Hunter began his musical career on the bass guitar. An early foray into music was as an entrant in a talent competition at one of Butlin's holiday camps, performing "Blue Moon" as part of a skiffle group with Colen York and Colin Broome.
Hunter memorialized how he left his family in a later song, "23A Swan Hill," the address of his teenage home in Shrewsbury above a police station where his father was the Station Sergeant. He notes in concert that "my Dad was real mean" and did not approve of his son's artistic direction, in contrast to his "grand dad", referenced in "Cleveland Rocks", as "he was a rocker and I am, too".
So Hunter took off for Butlin's and "never looked back". Bandmates York and Broome came from Northampton, and were in a band called The Apex, which Hunter soon joined to play rhythm guitar. In 1963, while living in Northampton, he formed his own band, Hurricane Henry and the Shriekers. With Tony Marriott and guitarist Julian Coulter, the Shriekers worked steadily in Northampton, and by 1965 had picked up Freddie 'Fingers' Lee as a pianist and frontman. In a 2004 DVD interview Hunter volunteers Lee and their gigs in Hamburg as a major turning point, when he first began to "actually think maybe I could do this instead of working in factories".
In 1966 Hunter moved to London, where he joined The Scenery with guitarist Miller Anderson, drummer Dave Dufort, and keyboard player Dante Smith. By 1967 Smith and Dufort had left the band while John Vernon Smith joined on drums. The Scenery recorded some material with Bill Farley at Regent Sound, which was released without the band's knowledge in France and Japan. In early 1968, The Scenery had run its course and Miller Anderson joined Dave Dufort in Paper Blitz Tissue.
Also in 1968 Hunter remained in the band to back up Freddie Lee in the At Last The 1958 Rock and Roll Show, along with drummer Pete Philips and guitarist Chris Mayfield. The group got a regular booking at The Angel in Edmonton, and drew interest from both Chrysalis and NEMS but the group was never signed by them. Mayfield was soon replaced by the ever traveling Miller Anderson, and the group released a single on CBS called "I Can't Drive." As the short-lived rock and roll revival began to wane, At Last the 1958 Rock and Roll Show changed its name to Charlie Woolfe and released a final single, "Dance, Dance, Dance".
Hunter played sporadically in various other bands throughout the 1960s, including The New Yardbirds, and backed Billy Fury, The Young Idea and David McWilliams. He also worked as a journalist and staff songwriter for the firm Francis, Day & Hunter (no relation). Other jobs he took during these years included road-digging for a local council, and reporting for a local newspaper.
By 1969 Hunter was married and had two children, but was still hoping for a return to making music full time. That year he auditioned for and joined yet another band, Silence. Silence soon renamed themselves after a novel by Willard Manus, published in 1966: Mott The Hoople. By this time Hunter had taken to wearing the sunglasses that have long since become his trademark (photos of him without his "shades" are rare). The band was a live smash in England although their early U.S. tours on the coasts were slow in building a following. Whilst a critical success and despite being renowned for being an excellent live act, Mott the Hoople did not achieve sustained commercial success. After a dreary 1972 concert in a "gas cylinder" in Switzerland, they announced their disbandment.
David Bowie, a longtime fan of the band, was upset and offered them a song he had just written. As Ian recalls in a 2004 DVD interview, "He offered us 'Suffragette City', which I didn't think was good enough. And then he sat down on the floor, Regent Street it was in a publisher's office and plays 'All The Young Dudes' on an acoustic guitar." It shot to No. 3 in the UK singles chart and Mott had new life.
Mott the Hoople then had considerable commercial success with the albums All the Young Dudes (1972, produced by Bowie); Mott (1973) and The Hoople (1974). The band began to score financially with songs such as "Roll Away The Stone," "Golden Age Of Rock ´N´ Roll," "Honaloochie Boogie," "All The Way From Memphis," "Saturday Gigs," and especially "All The Young Dudes." When in 1973 original lead guitarist Mick Ralphs left to form Bad Company, Hunter began to play guitar until a replacement could be found but at the same time he was increasingly pressured to write hits for the band. Luther Grosvenor took over as lead guitarist, Grosvenor, aka Ariel Bender, was briefly replaced by Mick Ronson after the release of a live album following The Hoople. However, Hunter left the band in December 1974. The remaining members carried on under the names Mott and British Lions. Hunter has written a memoir, Diary of a Rock'n'Roll Star, detailing a U.S. tour with Mott the Hoople.
In March 1975 Ian Hunter joined forces with Mick Ronson, formerly the leading member of David Bowie's backing band The Spiders from Mars and a member of Mott the Hoople for a brief time. Hunter's first single from his eponymous solo album was the UK Top 40 hit "Once Bitten Twice Shy". Hunter's best selling solo album was You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic. It was released in 1979 with Ronson and several members from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. Two songs from You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic became successes for other artists. "Cleveland Rocks" was covered by the Presidents of the United States of America, whose version was used as the theme song for The Drew Carey Show. Also, "Ships" became a No. 9 pop hit in the USA in late 1979 for Barry Manilow.
