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.
Lisa Likes Rock 'n' Roll
Ian Hunter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At the peppermint inn
I'm gonna be there
Shakin' my thing
Be bop a lula
Little Peggy Sue
We both got company
Don't know what to do
Yeah that's OK
In the middle of the night
Here's Lisa
Lisa likes rock 'n' roll,
She plays it every day.
Down by the drugstore
Everybody ?
She turnin' on the radio,
She's shootin' up the stereo,
Puttin' on a video,
She's sayin' let's go let's go
Lisa won't marry me,
She says she's only four.
Her mum don't like me,
She says I'm too mature.
Down at the disco,
I go solo
And the girls don't want to know,
I've been too slow.
And that's alright,
And that's OK,
In the middle of the night.
Here's Lisa.
Lisa likes rock 'n' roll,
She plays it every day.
Down by the drugstore
Everybody ?
She turnin' on the radio,
She's shootin' up the stereo,
Puttin' on a video,
She's sayin' let's go let's go
And when you see her
You wish you could ?? her.
Ain't no one can beat her.
She goes yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, "You're my daddy."
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
Yeah!
Ian Hunter's song "Lisa Likes Rock 'n' Roll" is an uptempo rock number with a catchy melody and humorous lyrics. The song speaks of Lisa, who loves rock 'n' roll music and can often be found playing it loudly on her stereo. The singer of the song is taken by Lisa's love for rock 'n' roll and seemingly has feelings for her, but Lisa is uninterested in a romantic relationship with him. The song is a fun and lighthearted exploration of youth and rebellion against societal norms.
The opening lines of the song describe a party at the Peppermint Inn where there is dancing and music playing. The singer plans to attend, but also mentions feeling uncertain and nervous about being around others. The lyrics reference classic rock 'n' roll songs like "Be Bop A Lula" and "Little Peggy Sue," which suggest a love for the genre within the song's universe. As the song progresses, the lyrics suggest an age gap between the singer and Lisa, with Lisa's mother disapproving of the singer's interest in her. The chorus emphasizes Lisa's love for rock 'n' roll, with her constantly playing it and inviting others to join her.
The lyrics of "Lisa Likes Rock 'n' Roll" can be interpreted in a few ways. On one hand, the song is a tongue-in-cheek exploration of the rebellious spirit of youth and the love for rock 'n' roll that is often intertwined with it. On the other hand, the song could also be seen as a commentary on societal expectations surrounding romantic relationships and the pressures of conformity. Whatever the interpretation, "Lisa Likes Rock 'n' Roll" remains a fun and catchy ode to youthful energy and rebellion.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a wango-tango
At the peppermint inn
I'm gonna be there
Shakin' my thing
There is a music event happening at the Peppermint Inn and I intend to go there and dance.
Be bop a lula
Little Peggy Sue
We both got company
Don't know what to do
But that's alright
Yeah that's OK
In the middle of the night
Here's Lisa
Two people are hanging out but don't know what to do since they both have company. However, they're okay with it and Lisa appears in the middle of the night.
Lisa likes rock 'n' roll,
She plays it every day.
Down by the drugstore
Everybody ?
She turnin' on the radio,
She's shootin' up the stereo,
Puttin' on a video,
She's sayin' let's go let's go
Lisa really enjoys listening to rock 'n' roll music and listens to it every day. She even plays music from the radio, stereo, and videos and gets excited, saying let's go whenever she hears music, even down by the drugstore where everyone else may be around.
Lisa won't marry me,
She says she's only four.
Her mum don't like me,
She says I'm too mature.
Down at the disco,
I go solo
And the girls don't want to know,
I've been too slow.
And that's alright,
And that's OK,
In the middle of the night.
Here's Lisa.
Lisa doesn't want to marry the singer and claims that she's only four years old. Her mother doesn't like the singer and says that he's too old. The singer goes to the disco alone since no one wants to hang out with him, and that's okay with him. Lisa appears in the middle of the night.
And when you see her
You wish you could ?? her.
Ain't no one can beat her.
She goes yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, "You're my daddy."
When people see Lisa, they wish they could be with her, and no one can beat her. She exclaims yes while saying you're my daddy.
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
I know Lisa likes rock 'n' roll
Yeah!
The singer reiterates that he knows that Lisa likes rock 'n' roll music and is excited about it.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: IAN HUNTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind