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Too Much Junkie Business
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Wikipedia article
'"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)."For example, on Jungle Records' 'Live at Max's Kansas City Vols. 1 & 2' (2015) and recorded (as an "outroduction") for the Neil Cooper compilation cassette 'Too Much Junkie Business' (1982). 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.Walter Lure said, "I actually stole the music for it from the Dolls version of 'Pills'." [http://whitetrashsoul.blogspot.com/2010/01/interview-walter-waldo-lure.html Interview : Walter "Waldo" Lure (The Heartbreakers, The Waldos)] 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 hed 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.
References
Category:1977 songs
Category:American rock-and-roll songs
Category:Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers songs
Category:Johnny Thunders songs
Category:Songs about drugs
Category:Songs about heroin
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