''Copy Cats'' is an album by the American musicians

Johnny Thunders John Anthony Genzale (July 15, 1952 – April 23, 1991), known professionally as Johnny Thunders, was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He came to prominence in the early 1970s as a member of New York Dolls. He later formed the He ...

and Patti Palladin. 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 John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...

's ''

Rock 'n' Roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

''.

Critical reception

The ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

'' 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." The ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' 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."

Track listing

The tracks were called "scenes"

Side one – "Act one"

#" Can't Seem to Make You Mine" (

Sky Saxon Sky "Sunlight" Saxon (born Richard Elvern Marsh; August 20, 1937 – June 25, 2009) was an American rock and roll musician best known as the leader and singer of the 1960s Los Angeles Psychedelic rock, psychedelic garage rock band The Seeds. ...

) original version by The Seeds, 1965 #" Baby It's You" (

Mack David Mack David (July 5, 1912 – December 30, 1993) was an American lyricist and songwriter, best known for his work in film and television, with a career spanning the period between the early 1940s and the early 1970s. David was credited with writing ...

, Barney Williams,

Burt Bacharach Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; May 12, 1928 – February 8, 2023) was an American composer, songwriter, record producer, and pianist who is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures of 20th-century popular music. Start ...

) original version by

The Shirelles The Shirelles were an American girl group formed in Passaic, New Jersey, in 1957. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens (later Shirley Alston Reeves), Doris Coley (later Doris Kenner-Jackson), Addie "Micki" Harris (later Addie Harris McF ...

, 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 The Chambers Brothers are an American psychedelic soul band, best known for their eleven-minute 1968 psychedelic soul hit " Time Has Come Today". The group was part of the wave of new music that integrated American blues and gospel traditions ...

, 1967 #" Crawfish" ( Fred Wise, Ben Weisman) original version by Kitty White and

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

from the film ''

King Creole ''King Creole'' is a 1958 American Musical film, musical drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and based on the 1952 novel ''A Stone for Danny Fisher'' by Harold Robbins. Produced by Hal B. Wallis, the film stars Elvis Presley, Carolyn Jones, W ...

'', 1958

Side two – "Act two"

#"Alligator Wine" ( Jerry Leiber,

Mike Stoller Leiber and Stoller were an American songwriting and record production duo, consisting of lyricist Jerome Leiber (; April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933). As well as many R&B and pop hits, they wr ...

) 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 Dion Francis DiMucci (born July 18, 1939), better known Mononym, mononymously as Dion, is an American singer and songwriter. His music incorporates elements of doo-wop, Pop music, pop, Rock music, rock, Rhythm and blues, R&B, folk music, folk an ...

) original version by Dion, 1962 #"He Cried" (Greg Richards, Ted Daryll) original version as "

She Cried "She Cried" is a song written by Ted Daryll and Greg Richards. It was initially recorded by Daryll in July 1961 but became a big hit when covered by Jay and the Americans for their 1962 album, ''She Cried''. In 1962, the song reached number five ...

" by Jay and the Americans, 1962 #"Let Me Entertain You (Parts 1 and 2)" (

Jule Styne Jule Styne ( ; born Julius Kerwin Stein; December 31, 1905 – September 20, 1994) was an English-American songwriter and composer widely known for a series of Broadway theatre, Broadway musical theatre, musicals, including several famous frequ ...

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March22, 1930November26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. He received Lis ...

) original version from the musical ''

Gypsy {{Infobox ethnic group , group = Romani people , image = , image_caption = , flag = Roma flag.svg , flag_caption = Romani flag created in 1933 and accepted at the 1971 World Romani Congress , po ...

'', 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 Jayne County (born Wayne Rogers) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, record producer, and visual artist whose career has spanned six decades. Under the name Wayne County (inspired by Wayne County, Michigan), she was the vocalist of infl ...

– 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

{{Authority control Johnny Thunders albums 1988 albums