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)
Gotta Get Away from Tommy
New York Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And another brother named Tom.
His father is a professional fighter
And I think so is their Mom.
Gotta get away, Gotta get away
Get away from Tommy
One time and won't get away
Tommy gets his wisdom through excess
Tommy don't hold no scorn
Transcends limits of his culture
The very one from where I was born
Gotta get away, Gotta get away
Get away from Tommy
One time and won't get away
Won't stay away from me, get away from me, Tommy
Tommy don't follow no tradition
The song that he sings is his own
I can hear the machine bells ringing
I don't wanna die alone.
Gotta get away, Gotta get away
Get away from Tommy
One time and won't get away
Won't stay away from me
Gotta get away, Gotta get away
Get away from Tommy
One time and won't get away
Won't stay away from me, Get away from me, Tommy!
The New York Dolls' "Gotta Get Away from Tommy" is a song about the singer's desperate attempt to escape from someone named Tommy. The lyrics portray Tommy as an unpredictable and potentially dangerous character. The fact that Tommy's father and mother are both professional fighters implies that he comes from a volatile household. Despite this, Tommy is portrayed as someone who transcends the limits of his culture and is not bound by tradition. The singer states that he can hear the "machine bells ringing" and does not want to "die alone," giving the song a sense of urgency and desperation.
The repeated refrain of "Gotta get away" emphasizes the singer's need to escape from Tommy. However, the line "One time and won't get away" suggests that the singer has tried to escape in the past but has been unsuccessful. The use of repetition throughout the song creates a sense of unease and tension, which is fitting for a song about trying to escape someone.
Overall, "Gotta Get Away from Tommy" is a song with powerful imagery and a strong sense of urgency. It portrays the singer's struggle to escape from a potentially dangerous situation, and captures the feeling of being trapped and desperate.
Line by Line Meaning
Tommy's got a brother named Thomas
Tommy has a sibling called Thomas
And another brother named Tom.
Tommy also has a brother named Tom
His father is a professional fighter
Tommy's dad is a professional fighter
And I think so is their Mom.
The singer believes that Tommy's mother is also a professional fighter
Tommy gets his wisdom through excess
Tommy gains knowledge through excess
Tommy don't hold no scorn
Tommy is not resentful
Transcends limits of his culture
Tommy goes beyond the cultural boundaries set for him
The very one from where I was born
Tommy comes from the same culture as the singer
Tommy don't follow no tradition
Tommy does not adhere to any tradition
The song that he sings is his own
Tommy creates his own music
I can hear the machine bells ringing
The singer hears the sound of the machine bells
I don't wanna die alone.
The singer doesn't want to die alone
Gotta get away, Gotta get away
The singer wants to escape
Get away from Tommy
The singer wants to get away from Tommy
One time and won't get away
In the past, the singer was unable to escape
Won't stay away from me, get away from me, Tommy
The singer is telling Tommy to stay away from them
Gotta get away, Gotta get away
The singer still wants to escape
One time and won't get away
The singer has been unsuccessful in escaping before
Won't stay away from me
Tommy keeps coming back to the singer
Get away from me, Tommy!
The singer is again telling Tommy to stay away from them
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRIAN KOONIN, BRIAN D. DELANEY, DAVID JOHANSEN, SAMI LAURI TAKAMAKI, STEVEN J. CONTE, SYLVAIN MIZRAHI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RnR England 708090s
This sounds sooo good in 2021....Dolls forever
Babaziba
This album and their "Soundstage" appearance were fantastic. Sorry the reunion didn't stick for long.
Frantisek Tk aka Frank T
Brilliant, keep coming back to this track just so so good. Beyond good awesome. Loved Sylvain Sylvain super cool guy, fab guitarist. RIP Sylvain.
Robbie Ellis
Awesome song! Great guitar solo.
JPronobis
This…is…AWESOME
David Robinson
Love It .
BicycleJoe LoFiSoundAndVision
Killer song killer track
tincho cabj
This album"one day it will..."is better than the 2 original from their first period and is the only time than a reunion band delivers a better work than the historic previous ones.
Miracle Nih yh
The real sound punk rock
green zombie
The great NEW YORK DOLLS...