During his solo career Hunter frequently worked with Ronson until the latter's death in 1993, but he has also had musical connections with many other artists, including Queen, Mick Jones (The Clash), Clarence Clemons of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, Jaco Pastorius, Dennis Elliot (Foreigner), and David Bowie.
His album, Rant (2001), received wide critical acclaim and he won Classic Rock Magazine Songwriter's Award in October 2005.
In 2007 his latest album "Shrunken Heads" was released and it clearly shows that Ian Hunter is still very much alive.
Flowers
Ian Hunter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The top two percent out of touch
No one learns from the lessons of history
Sometimes flowers ain't enough
They fill your heart with ancient mystery
And no one knows who to trust
It's too late when you discover that
Give it up (give it up)
Give it up (give it up)
Give it up (give it up)
Why don't you give it up
Sometimes flowers ain't enough
Hunger, anger, propaganda
Ain't it time we all grew up
And we all got dreams but nobody's listening
Sometimes flowers ain't enough
Give it up (give it up)
Give it up (give it up)
Give it up (give it up)
Why don't you give it up
Sometimes flowers ain't enough
Death, starvation, exploitation
Helpless, homeless, furious
Mass confusion, disillusion
Sometimes flowers ain't enough
I can't see God, the trees are in the way
I can't see hope, can't find love
Every man killed is an insult to any faith
Sometimes flowers ain't enough
Give it up (give it up)
Give it up (give it up)
Give it up (give it up)
Why don't you give it up
Sometimes flowers ain't enough
Give it up (give it up)
Give it up (give it up)
Give it up (give it up)
Why don't you give it up
Sometimes flowers ain't enough
We all sing "Thanks for the memories"
Sometimes flowers ain't enough
The song "Flowers" by Ian Hunter addresses the harsh realities of life, emphasizing that sometimes the insignificant things that make us happy, such as flowers, are simply not enough. The opening lines set a dreary mood, warning of the dangers found in everyday life, specifically the wealthy two percent of society who seem out of touch with the struggles of the common people. The song then moves on to mention the themes of history repeating itself, with nobody taking the time to learn from the past's lessons. Again, the chorus emphasizes the message that sometimes flowers are not enough.
The verse that follows introduces a sense of loss, with the lyrics “They fill your heart with ancient mystery, And no one knows who to trust, It's too late when you discover that, Sometimes flowers ain't enough." The mystery of life and lack of trust often leads to disappointment, which only accentuates the ideal that sometimes the beauty of the flowers is not enough. The third verse then calls on all to mature and face the harsh realities of life, away from dreamland where only sweet fantasies exist. The reality of the situation is that the world is a difficult and often unforgiving place to live if we are to pursue our wildest dreams.
The song concludes on a somber note, invoking themes of loss, hopelessness, and frustration. There is a recognition that life is sometimes too brutal for our dreams or even simple joys to make a difference. The song contextualizes the reality of life, asking why we don't give up and stop pretending everything is okay when the world is harsh and unyielding.
Line by Line Meaning
Danger lurks in every alleyway
Everywhere you go there is danger and risk lurking that could harm you.
The top two percent out of touch
The wealthy top two percent have no understanding or connection to the struggles of the common people.
No one learns from the lessons of history
Despite countless examples from history, people still make the same mistakes and fail to learn from their predecessors.
Sometimes flowers ain't enough
Small gestures like giving someone flowers aren't always enough to change things for the better.
They fill your heart with ancient mystery
Flowers have a way of stirring up deep emotions and a sense of enigmatic awe.
And no one knows who to trust
In a world where trust is hard to come by, it's difficult to rely on anyone entirely.
It's too late when you discover that
Once it's too late to rectify a problem, when the harm has already been done, it's almost always too late.
Give it up (give it up)
The idea of rejecting or relinquishing the things that no longer serve a purpose or are negative in nature.
Hunger, anger, propaganda
The overall state of social and political unrest fueled by misinformation, poverty, and aggression.
Ain't it time we all grew up
It's time for people to mature and acknowledge the grim state of society.
And we all got dreams but nobody's listening
Despite everyone having aspirations, nobody is paying attention or working together to achieve them.
Death, starvation, exploitation
The brutal and pervasive reality of extreme poverty, inequality, and abuse suffered by many.
Helpless, homeless, furious
People are left feeling abandoned and angry due to a lack of support or resources.
Mass confusion, disillusion
The overwhelming feeling of being lost, unsure, and dejected in a convoluted environment.
I can't see God, the trees are in the way
Issues and obstacles make it hard to find hope, faith, or meaning in an uncertain world.
I can't see hope, can't find love
Difficulty finding hope and love despite efforts to seek them out.
Every man killed is an insult to any faith
Every time a life is taken, it goes against the principles and values of any meaningful faith.
We all sing 'Thanks for the memories'
The idea that we're all just reminiscing and being nostalgic instead of dealing with the problems at hand.
Sometimes flowers ain't enough
Small gestures or acts of kindness aren't always sufficient to combat the severity of societal issues.
Contributed by Caden O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.