Their self-titled album was an underground sensation, particularly with smooth 70s easy listening ruling the airwaves back then. Chrissie Hynde once commented that every punk band ("And I knew them all") had both New York Dolls albums, illustrating the Dolls' influence. Still, the original line-up experienced many problems, particularly with the mainstream record industry that didn't know what to do with the wild group. Upon their break-up, frontman David Johansen had a moderately successful solo career.
In 2004, the three surviving members reunited for some sporadic touring. In 2006, now down to two surviving members, the band released a new album, 'One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This'. Two albums followed after this: 'Cause I Sez So', in 2009, followed up by a revamped lineup for 2011's 'Dancing Backward in High Heels'.
Sylvain Sylvain died on January 13, 2021. He was 69 years old.
Final lineup
* David Johansen - vocals, harmonica (1971-1977, 2004-2011)
* Sylvain Sylvain - guitar, bass, piano (1971-1977, 2004-2011; died 2021)
* Claton Pitcher - guitar (2011)
* Kenny Aaronson - bass (2021)
* Brian Delaney - drums (2005-2011)
Past members
* Johnny Thunders (deceased) - guitar, vocals (1971-1975)
* Rick Rivets - guitar (1971)
* Arthur Kane (deceased) - bass guitar (1971-1975, 2004)
* Billy Murcia (deceased) - drums (1971-1972)
* Jerry Nolan (deceased) - drums (1972-1976)
* Blackie Lawless - guitar (1975)
* Peter Jordan - bass (1975-1977)
* Chris Robison - keyboards (1975-1977)
* Tony Machine - drums (1976-1977)
* Gary Powell - drums (2004)
* Steve Conte - guitar (2004-2010)
* Sami Yaffa - bass (2005-2010)
* Frank Infante - guitar (2010-2011)
* Brian Koonin - keyboards (2005-2006)
* Earl Slick – guitar (2011)
* Jason Hill – bass (2010–2011)
Gonna Be A
New York Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't you know you're in my neighborhood
They tell me you're pretty fast on your feet
You best be at the dance hall down on 14th street, you hear
There's gonna be a showdown
There's gonna be a showdown
I've got ten notches on my shoes
I just can't lose
They call me the top cat, right in this man's town
I just want you to meet me, baby, before the sun goes down
There's gonna be a showdown
There's gonna be a showdown
All the girls been losin faith in me
Don't seem like top cat's great
As he once used to be
I know I'm good
So you better be better
When you get yourself out on that floor
You better have your steps together
There's gonna be a showdown
There's gonna be a showdown
Now my reputation has been one of the fastest men alive
So I'm gonna see how good you are when I count to five
(One) oh man, you better step
(Two) You can do better than that
(Three)come on baby,you better step aside
(Four-Five) And let me get out here and do my jive
There's gonna be a showdown
There's gonna be a showdown, showdown, oh yeah
The New York Dolls wrote "There's Gonna Be a Riot" in their signature punk rock style in 1973. The song tells the story of a dance-off between two men who claim to be the best dancers in town. The singer boasts that he has "ten notches on [his] shoes" and is "the top cat right in this man's town." He challenges his opponent to meet him at the dance hall on 14th Street, warning him that "there's gonna be a showdown."
The song's lyrics reflect the competitive and confrontational nature of the punk rock movement. The singer's confidence and bravado are typical of punk rock songs, which often celebrate rebellion and individuality. The dance-off serves as a metaphor for the larger cultural clashes taking place in the 1970s, as young people rejected the conformist values of previous generations.
Line by Line Meaning
Say man, they tell me you think you're pretty good
I heard you're confident about your dance moves, but you're in my neighborhood now.
Don't you know you're in my neighborhood
You're messing with the wrong guy, because you're in my territory now.
They tell me you're pretty fast on your feet
I heard you're a good dancer and quick on your feet.
You best be at the dance hall down on 14th street, you hear
If you wanna prove your worth, come to the dance hall on 14th street and show me what you're made of.
There's gonna be a showdown
There'll be a dance competition, and I'll prove I'm the best dancer in town.
I've got ten notches on my shoes
I've won ten dance competitions, and I'm ready to win another one.
When it comes to dancin', I just can't lose
I'm so confident in my dancing skills that I know I'll win the competition.
They call me the top cat, right in this man's town
Everyone knows me as the best dancer in this town.
I just want you to meet me, baby, before the sun goes down
I want to meet you before the competition starts, so you can see who you're up against.
All the girls been losin' faith in me
The girls used to think I was the best dancer, but now they're starting to doubt me.
Don't seem like top cat's great as he once used to be
I'm not as great as I used to be, but I still think I can win this competition.
I know I'm good, so you better be better
I'm confident in my dancing skills, so you better bring your A-game if you think you can beat me.
When you get yourself out on that floor, you better have your steps together
You better have your dance moves down pat if you want to have a chance at beating me.
Now my reputation has been one of the fastest men alive
I'm known for being one of the fastest and best dancers around.
So I'm gonna see how good you are when I count to five
I'll give you a chance to show off your skills when I count to five.
(One) oh man, you better step
You better start dancing now if you want to keep up.
(Two) You can do better than that
I know you can do better than that, so show me what you've got.
(Three) come on baby, you better step aside
If you can't keep up, you might as well step aside and let me take the lead.
(Four-five) And let me get out here and do my jive
I'm about to show off my best dance moves and prove that I'm the best.
There's gonna be a showdown, showdown, oh yeah
The dance competition will decide who the best dancer is, and I'm confident it's going to be me.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KENNY GAMBLE, LEON HUFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind