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.
Just Another Night
Ian Hunter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My oh my, I think I'm gonna die
And it's just another night
It's just another night
Got a long black face; Who goes there?
All the reefer madnessput a poor kid in jail
And it's just another night
Oh take it easy boy or it's DOA
Chrome on my body and a lot of folks say
That it's just another night
Hey, It's just another night
Oh, it's just another night on the other side of life
Head one's a saw-bones and he wrecked my chair
Said "How'd you like to do it in a room downstairs"
And it's just another night
Oh, just another night
Hey now, Papa Joe, Don't you pull my hair
All this intrigue, it gets me out of my league
And it's just another night
It's just another night
His old man spent a fortune just to get him in
But baby boy growed up just as stupid as him
And it's just another night
It's just another night
It's just another night on the other side of life
Just another night, hung down slow
I don't like the hotel let me go
Hells bells! Give me a chance!
This rock 'n' roller don't wanna dance
Just another night
Just another night
Well, it's just another night on the other side of life
I never felt so bad; Where's my shades?
It's gonna be a long one getting crazed
A head spoutin' noodles said, "What do you plead?"
I said "You ain't got to touch a man to make a man bleed"
It's just another night (on the other side)
It's just another night (on the other side)
It's just another night!
Ian Hunter's "Just Another Night" is a song that talks about a long night filled with chaos and confusion. The singer seems to be encountering various problems, from facing the authorities (the fuzz) to being accosted by unsavory characters (Papa Joe) and ending up in jail (reefer madness put a poor kid in jail). The song suggests that these experiences are just part of life, which leads to the title "Just Another Night."
The song is built around a rock-based structure, which is typical of Hunter's music. The lyrics are somewhat cryptic and peppered with anecdotes, which makes it challenging to fully understand their meaning. Still, there are hints of rebellion and frustration, which is characteristic of rock music.
The song opens with the singer being confronted by law enforcement, suggesting that he is probably doing something that isn't legal or violating the law in some way. The "long black face" he references might be a police officer, but it isn't explicit. Instead, there is a suggestion of metaphor in his lyrics, which adds to the vagueness of the track.
The second verse talks about jail and the consequences of marijuana use. Reefer Madness was a film from 1936 that depicted the dangers of marijuana use, and it's referenced here as putting a "poor kid" in jail. The laws around marijuana use have since changed, but in the 70s, when the song was released, possession of marijuana would have easily landed someone in jail.
One of the most significant features of the song is the chorus. The line, "It's just another night on the other side of life," is repeated several times throughout the song, suggesting that life is a perpetual cycle of ups and downs. The line references the idea that sometimes, you'll be up all night, caught in an endless loop of chaos and despair. However, despite it all, it's just another night on the other side of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh no, the fuzz, all in a line
The police are all lined up and I am afraid something bad is going to happen
My oh my, I think I'm gonna die
I am extremely scared and worried that I am going to die
And it's just another night
Despite my fear, this is just another typical night for me
It's just another night
Reiterating that this is just another typical night
Got a long black face; Who goes there?
I am questioning who is coming towards me, especially someone who has a long black face
All the reefer madnessput a poor kid in jail
Someone was put in jail for either possessing or being under the influence of marijuana, even if it is perceived as a minor offense
Yeah, it's just another night
The events happening may feel unsettling, but it's not out of the norm for me
Oh take it easy boy or it's DOA
Someone needs to calm down, or else something could go wrong and they could end up dead on arrival
Chrome on my body and a lot of folks say
People have judged me for my appearance, as I have a lot of chrome on my body
That it's just another night
Despite people's assumptions about me, this is just another typical night
Hey, It's just another night
Reiterating that this is nothing out of the ordinary for me
Oh, it's just another night on the other side of life
The feeling of discomfort I'm experiencing is simply due to being on the other side of what people consider as 'life'
Head one's a saw-bones and he wrecked my chair
The person in charge of fixing my chair ended up damaging it even further
Said "How'd you like to do it in a room downstairs"
The person offered a proposition for me to do something in a different location, insinuating something questionable
And it's just another night, Oh, just another night
Regardless of the questionable proposition, this is still another typical night
Hey now, Papa Joe, Don't you pull my hair
Someone named Papa Joe is being inappropriate by pulling my hair
All this intrigue, it gets me out of my league
All the drama and questionable activities surrounding me are making me uncomfortable and I don't know how to handle it
And it's just another night
Despite the discomfort, this is still another typical night for me
It's just another night
Reiterating that this uncomfortable feeling is not out of the norm for me
His old man spent a fortune just to get him in
Someone's father spent a lot of money to get them a proper education or job opportunity
But baby boy growed up just as stupid as him
Despite the father's efforts, the son turned out to not be successful or smart
And it's just another night
Despite the unfortunate outcome, this is just another typical night for me
It's just another night
Reiterating that this is nothing out of the ordinary for me
It's just another night on the other side of life
The uncomfortable feelings I'm experiencing are just part of being on the other side of what people consider as 'life'
Just another night, hung down slow
This is another typical night, where I'm feeling down and slow
I don't like the hotel let me go
I am not enjoying my current environment and wish to leave
Hells bells! Give me a chance!
I need someone to give me an opportunity to improve my situation
This rock 'n' roller don't wanna dance
I do not want to participate in the regular activities of a typical night out
Just another night, Just another night
Reiterating that this is just another typical night for me
Well, it's just another night on the other side of life
Despite the uncomfortable feeling I'm experiencing, this is just another typical night for me, being on the other side of what people consider as 'life'
I never felt so bad; Where's my shades?
I feel terrible right now and need to put on my sunglasses to hide how I'm feeling
It's gonna be a long one getting crazed
It's going to be a long, tiring night and I anticipate things getting crazier
A head spoutin' noodles said, "What do you plead?"
Someone who appears to be confused or lost asked me a question that I cannot answer
I said "You ain't got to touch a man to make a man bleed"
I answered the question by saying that you don't need to physically harm someone in order to hurt them emotionally or mentally
It's just another night (on the other side)
Despite the events of the night and my negative feelings, this is still just another typical night for me, being on the other side of what people consider as 'life'
It's just another night (on the other side)
Reiterating that this uncomfortable feeling is still within the realm of a typical night for me
It's just another night!
Regardless of the uncomfortable feelings or questionable events, this is just another typical night for me
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: IAN HUNTER, MICK RONSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind