custom format list output problem

[jmarx34]

I'm trying to modify the output of a Plain List.
I need to unlink the article title, and add the link to the article to some text I'm gonna put in myself ('Read More').
I tried modifying the code in the the list.php file to be the following:

<li><?php echo $item->title ?><a href="<?php echo $item->title ?>">More &raquo;</li>

(I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to un-link the title itself.)
But the link can't be added to the 'More'.
Anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks in advance for any help.
J