Glam Rock straight from the seventies. The Dolls were full of attitude, raw music, drugs, and mascara. They would offend as many as possible and often sabotage their own career…but they made their mark in rock history.
This song was written by Dolls lead singer David Johansen and guitarist Johnny Thunders. It was on their self titled debut album. The song was released as a single in 1973 with the B side called Trash. The song sounds loose and rocking. They had a punk hard rock sound and they influence many bands such as KISS, Guns n’ Roses, The Replacements, Sex Pistols, and The Smiths. Morrissey from the Smiths helped organize a reunion concert in 2004.
Todd Rundgren (Todd was everywhere in the 70s) produced this album and Jack Douglas engineered it…he would later produce and work with artists Cheap Trick and John and Yoko on Double Fantasy.
The album peaked at #116 in the Billboard album charts but never hit the top 100.
Jack Douglas on guitarist Johnny Thunders: “Johnny never played the same thing twice. Sometimes, playing with the rhythm section, he just got the feel and he nailed it. At other times, he would stop playing because he knew he wasn’t going to get into it and he’d want to redo it later. Suddenly, he’d be in the control room with me. Then, when he overdubbed his leads, I would do four or five tracks and just comp them like a vocal. He was totally, totally unpredictable, and that’s how he was in life.”
Personality Crisis
Well we can’t take it this week
And her friends don’t want another speech
Hoping for a better day to hear what she’s got to say
All about that
Personality Crisis you got it while it was hot
But now frustration and heartache is what you got
(That’s why they talk about Personality)
But now your trying to be some no you got to do some
Wanna be someone who cow wow wows
But you think about the times you did they took every ounce
When it sure got to be a shame when you start to scream and shout
You got to contradict all those times you were butterflying about
(You were butterflying)
All about that Personality Crisis you got it while it was hot
But now frustration and heartache is what you got
break
And your a prima ballerina on a spring afternoon
Change on into the wolfman howling at the moon hooowww
All about that Personality Crisis you got it while it was hot
But now frustration and heartache is what you got
Now with all the crossing fingers that mother nature says
Your mirrors get jammed up with all your friends
That personality everything starts to blend
Personality when your mind starts to blend
Personality impression of a friend,
Of a friend, of a friend, of a friend, of a friend
Personality wondering how celebrities ever met
(Look and find out on television)
Personality Crisis you got it while it was hot
Frustration and heartache is all you got, don’t you worry
Personality Crisis please don’t cry
It’s just a Personality Crisis, please don’t stop
Because you walk a Personality
Talk a Personality
This reminds me of the Fugs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I always had an aversion against the glitter image and prefer demin blue dresses. But the music of the New York Dolls is the best hard rock. Nice song, nice album – you can dance to it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do like the rawness of it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep, “Personality Crisis” is a speed trip in the dragmobil on the opposite lane, perfectly produced by Mr. Todd Rundgren.
LikeLiked by 1 person
ramshackle at it’s best.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t know if you like Johnny Thunders? He made a few interesting records: “So Alone” or “Copy Cats” with Patti Palladin.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never knew much about him (but his name) until recently when I read the Replacements book Trouble Boys. I’ve been listening to some of his music with the Heartbreakers…
I will check that out.
LikeLike
To me, they’re like the Velvet Underground “plus”…which is to say, I’ve heard their name for decades and come across references to them frequently but I am hard pressed to think of a song by them that I know…probably they were more influential for their trend-setting style than the music but this one seems to foreshadow some of the punk that rolled around two or three years later. An obscure one – thanks fro sharing it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yea I’m trying to reach out…outside of what I’ve usually done. I do like the rawness of them. I didn’t know the Smiths were such fans. A lot of those 80’s alternative bands really liked Johnny Thunders.
LikeLike
Great tune. Great band. Like you say, they were wildly influential. They emerged at the crossroads of glam, punk and metal. In other words–they were a really good hard rock band.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved the rawness of it all…it’s exciting because it sounds like they will go off the tracks but manage to pull it back on.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right. So true. They’re really good musicians, but they don’t get bogged down with perfection.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Man, Jack Douglas was everywhere back than
LikeLiked by 1 person
HIm and Todd worked with everyone.
LikeLike
I still can’t get over seeing DJ as the lead singer of the band. I know him as the goofball in the SNL band and as the cab driver in Bill Murray’s Christmas Carol. He’s one of those people I wonder where is he now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh the cab driver is what I’ll always remember him by. He acted quite a bit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A band that had zero talent musically, but somehow influenced a ton of acts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Raw rock without any filters… they did influence a lot of people
LikeLiked by 1 person
CLASSIC
LikeLiked by 1 person
Todd and New York Dolls are both nominated for the RaRHoF this year. Wonder if either will make it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Todd is the one that confuses me the most. Why isn’t he in already on just producing alone?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Carole King should have been in years ago too – she has this weird situation where she is in as a songwriter, but as a solo artist she made one of the biggest albums of the 1970s.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just commented the same thing on a King post yesterday…that I will totally agree.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think she’ll cruise in this year, there’s been a bit of buzz about Tapestry’s 50th anniversary.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This nicely rocks. The band’s name sounds familiar, but I’m not sure I know any of their songs, except this one now!😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yea it’s in your face and raw!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That opening riff has a real Slade feel to it, right? And the rest is great, rough and ready rock n’ roll
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes they influenced more than they sold but what a loud noise coming at you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is great. I’m fairly familiar with it, but for some reason or another I’ve just never spent time sitting down to listen to the New York Dolls beyond a couple of tracks. Maybe I should remedy that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Loud and raw…sometimes that is just called for…they influenced a lot of bands…much more than albums sold but they were a lot of fun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just never made time for this band. No reason why. I guess they didn’t push their way onto my box. I had a buddy who was a big fan.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think they fit under “bands who influenced more than they sold” but there is nothing wrong with that…they have some good company…with the Replacements, Big Star, and others.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Funny how that works huh? Why we adopt certain bands. I guess our ear leads the way.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Speaking of those kind of bands… CB where did you first hear Green on Red? Of all those 80s alt college bands… they had some devoted fans but man I thought the Replacements were not well known…these guys had some great great stuff also…but they are truly in the shadows.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I cant remember Max. I was listening to so much of that stuff back then. It was Blaster time with Green On Red, Beat Farmers, X, Jason and the Scorchers. They all had that rock/country vibe I love. Joe Ely was in there to. There were a few more. I lived in Vancouver so maybe it was a West Coast thing. I got into Chuck Prophet a while ago and didnt even remember him being in G on R. I think the Replacements were probably more popular. Thats not saying much
LikeLiked by 2 people
I cant remember Max. I was listening to so much of that stuff back then. It was Blaster time with Green On Red, Beat Farmers, X,
Jason and the Scorchers. They all had that rock/country vibe I love. Joe Ely was in there to. There were a few more. I lived in Vancouver so maybe it was a West Coast thing. I got into Chuck Prophet a while ago and didnt even remember him being in G on R. I think the Replacements were probably more popular. Thats not saying much
LikeLiked by 2 people