Wild East
Hunter Ian Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well it's Tuesday night
How I'd like to be inside at this time
Watchin' t.v. is killin' me
It's such a drag tonight
I feel like jason
Just found a rusty fleece
And the cyclops all laughin' at me
You can't tame wild east
Wild east wild east
Wild east wild east

Now some cynic from the methadone clinic
He keeps on bothering me
He writes all my lyrics backwards on diapers
And hangs 'em from the local trees
Watch out, white boy
Don't argue with a sawn off piece
I'm a crazy son, mama
I love the grease of wild east
Wild east wild east
Wild east wild east
Wild east wild east
Wild east wild east

Now Jezebel don't feel too well, she talks to Jane
'bout a one way conversation on a subway train
Hey! they took away her wallet and her valise
Love hate, love hate, love hate, love hate, wild east
Wild east wild east
Wild east wild east




Wild east wild east
Wild east come on crazy wild east

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Hunter Ian's song Wild East are filled with a mixture of emotions and imagery that paint a picture of a restless and tumultuous place. The song opens on a Tuesday night, seemingly a time of the week that holds no particular excitement for the singer. He wishes he could be inside, perhaps watching television, but instead feels trapped and bored. He compares himself to Jason, the Greek mythological hero who famously confronted the one-eyed giant Cyclops. In this case, though, the singer is the one being laughed at by the monsters around him.


The song then takes a darker turn when the singer mentions a "cynic from the methadone clinic," who seems to be bothering him. This stranger writes the singer's lyrics backwards on diapers and hangs them from trees, an image that is simultaneously disturbing and surreal. The singer warns himself to watch out, knowing that he shouldn't argue with someone who has a weapon. Despite the chaos around him, the singer confesses that he loves the "grease" of Wild East, suggesting that even in the midst of danger and confusion, there is something appealing about being part of such a wild, uncharted place.


Overall, the lyrics of Wild East capture a sense of restlessness and an almost daring willingness to take risks, even when the consequences are unclear. The song's images are at times poetic and at times jarring, but they all contribute to a powerful, evocative portrait of a place that is simultaneously fascinating and troubling.


Line by Line Meaning

Well it's Tuesday night
The singer is setting the scene by stating what day and time it is.


How I'd like to be inside at this time
The singer is expressing his desire to be inside at this moment, possibly because he's not enjoying where he currently is.


Watchin' t.v. is killin' me
The singer feels bored and uninterested in watching TV as it's not providing any entertainment or stimulation.


It's such a drag tonight
The singer is not having a good time and is finding the situation tedious and unpleasant.


I feel like jason
The singer is comparing himself to the Greek mythological hero Jason. This could suggest that he feels powerless in his current situation.


Just found a rusty fleece
The singer has discovered something old and decrepit, which could be a metaphor for his current situation or state of mind.


And the cyclops all laughin' at me
The cyclops are mythical giants with one eye. This line could imply that others are mocking or belittling the singer.


You can't tame wild east
The singer is proclaiming that the 'wild east' (possibly a metaphor for eastern parts of the world) cannot be controlled or subdued.


Now some cynic from the methadone clinic
The singer is introducing a new character, someone who is negative and pessimistic and possibly in drug rehab.


He keeps on bothering me
The cynic is causing the singer annoyance and distress with his constant presence.


He writes all my lyrics backwards on diapers
The cynic is sabotaging the singer's creativity and artistic output by writing his lyrics backwards on diapers (possibly as a prank or act of malice).


And hangs 'em from the local trees
The cynic is publicly displaying the singer's sabotaged lyrics, adding shame and embarrassment to the situation.


Watch out, white boy
Someone is warning the singer to be careful, possibly because of his race, or to remind him of a potentially dangerous environment.


Don't argue with a sawn off piece
The singer is being advised not to engage in a confrontation with someone holding a sawn-off gun, suggesting that the environment is hostile and dangerous.


I'm a crazy son, mama
The singer is declaring that he's outrageous, unpredictable and uncontrollable.


I love the grease of wild east
The singer is expressing his fondness for the unpredictable, uncontrolled conditions of the 'wild east'.


Now Jezebel don't feel too well, she talks to Jane
Two new female characters are introduced, and one is expressing her health issues to the other.


'bout a one way conversation on a subway train
Jezebel is discussing a situation where she had a one-sided conversation on a subway train, possibly feeling isolated or unheard.


Hey! they took away her wallet and her valise
Jezebel has been robbed of her possessions by unknown assailants, adding more hardship to her situation.


Love hate, love hate, love hate, love hate, wild east
This line could mean that the 'wild east' represents both love and hate or good and bad - complex and unpredictable like a relationship or environment.


Wild east come on crazy wild east
The singer is calling out to the 'wild east', possibly inviting or daring it to become more chaotic and unpredictable.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: IAN HUNTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Nocturnal Madness

This album never gets old.

Paul Burgess

It's one of the overlooked gems of rock, which is sadly true of much of his work with Mott the Hoople too

theuglybiker

Hard to believe this came out 40 years ago.

Peter Wesley Bastone

great song...shared to the Netshows Radio "Program 113" Playlist on youtube

Asun

Great

David George

as so called fine wine....better with age ! same as all of us :)

Smootman1

Now some cynic from the methadone clinic
He keeps on bothering me
He writes all my lyrics backwards on diapers
And hangs 'em from the local trees

Paul Burgess

I LOVE that verse!!!!

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