Arriving just as the UK punk scene was building momentum, the Heartbreakers developed a following playing in and around London. The Sex Pistols invited them to open on the ill fated Anarchy Tour. They shortly signed up with Track Records. Their debut--and only--studio album, L.A.M.F., featured all the Heartbreakers' popular live songs. The release of the album put a huge strain on the band because of anger among some band members over the poor quality of the mix. Several members left at this point. The band reformed in 1979 for a few farewell shows at Max’s Kansas City with drummer Ty Stix filling in for Nolan. The result was the live album Live at Max's Kansas City '79, considered a punk classic.
The band re-formed occasionally to play at New York clubs (and for a sold out show at The Lyceum in London, England in 1984) until the death of Thunders in 1991 of a supposed methadone overdose. The facts remain unclear: Johnny's passport and money were missing. The coroner's report said no alcohol was in his bloodstream, though many witnesses say Johnny was drinking the night before with people that he had just met. He was 38 years old. Jerry Nolan died of a stroke a few months later at age 40.
Live shows often consisted of songs performed with the New York Dolls or taken from Thunders' solo career. Richard Hell rarely plays music live, concentrating instead on writing and spoken word performances. Billy Rath's whereabouts are currently unknown, leading to various rumors such as that he died or became a priest. Walter Lure still performs about once a month with his band the Waldos, playing mostly Heartbreakers songs. The influence of Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers is still noticeable today in many punk rock bands. Johnny Thunders solo work is mainly made up of live albums, although he recorded the critical success So Alone in 1978 and Que Sera Sera in 1985. He often worked with Patti Paladin of the band Snatch and they recorded an album of covers, Copycats in 1987.
Too Much Junkie Business
Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers Lyrics
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You buy some for your sister and you take yours off the top
Run into the bathroom, fixing up a shot
Tie it up, shoot it up, bang your head and throw it up
Too much junkie business
Too much junkie business
Too much junkie business
Your life becomes as sickening as that mess you call your face
The pig you call your girlfriend is dead from shooting mace
Climbing up the walls, you're shooting all my balls
Wrap it up, call it art, now your record makes the chart
Too much junkie business
Too much junkie business
Too much junkie business
I don't wanna fuck around with you
Too much junk, too much junk
Too much junk, too much junk
Too much junk, too much junk
I don't wanna see her hanging out with you
Well you're the coolest thing in town, with your face right on the ground
Friends went through your pockets as the coffin went down
You overdosed at last, spike stuck in your head
Now you're dead… dead! dead! dead!
Too much junkie business
Too much junkie business
Too much junkie business
I don't wanna fuck around with you
Too much junk, too much junk
Too much junk, in your head
The song "Too Much Junkie Business" by Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers portrays the dark side of drug addiction. The lyrics describe drug users desperately seeking a fix, the terrible consequences of addiction and ultimately death. The opening lines convey the frantic and dangerous atmosphere of the drug scene. The reference to taking drugs from the top of the stash shows how addiction destroys relationships as people will steal from loved ones to feed their habit. The image of tying up and shooting up the drugs creates a vividly disturbing picture of the junkie lifestyle.
The lyrics are a warning against drug addiction. They paint a picture of how drug use can ruin lives, relationships, and ultimately lead to death. The line "Your life becomes as sickening as that mess you call your face," describes how drugs can take a physical and mental toll on the user. And the reference to the dead girlfriend who overdosed on mace shows the danger of using cheap, deadly substitutes for drugs. The chorus repeats the line "Too much junkie business" emphasizing the danger and futility of drug addiction.
Overall, the song is a powerful and unsettling depiction of the reality of addiction. The lyrics warn us of the dangers of drug addiction and the tragic consequences it can have.
Line by Line Meaning
Well you run down to the corner baby, see what you can cop
You hurriedly go to the street corner to buy some drugs, hoping to score big.
You buy some for your sister and you take yours off the top
You get drugs for your sister as well, but keep the best stuff for yourself.
Run into the bathroom, fixing up a shot
You rush to the bathroom to prepare a syringe with the drugs you got.
Tie it up, shoot it up, bang your head and throw it up
You tie a tourniquet around your arm, inject the drug, nod out, and vomit.
Too much junkie business
The drug addiction has become overwhelming and unhealthy.
I don't wanna fuck around with you
I am not interested in dealing with someone who is so deep into addiction.
Your life becomes as sickening as that mess you call your face
Your life has become as messed up and unpleasant as your physical appearance.
The pig you call your girlfriend is dead from shooting mace
Your abusive girlfriend, who also uses drugs, died from injecting mace into her bloodstream.
Climbing up the walls, you're shooting all my balls
You are so desperate for drugs that you are willing to do anything, even steal from others.
Wrap it up, call it art, now your record makes the chart
You package and sell your addiction as a form of art and become successful in the music industry.
Too much junk, too much junk
The level of drug use is excessively high and dangerous.
I don't wanna see her hanging out with you
I do not want to see someone I care about associate with you due to your addiction issues.
Well you're the coolest thing in town, with your face right on the ground
Despite your drug addiction, you are seen as a trendsetter and influencer in the local scene.
Friends went through your pockets as the coffin went down
Your so-called friends stole from you as they watched you being buried.
You overdosed at last, spike stuck in your head
You finally succumbed to a drug overdose, with the syringe still stuck in your head.
Now you're dead… dead! dead! dead!
Your addiction has led to your demise, and now you are gone forever.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JOHN GENZALE, WALTER LURE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind