Memory
Johnny Thunders Lyrics
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All the smart boys know why
It doesn't mean I didn't try
I just never know why
Feel so cold and all alone
'Cause, baby, you're not at home
And when I'm home
Big deal, I'm still alone
Feel so restless, I am
Beat my head against a pole
Try to knock some sense
Down in my bones
And even though they don't show
The scars aren't so old
And when they go
They let you know
You can't put your arms around a memory
You can't put your arms around a memory
You can't put your arms around a memory
Don't try, don't try
You're just a bastard kid
And you got no name
'Cause you're living with me
We're one and the same
And even though they don't show
They scars aren't so old
And when they go
They let you know
You can't put your arms around a memory
You can't put your arms around a memory
You can't put your arms around a memory
Don't try, don't try
You can't put your arms around a memory
You can't put your arms around a memory
You can't put your arms around a memory
Don't try, don't try
Johnny Thunders's song "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" is a melancholic and reflective ballad that speaks of feelings of loneliness and loss. The opening line, "It doesn't pay to try, all the smart boys know why," suggests that the singer has tried to find companionship but has not been successful. He feels disconnected and isolated, even when he is at home.
In the second verse, the singer is filled with restlessness and despair. He beats his head against a pole in an attempt to knock some sense into his bones. He acknowledges the pain he feels, even though the scars are not visible to others. The repetition of the line "You can't put your arms around a memory" reminds the listener that the singer's pain is not physical but emotional and cannot be easily resolved.
The final verse suggests that the singer is not alone in his pain. He addresses someone as a "bastard kid" who has "no name," indicating that they feel disconnected from the world around them as well. The repeated refrain emphasizes the idea that memories cannot be physically held, and the pain of loss remains with us always.
Overall, "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" explores the idea of emotional pain and the inability to find solace in physical remedies. It is a poignant reminder that some wounds cannot be surgically repaired or easily overcome.
Line by Line Meaning
It doesn't pay to try
There are certain things in life that regardless of how hard you try, they will not bring any benefits.
All the smart boys know why
People, who are wise enough and have been through similar situations, know the reasons why certain things don't work out despite your efforts.
It doesn't mean I didn't try, I just never know why
Although my attempts failed, it doesn't imply that I never made any efforts. I just can't figure out why things turned out the way they did.
Feel so cold and all alone
The loneliness I feel is so intense, it makes me feel like I am in a cold place with no one to confide in.
'Cause, baby, you're not at home
I am grieving the absence of my loved one, who used to make my house feel like a home.
And when I'm home
Even though I am in my abode, it doesn't feel like it because the person who made it feel like a home is not there.
Big deal, I'm still alone
Being in my house doesn't change the fact that I am still by myself, and it doesn't make a significant difference.
Feel so restless, I am
I am so agitated, and I can't remain calm because of the mental and emotional distress that has occupied my mind.
Beat my head against a pole
I am resorting to self-harming activities as a way of coping with emotional turmoil, but it's not helping.
Try to knock some sense
I am trying to find my bearings and make sense of the situation I am in, but it's not happening.
Down in my bones
The feeling of helplessness and being lost in life is so deeply ingrained in me that I can't seem to shake it off.
And even though they don't show
I am carrying deep emotional scars that might not be evident to others, but they have affected me.
The scars aren't so old
Although the scars might not be visible or recent, they are still fresh, and their impact is yet to fade.
And when they go
Emotional scars heal with time, but when they do, it doesn't mean they have no lasting impact.
They let you know
The reminder of what one has gone through never goes away completely but reminds us of how far we have come or how much we have yet to overcome.
You can't put your arms around a memory
It's impossible to embrace or hold on to a past memory, no matter how vivid or significant it was.
Don't try, don't try
It's a pointless exercise for someone to try and hold onto the past since our memory cannot control what has already happened.
You're just a bastard kid
I am an unwanted child without my identity or significance to the world and the people who live in it.
And you got no name
I am lacking a name, an identity that is known by the world and not just me.
'Cause you're living with me
The person with whom I share my life and space does not value me or make me feel wanted.
We're one and the same
The struggle of living a life that lacks meaning and purpose is what connects us as human beings.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: John Genzale
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@4f52
It doesn't pay to try,
All the smart boys know why,
It doesn't mean I didn't try,
I just never know why.
Feel so cold and all alone,
Cause baby, you're not at home.
And when I'm home
Big deal, I'm still alone.
Feel so restless, I am,
Beat my head against a pole
Try to knock some sense,
Down in my bones.
And even though they don't show,
The scars aren't so old
And when they go,
They let you know
You can't put your arms around a memory
You can't put your arms around a memory
You can't put your arms around a memory
Don't try, don't try
You're just a bastard kid,
And you got no name
Cause you're living with me,
We're one and the same
And even though they don't show,
They scars aren't so old
And when they go,
They let you know
You can't put your arms around a memory
You can't put your arms around a memory
You can't put your arms around a memory
Don't try, don't try
You can't put your arms around a memory
You can't put your arms around a memory
You can't put your arms around a memory
Don't try, don't try
@TomAndrews91
Whoever came up with the track list for The Sopranos deserves a lot of praise. The show has introduced me to so many fantastic songs like this one. When I hear this I think of Tony and the rest of the crew standing outside Satriale's.
@robertgillen979
I've heard Micheal Imperioli had alot to do with the songs picked for the show.
@bensims7501
Too right Tom. The sopranos introduced me to load a tunes I should have heard of us didn't all different genres too.
@blistabliss
Haha I already loved this song but thats why I'm back here! What a great soundtrack.
@dabbs041
Woke up this morning
@shrodingerscat4191
Here, here brother!
@mocksock69
johnny thunders is painfully underrated, he was so talented.
@RiskGrave
"It doesn't pay to try, all the smart boys know why. Doesn't mean I didn't try, I just never know why." Johnny pretty much just summed up my last 23 years with that lyric...RIP <3
@karljesaitis3656
Me too brother
@RiskGrave
@@karljesaitis3656 I’m 33 now. Trying is paying off. Keep trying, brother🙏