Copy Cats (album)
Copy Cats is an album by the American musicians Johnny Thunders and Patti Palladin.[1][2] It is a set of rock and roll oldies, originally recorded from 1954 to 1969. It was named after being a set of cover versions and as the title of a Gary U.S. Bonds song, "Copycat", which was recorded for the album but not released. Thunders was inspired by John Lennon's Rock 'n' Roll.[3]
Copy Cats | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1988 | |||
Recorded | May–December 1987, Falconer Studios, London; track 6 1984, Olympic Studios, London | |||
Label | Jungle Records | |||
Producer | Patti Palladin | |||
Johnny Thunders and Patti Palladin chronology | ||||
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Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [4] |
Chicago Tribune | [5] |
The Chicago Tribune wrote that the album "could have been tossed off as a lark, but the music—which ranges from swamp-rock to girl-group stylings to a mambo/R&B hybrid—emerges crisp, polished and generally enjoyable."[5] The Los Angeles Times stated that it "features punchy cover versions of mostly obscure R&B oldies, with Thunders using his thin, nasal voice to humorous effect with theatrical mannerisms."[6]
Track listing
The tracks were called "scenes"
Side one – "Act one"
- "Can't Seem to Make You Mine" (Sky Saxon) original version by The Seeds, 1965
- "Baby It's You" (Mack David, Barney Williams, Burt Bacharach) original version by The Shirelles, 1961
- "She Wants To Mambo" (Maxwell Davis, Gene Ford) original version by The Chanters, 1954
- "Treat Her Right" (Roy Head) original version by Roy Head and the Traits, 1965
- "Uptown To Harlem" (Betty Mabry) original version by The Chambers Brothers, 1967
- "Crawfish" (Fred Wise, Ben Weisman) original version by Kitty White and Elvis Presley from the film King Creole, 1958
Side two – "Act two"
- "Alligator Wine" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) original version by Screamin' Jay Hawkins, 1958
- "Two Time Loser" (Alden Bunn, Anna Sandford) original version by Tarheel Slim and Little Ann, 1963
- "Love Is Strange" (Ethel Cookie Smith, Mac Houston Baker) original version by Mickey & Sylvia, 1956
- "I Was Born To Cry" (Dion DiMucci) original version by Dion, 1962
- "He Cried" (Greg Richards, Ted Daryll) original version as "She Cried" by Jay and the Americans, 1962
- "Let Me Entertain You (Parts 1 and 2)" (Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim) original version from the musical Gypsy, 1959
Personnel
- Johnny Thunders – guitar, vocals
- Patti Palladin – vocals
- John Perry – guitar, synth strings
- Robbie A. Gordon – guitar
- Jimi Haynes – guitar
- Henri Padovani – guitar
- Billy Rath – bass
- Jerry Nolan – drums
- Steve Washington – drums
- Chris Taylor – bass, drums
- Barry Andrews – organ, piano
- Pedro Ortiz – tambourines, maracas, percussion
- Jim Dvorak – trumpet
- Nick Evans – tambourine
- John "Irish" Earle – saxophones
- Alex Bǎlǎnescu – violins
- Maribel La Manchega – castanets
- Chrissie Hynde – backing vocals
- Jayne County – backing vocals
- Blair Booth – backing vocals
- Simon Humphries – backing vocals
- Paul Long – backing vocals
- Judd Lander – harmonica
- Anthony Thistlethwaite – harmonica
- Technical
- Keith Hancock, Ken Thomas (on scene 6) – engineer
- Leee Black Childers – cover photography
References
- Goldstein, Patrick (5 Feb 1989). "Hot Copy". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 74.
- Gallo, Phil (April 21, 1989). "Etheridge sings of lost love; Thunders rocks on". Weekend Guide. New Haven Register. p. 34.
- MacInnis, Craig (June 30, 1989). "Johnny Thunders back in New York state of mind". Toronto Star. p. E14.
- Deming, Mark. "Copy Cats". AllMusic. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
- Popson, Tom (10 Feb 1989). "Red Flag wows clubs, Johnny Thunders heads for covers". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. H.
- Boehm, Mike (14 Oct 1989). "Thunders Tries to Erase Drug-Clouded Memories". Los Angeles Times. p. F2.