Chinese Rocks by Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers

Album: L.A.M.F. (1977)

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Songfacts®:

Dee Dee Ramone wrote this song, which is about scoring heroin: "Hey is Dee Dee home, do you wanna take a walk do you wanna go cop, you wanna go get some Chinese rocks." He wanted his band The Ramones to record it, but they refused because it was about drugs. Ramone then brought the song to Richard Hell, who added some lyrics and recorded it with his band The Heartbreakers. >>
Suggestion credit:
Nikki - Sunderland, England
The Ramones did end up recording this, but not until 1979 when it appeared on their album End Of The Century.
The band Hanoi Rocks took their name partly as a result of this song. They were big fans of The Ramones, and thought about using "Chinese Rocks" as their name, but decided to modify it.
Nick Cave mentions this song in "There She Goes, My Beautiful World." He sings, "And Johnny Thunders was half alive when he wrote Chinese Rocks."

Comments: 4

Credit Is Due from NycRAMONES did not change all the words. Just DEE DEE to Artie. Even if they did who cares. Dee Dee wrote it. He can do whatever he wants with it.
Not best song by either band anyway,
Poisoner 24 from CaDon't forget, on End of the Century, the Ramones changed all the words, making it into an extremely lame assed version of the song. So lame. Unlistenable if you ask me.
Jack from Wantagh, NyI saw Michael Monroe of Hanoi Rocks at a Johnny Thunders show and he guested on a few numbers including Chinese Rocks, with his saxophone. Got to meet Johnny more than once as I lived 20 mins from NYC on Long Island. Was picking up tickets early, and saw Johnny come out of the Ritz after a sound check, by himself with his junk shop Les Paul in hand. (he was known to get half the money at sound check and half at the end of the show so he could "cop". My buddy and me walked with him to a parking lot, he asked us to walk on either side of him and joked, "you guys are my body guards for the next block". He was super nice, asked what songs we liked, kind of like a cool older brother. At the paring lot he stopped an said, "this is where you stop, I'll see ya laytah" and met the two black dudes from his band (The Que Sera Sera tour) ducked into a silver Mercedes with tinted glass and sped away.
Todd from Toronto, Canadakickass song! thunders rules

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