album · February 6, 1978

You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory

Johnny Thunders

Play 30s preview

Cleopatra RecordsSee this day

punkrock

This 1978 single captures Thunders in a moment of transition, offering a rawer, more introspective counterpoint to his previous band work. It served as a preview of the sound that would define much of his solo output.

• The song was recorded at the Power Station in New York City.
• It was produced by Steve Ronsen and Tony Name.
• The single was released on Cleopatra Records, a label that would later reissue much of Thunders' catalog.

Johnny Thunders was a Bronx-born guitarist, a foundational figure in the New York punk and proto-punk scene, best known for his work with the New York Dolls and his raw, blues-inflected guitar style. In 1978, he was navigating a solo career following the dissolution of the Heartbreakers, seeking to establish his own artistic identity outside of the band format.