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🔘 Jet Boy – Single: Nov. 1973

  • Writer: New York Dolls
    New York Dolls
  • Nov 30, 1973
  • 3 min read





A ferocious blast of proto‑punk swagger, “Jet Boy” captures the New York Dolls at their raw, chaotic, and electrifying best — a glam‑sleaze anthem that helped define the sound and attitude of the emerging punk movement.


Released on November 30, 1973, the single arrived as the second UK release from the Dolls’ self‑titled debut album. Issued by Mercury Records under catalogue number 6052 402, the track delivered the band’s trademark collision of glam, garage rock, and streetwise attitude. Backed with “Vietnamese Baby,” the single showcased the Dolls’ explosive energy and their influence on the soon‑to‑erupt punk scene. Although it did not chart in the UK, “Jet Boy” became one of the group’s most iconic recordings and a cornerstone of their legacy.


Label: Mercury Records

Catalogue Number: 6052 402

Format: 7" Vinyl Single (Solid Centre)

Released: November 30, 1973 (UK)


🔘 Track List


UK 7" Single — Mercury – 6052 402 — 1973


A. Jet Boy

B. Vietnamese Baby


Written by: David Johansen, Johnny Thunders

Produced by: Todd Rundgren

Recorded: 1973


🔘 Key Highlights

• Released November 30, 1973

• A-side: Second UK single from the debut album

• B-side: Album track

• Chart performance: Did not chart in the UK

• Recorded at: 1973 Mercury sessions


🔘 The Story

By late 1973, the New York Dolls had already earned a reputation as one of the most dangerous and exciting bands on the New York scene. “Jet Boy,” one of the standout tracks from their debut album, distilled their sound into three minutes of swaggering, high‑octane rock‑and‑roll.


Todd Rundgren’s production captured the band’s chaotic brilliance — Johnny Thunders’ slashing guitar, Jerry Nolan’s pounding drums, and David Johansen’s charismatic, half‑sung, half‑snarled vocals. The B‑side, “Vietnamese Baby,” offered a darker, grittier counterpoint, reflecting the Dolls’ blend of glam theatrics and street‑level grit.


Though the single failed to chart in the UK, it became a cult favourite and a foundational influence on punk, glam‑punk, and alternative rock for decades to come.


🔘 Variants (UK)

• 7", 45 RPM, Single — Mercury – 6052 402 — UK — 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Promo — Mercury – 6052 402 — UK — 1973

• Issued in standard Mercury company sleeve


🔘 Chart Performance


UK — Official Singles Chart

Did not chart


🔘 Context & Notes

• A-side: One of the Dolls’ most iconic proto‑punk tracks

• B-side: Album track

• Production: Todd Rundgren

• Sleeve notes: Standard Mercury company sleeve

• Historical placement: A key glam‑punk single influencing the rise of punk

• Reissues / compilation appearances: Featured on numerous Dolls anthologies


🔘 Related Material

• *New York Dolls* (1973)

• “Personality Crisis” (1973)

• “Trash” (1973)

• *Too Much Too Soon* (1974)


🔘 Discography

Personality Crisis — 1973

Trash — 1973

Jet Boy — 1973

Stranded in the Jungle — 1974


🔘 Mini‑Timeline

✦ 1973 — Recorded during debut album sessions

✦ Nov 30, 1973 — UK single released

✦ 1973–74 — Gains cult following despite no chart placement


🔘 Glam Flashback

A snarling, high‑voltage proto‑punk classic — raw, reckless, and pure New York Dolls attitude.



🔘 Sources

Primary reference sources: Mercury Records, Discogs, contemporary music‑press documentation, archival references.


🔘 Copyright Notice

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.






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