So Alone is the debut solo studio album by Johnny Thunders, then leader of the Heartbreakers and formerly lead guitarist for New York Dolls.
Background and content
After recording L.A.M.F. with the Heartbreakers, Thunders returned to the studio and recorded his first true solo album, So Alone. The album featured Heartbreakers Walter Lure and Billy Rath, as well as several well-known guest musicians, including Phil Lynott, Steve Marriott, Chrissie Hynde, Peter Perrett, Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Patti Palladin with whom Johnny would later record an album of duets. The album contained a mix of originals, standards from Heartbreakers live shows, and covers, including the Chantays' surf classic "Pipeline," the Shangri-Las' "Give Him a Great Big Kiss", Otis Blackwell's "Daddy Rollin' Stone" (done with Thunders on the opening verse, Phil Lynott on the 2nd and Steve Marriott on verse 3), and New York Dolls' "Subway Train."
Diss track
The track "London Boys" was an answer song/diss track from Thunders aimed at the Sex Pistols who had recorded a song called "New York" on their album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols a year earlier, in which they anachronistically attacked Thunders's band New York Dolls for being rip-offs.
Reception
Trouser Press called So Alone "Thunders at his best." Music critic Robert Christgau named the album one of the few import-only records from the 1970s he loved yet omitted from Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981).
Track listing
All tracks written by Johnny Thunders, except where indicated.
Side one
"Pipeline" (Bob Spickard, Brian Carman) "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" "Great Big Kiss" (George "Shadow" Morton) "Ask Me No Questions" "Leave Me Alone"
Side two
"Daddy Rollin' Stone" (Otis Blackwell) "London Boys" (Billy Rath, Walter Lure, Thunders) "(She's So) Untouchable" "Subway Train" (Thunders, David Johansen) "Downtown" (Thunders, Johansen)
CD release bonus tracks
Tracks included on 1992 CD reissue: "Dead or Alive" "Hurtin'" (Henri Paul Tortosa, Thunders) "So Alone" "The Wizard" (Marc Bolan)
Personnel
Johnny Thunders – guitar, vocals, producer
Koulla Kakoulli – vocals
Patti Palladin – vocals
Chrissie Hynde – vocals on "Subway Train" Peter Perrett – guitar, vocals Steve Jones – guitar Walter Lure – guitar Henri Paul Tortosa – guitar Phil Lynott – bass, vocals on "Daddy Rollin' Stone" Paul Gray – bass Billy Rath – bass Paul Cook – drums Mike Kellie – drums Steve Nicol – drums John "Irish" Earle – saxophone Steve Lillywhite – piano, keyboards, producer, engineer Steve Marriott – harmonica, piano, keyboards, vocals on "Daddy Rollin' Stone" Technical Peter Gravelle – photography Molly Reeve-Morrison – project coordinator Lee Herschberg – remastering Ira Robbins – producer, liner notes Bill Smith – art direction, design Joe McEwan – producer