soundboard recording of these shows. Or maybe
not.
This live album kicks off with “Chinese Rocks,” a song
included on L.A.M.F., but one that
was written by Dee Dee Ramone and Richard Hell. The Ramones’ version, titled “Chinese
Rock,” would end up on their 1980 release End
Of The Century. The song is introduced here as a song “written by a bunch of ego maniacs.” (And interestingly, it’s clear that
the song is introduced as “Chinese Rock,” not “Chinese Rocks.”) Here is a taste
of the lyrics: “I'm living on a Chinese
rock/All my best things are in hock/I'm living on a Chinese rock/Everything is
in the pawn shop.” The band then goes right into “Pirate Love,” another
tune from L.A.M.F., but one written
by Johnny Thunders.
For me, things really get cooking with the third track, “Get
Off The Phone,” which has a great punk pace and a ton of energy. I love this
tune, especially these days, when I want to shout it to basically everyone I
see. “What's that ringing sound?/Everything's
going round and round/Calling everybody and their mother too/But don't call me ‘cause
I just left you/Get off the phone.” It was written by Walter Lure and Jerry
Nolan, and is one of my favorite tracks. Another favorite, “All By Myself,” was
also written by Walter Lure and Jerry Nolan, and was also included on L.A.M.F.
“Can’t Keep My Eyes On You” was not on the original
studio album, but is a tune that was included on L.A.M.F. Revisited and on L.A.M.F.:
The Lost ’77 Mixes. The song’s title must be a play on the 1967 single “Can’t
Keep My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli. “Can’t Keep My Eyes On You” was written
by Walter Lure and Jerry Nolan, and it’s a love song in its own right. “Can't keep my eyes on you/You know you're
something new/And I'm in love with you.” It’s followed by “Chatterbox,”
another song that was not on the original L.A.M.F.
studio album. Actually, this tune was originally a New York Dolls song, written
by Johnny Thunders and included on Too
Much Too Soon. The version here is reworked, with different lyrics, and is
sometimes called “Leave Me Alone” and also “Milk Me.”
“Born Too Loose” is an interesting one, if only for its
title. This CD has the track listed as “Born Too Loose,” like the title of a
greatest hits compilation of Johnny Thunders’ material. But some versions of
the original studio album have the title as “Born To Lose,” and a tribute to
Johnny Thunders is titled Born To Lose.
Which is correct? Fuck if I know. But I do appreciate the play with words in
the title “Born Too Loose.”
Fellow New York Dolls member Sylvain Sylvain joins The Heartbreakers
on guitar for a cover of Carl Perkins’ “Boppin The Blues,” and Robert Gordon
joins the band on vocals. That's followed by a wild cover of The Contours' “Do You Love Me,” which was written by Berry Gordy (this song was featured in the overrated Dirty Dancing). The CD ends with
another tune from L.A.M.F., “I Wanna
Be Loved,” written by Johnny Thunders. Actually, there is a brief hidden track at the end, just a bit of stage banter.
CD Track List
- Chinese Rocks
- Pirate Love
- Get Off The Phone
- All By Myself
- Let Go
- Can’t Keep My Eyes On You
- Chatterbox
- One Track Mind
- Take A Chance With Me
- Born Too Loose
- Boppin The Blues
- Do You Love Me
- I Wanna Be Loved
L.A.M.F. Live At
The Village Gate 1977 was released on October 16, 2015 on Cleopatra
Records.
Thanks for the great review!
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