JOHNNY YEN

First released 1986

Johnny Yen is a character in Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life" song.  The lyrics are about a self-destructive artist and could be directed at some of the previous members of James who had been caught up in the drugs or crime scene.

The song was premiered on a Muriel Gray radio session in 1983. At the time of recording, Gavan wanted this to be the lead single from the album but was outvoted by the band and Lenny Kaye, who was trying to get the band to write a hit single whilst in the studio.

The song itself is still a centrepiece of the James set today and sounds as fresh as ever , allowing Saul room for his violin playing and Tim to improvise lyrics on various subjects - boybands, Oasis, Kurt Cobain, male/female relationships.

An acoustic version of the track appears on the Unhinged CD sold with initial copies of the Best Of.  The fact the original release was on Sire maybe prevented the track appearing on the LP itself.

WHERE TO GET

Album Version : Stutter LP (JIMLP 1), CAS (JIMC 1), CD (7599-25437-2)

Album Version : Fresh As A Daisy - The Singles (2 disc version)

Album Version : The Gathering Sound boxset USB stick

Live Version : One Man Clapping LP (ONE MAN 1 LP), CAS (ONE MAN 1 C), CD (ONE MAN 1 CD)

Live Version (Alton Towers 4.7.92) : She’s A Star CDS1 (JIMED 16), Tomorrow Canadian 2-CDS set (314 574 543-2)

Acoustic Version : The Best Of 2CD (558 173-2)

Live Version - Getting Away With It Live CD (SANDD119), VHS (0927451603), DVD (0927451602)

Live Version (Manchester 1998) : The Gathering Sound boxset CD2

CHORDS

Intro and Verse : D

Bridge ("poor old Johnny Yen set himself on fire again") : G, A, D

Chorus ("See the young men itching to burn.......") : D, A, D, G, A 

LYRICS

Ladies and gentlemen, here's my disease

Give me a standing ovation and your sympathy

Poor old Johnny Yen set himself on fire again

See the gene genie on his high-wire act

At the back of his mind lies a suicide pact

Poor old Johnny Yen set himself on fire again

See the young men itching to burn

Waiting for their own star turn

Needing danger, a war would do

If they can't let it out, they'll pick on you

Poor old Johnny Yen set himself on fire again, on fire again

Poor old Johnny Yen set himself on fire again

See Houdini and his underwater tricks

You were sitting at the front, hoping his locks would stick

Watch Knievel hit the 17th bus

You got crushed in the souvenir rush

Poor old Johnny Yen set himself on fire again

I said poor old Johnny Yen set himself on fire again

See the young men itching to burn

Waiting for their own star turn

Needing danger, a war would do

If they can't let it out, they'll pick on you

Poor old Johnny Yen set himself on fire again, on fire again

I said poor old Johnny Yen set himself on fire again

Ladies and gentlemen, here's my disease

Give me a standing ovation and your sympathy

Come on, somebody, finish him off please

Put the poor fool out of his misery, will you

Can't you see he's had enough?

Finish him off, somebody

Next!