You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory

"You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory"
Song
B-side	"Hurtin'"

"You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory" is a song released in 1978 by ex-New York Doll Johnny Thunders. The title was taken from a line in “Better Living Through TV,” an episode of the TV sitcom, The Honeymooners and was written for his close friend Fabienne Shine.

Considered by many his signature song, this poignant ballad centers on Thunders’ heroin addiction. Though still in his 20s, he understands that he is fighting a losing battle with his best years long behind him. Thunders did survive 13 more years of self-destruction, but ultimately, the song’s bleak message became prophetic. Thunders' friend, Peter Perrett, from the English New Wave band The Only Ones, supplied guitar and backing vocals.

Covers

• Guns N' Roses covered the song on their album, "The Spaghetti Incident?", and bassist Duff McKagan did it all: guitars, vocals, bass, and drums.
• The Mighty Wah! recorded an edited version of the song, featuring only the opening four lines of the first verse and the chorus.
• Manic Street Preachers Singer & Guitarist James Dean Bradfield played the The Mighty Wah! edit of the song on several dates of the 2004 Lifeblood tour as intro to Cardiff Afterlife, dedicating the song to the band’s missing lyricist Richey Edwards.
• Giant Sand covered Thunders’ “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory” on the album Ballad of a Thin Line Man (1986).
• Ronnie Spector, of The Ronettes fame, recorded a version of the song on her 1999 She Talks to Rainbows EP featuring Joey Ramone.
• The King Khan & BBQ Show have been known to cover the song at their live shows.
• The Cathy Santonies, a Chicago, Illinois punk band, cover the song live.
• Hardcore punk band Sheer Terror included a studio version on their compilation album Bulldog Edition. They also performed the song at the end of their final reunion show at the legendary CBGB's October 10, 2004.
• Michael Monroe of Hanoi Rocks covered the song on his debut solo album, Nights Are So Long (1987).
• The Bruisers, classic skinhead/oi! band from Boston, recorded a studio version twice. Both tracks were released on their Still Standing Up CD/EP, the older of the two versions was re-titled "Ode to Johnny".
• Mondo Generator covered the song for their EP, Australian Tour 2008.

Pop Culture Usage

• The HBO drama The Sopranos featured the song at the end of episode 11, “House Arrest,” during season two.
• In the Skateboarding video New Blood by the skateboard company Zero Skateboards in the closing part.
• The song is played in Martin Scorsese's Bringing Out the Dead (1999).
• John Waite references this song in "Downtown," off his album Temple Bar (1995).