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.
I Need Your Love
Ian Hunter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was a cold, cold room.
No one lived in me.
I was an empty tune.
Lovers came to view
'n' they looked all around.
But they couldn't see nothin',
Nothin but the ground, they really put me down
Inside of me
And i found myself learnin'
How to fight free.
And it feels so good
When i can turn to you
'n' look you straight in the eye,
Say i need you, need you, oh i need you
I need your love, baby,
I need your love, i gotta hear your name
Over and over, over again.
I need your love, baby,
I need your love, i got you up my brain
Over, over, over again.
You know it hurts so bad
When you have to say
You ain't got nobody
And then one day
It makes you feel so good
When i can turn to you
And look you straight in the eye,
Say i need you, need you, oh i need you
I need your love, baby,
I need your love, i want to hear your name
Over and over, over again.
I need your love,
Oh how i need your love, i gotta hear your name
Over, over, over again, yeah.
I need your love, baby
I need your love, i gotta hear your name
Over, over, over again.
"I Need Your Love" is a song that speaks of loneliness and the emptiness that comes with it. The lyrics are a first-person narration of someone who has been cold, empty, and alone for a long time, living in a cold and deserted house. It is said that many people tried to love and bring life into the heart of the singer but couldn't find anything special about the person. They put down and looked down upon the singer until someone finally broke inside and taught them how to fight free.
The center of the story comes when the singer finds themselves in love with someone, and it feels so good to turn to that person and say that they need them. The lyrics convey the message that love brings hope and healing, that it fills the emptiness inside, and that it makes life worth living. The singer is delighted to turn to the person they love, look them in the eyes, and say, "I need your love, baby."
Overall, "I Need Your Love" is a song that expresses the need and yearning for the closeness of love. It speaks to the emptiness of loneliness and the healing power of connection.
Line by Line Meaning
It was a cold, cold house,
The environment around me was emotionless, dull, and uninviting.
I was a cold, cold room.
I too was devoid of feeling and expression, unable to connect with others.
No one lived in me.
I was alone, nobody understood or took the time to know me or care.
I was an empty tune.
My life was like a song that had no melody, lyrics, or meaning.
Lovers came to view 'n' they looked all around.
People who claimed to love me entered my life and searched for a way to connect but failed.
But they couldn't see nothin', Nothin but the ground, they really put me down
Despite their efforts, these people still could not comprehend or understand me, leaving me feeling rejected and insignificant.
And then someone broke, Inside of me And i found myself learnin' How to fight free.
Despite the pain, someone ignited a spark within me, helping me learn to overcome my emotional struggles and find my own way to freedom.
And it feels so good When i can turn to you 'n' look you straight in the eye, Say i need you, need you, oh i need you
Finally finding love and emotional connection in someone, I gain the bravery to express my deepest desires, the comfort of having a meaningful bond.
I need your love, baby, I need your love, i gotta hear your name Over and over, over again.
The importance of this new relationship is paramount, my happiness and sanity relies on it.
You know it hurts so bad When you have to say You ain't got nobody And then one day
Having to admit being alone is excruciatingly painful, but eventually finding hope with someone else lessens the burden.
It makes you feel so good When i can turn to you And look you straight in the eye, Say i need you, need you, oh i need you
Being able to confide in someone and have that person return the love and support is an indescribably wonderful feeling.
I need your love, baby, I need your love, i want to hear your name Over and over, over again.
The value of this relationship cannot be overstated, constantly thinking about the person and their importance to my life.
I need your love, Oh how i need your love, i gotta hear your name Over, over, over again, yeah.
My need for love and connection is still present and strong, with a sense of longing for deeper feelings and connection.
I need your love, baby I need your love, i gotta hear your name Over, over, over again.
This need for love and connection is a never-ending reality, a part of my life that will always be present and important.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: IAN HUNTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind