The New York Dolls were a rock group formed in New York City in 1971, now f… Read Full Bio ↴The New York Dolls were a rock group formed in New York City in 1971, now famous as a proto-punk band. Though they found limited success during their initial run, the New York Dolls prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era, particularly among other NYC bands such as the Ramones. And, even later; the Dolls' over-the-top crossdressing and sexual tone influenced the look of many glam metal groups, especially that of early Mötley Crüe and Poison, and their shambling and sloppy but highly energetic playing style set the tone for many later rock n roll bands.

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)

Kids Like You
New York Dolls Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(i sold my heart to the junkman)
Whoa yeah
(i sold my heart to the junkman)
Whoa yeah
(yes I did yes I did yes I did)
And I'll never fall in love again

I give my heart to you

The woman I trusted
You brought it back to me
All broken and busted

(i sold my heart to the junkman)
I sold my heart to the junkman
(i sold my heart to the junkman)
And I'll never fall in love again
(now I'll never fall in love again)

You took my heart because you
Thought you could use it
Just like a little toy
You battered and bruised it

(i sold my heart to the junkman)
I sold my heart to the junkman
(i sold my heart to the junkman)
And I'll never fall in love again

(now I'll never fall in love again)

And like a little drama
In a simple matter
Love played a leading part
(yes he did yes he did)
We planned a happy ending
But now I'm left with a broken heart

I threw my pride aside and
Said we'll be friends dear
Two jobs I cannot have
For this is the ending

(i sold my heart to the junkman)
I sold my heart to the junkman
(i sold my heart to the junkman)
And I'll never fall in love again
(now I'll never fall in love again)

I sold my heart to the junkman yeah
I sold my heart to the junkman yeah
Yes I did yes I did yes I did
I sold my heart to the junkman yeah

I sold my heart to the junkman yeah
I sold my heart to the junkman yeah

Overall Meaning

The New York Dolls’ “Kids Like You” is a song about the singer’s broken heart, which they feel was taken for granted and mistreated by a former love interest. The use of the phrase “sold my heart to the junkman” is symbolic of giving away something that is valuable and cherished, only to have it discarded and left in ruins. The lyrics suggest that the singer trusted their partner with their heart, but they returned it “broken and busted”, as if it were never valued in the first place.

The second verse emphasizes the idea of the heart being misused like a toy, battered and bruised until it was no longer whole. The singer seems to have given everything to this person, only to be left with nothing but emptiness and heartbreak. The third verse explores the irony of a failed love story, where the couple had planned a happy ending, but the singer is now left alone and heartbroken. The last verse states that the singer has given up on this love, and will settle for being “friends dear” but will never allow themselves to fall in love again.

Overall, the lyrics to “Kids Like You” paint a picture of a heartbroken person who has been mistreated and taken for granted, and has made the decision to never fall in love again. The use of powerful symbolism helps emphasize the weight of the lyrics and the pain that the singer is feeling.

Line by Line Meaning

(i sold my heart to the junkman)
The singer gave their heart to someone, who then treated it poorly, leaving it broken and unusable.

(whoa yeah)
An exclamation of disappointment or shock.

(yes I did yes I did yes I did)
Affirming that the singer gave their heart away and feels regret about it.

(and I'll never fall in love again)
The artist is so hurt from this experience that they vow to never fall in love again.

You brought it back to me
The person the artist trusted returned their heart to them, but it was damaged beyond repair.

All broken and busted
The singer's heart was returned in a state of disrepair, a metaphor for how the person treated the singer.

You took my heart because you
The person the singer trusted took their heart, hoping to use it without any concern for the singer's feelings.

Thought you could use it
The person the artist trusted saw the artist's heart as a mere object to be utilized for their own purposes.

Just like a little toy
Comparing someone's heart to a toy is a way of diminishing its importance, emphasizing the callousness of the person's actions.

You battered and bruised it
The person returned the artist's heart in a state of disrepair, as though it had been physically abused.

And like a little drama
The situation of the singer's heart being returned in this way has the feeling and impact of a dramatic event.

In a simple matter
Despite the drama, the cause of the problem was likely something simple and easily avoidable.

Love played a leading part
The cause of the drama and heartbreak was a failed love affair, where one person did not treat the other with respect and care.

(yes he did yes he did)
Affirming that love played a role in the pain the singer is feeling.

We planned a happy ending
The singer and the person they trusted had visualized a happy future together, but it never came to pass.

But now I'm left with a broken heart
The happy ending did not materialize, and instead the artist is left with emotional pain and suffering.

I threw my pride aside and
To try and salvage the situation, the artist put their pride aside and tried to make things work with the person who hurt them.

Said we'll be friends dear
The singer tried to maintain a relationship with the person, despite the hurt and damage they caused.

Two jobs I cannot have
The effort to repair the relationship was futile, and now the singer cannot have either a romantic or a friendly relationship with the person.

For this is the ending
The artist acknowledges that this is the final result of the failed relationship, and there is no putting the pieces back together.

I sold my heart to the junkman yeah
Repeating the refrain from earlier in the song, emphasizing the artist's sense of loss and regret.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVID JOHANSEN, SYLVAIN MIZRAHI

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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