Johnny Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, Jr (July 15, 1952 - April 23, 1… Read Full Bio ↴Johnny Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, Jr (July 15, 1952 - April 23, 1991), was a rock and roll guitarist and singer, first with the New York Dolls, the proto-punk glam rockers of the early '70s. During the late '70s, he was a familiar figure on the New York punk scene, both with The Heartbreakers and as a solo artist. His screeching, penetrating guitar sound is distinctive and highly influential in punk rock music. Thunders tangled with the demons of fame and drug addiction until his death on April 23, 1991 of a methadone overdose. Some suspect foul play. The theory is that two hustlers met Thunders in a bar and they hung out in his room where they proceeded to kill Thunders, steal his belongings, and spike him with methadone to make it seem like an overdose. This theory arose when Thunders' sister Mariann requested to see the police report and half of the report was missing. The autopsy also showed no evidence of alcohol in his system, which is perplexing because many witnesses say that they saw Thunders drinking with the two men the night before he was killed. Johnny Thunders was 38.

Go Back to Go
Johnny Thunders Lyrics

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Go, go back to go
Did you ever think you would know?

What do you know?
You think it shows?
That you know?
Go back to go

Time, times going on
You, you should have known
What do you know?

Life’s so slow
You wanna go, back to go

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Go Back to Go" by Johnny Thunders are a poignant reminder to the listener to slow down and retrace their steps. The chorus, "Go back to go, did you ever think you would know?" hints at the idea that sometimes we need to go back to the beginning to fully understand where we are now. This is a common theme in life, where we work hard towards a goal only to realize it wasn't what we wanted after all.

The first verse, "What do you know? You think it shows? That you know?" is a representation of the pressure that people often feel to know everything about life. Society tends to judge individuals based on their knowledge and achievements, and it's easy to get caught up in the race to know more. However, Thunders seems to be suggesting that there's more to life than just knowing everything, and that sometimes it's more important to trust your instincts and go with the flow.

The second verse, "Time, times going on, you, you should have known" reminds us that time is constantly moving forward, whether we're ready for it or not. This is a sobering thought, but it's also a call to action. We need to make the most of the time we have, and not get bogged down in the mundane aspects of life. The final line of the verse, "Life’s so slow, you wanna go, back to go" is a plea to slow down and appreciate the present moment.

Overall, "Go Back to Go" is a reminder that life is a journey, and sometimes we need to take a step back and retrace our steps to fully appreciate it.

Line by Line Meaning

Go, go back to go
Return to the beginning, start over

Did you ever think you would know?
Did you ever imagine you'd reach this point?

What do you know?
What have you learned?

You think it shows?
Do you believe your knowledge is obvious to others?

That you know?
Are you confident in what you've learned?

Go back to go
Return to the beginning, start over

Time, times going on
Time moves forward

You, you should have known
You should have been aware

What do you know?
What have you learned?

Life’s so slow
Life moves slowly

You wanna go, back to go
You desire to return to the beginning, start over