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.
Tell It Like It Is
Ian Hunter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you remember truth-you used to tell it everyday
Oh what a feelin'-there was nuthin' in the way
I won't get excited- if you don't slash your wrists
Oh oh oh-something is gravely amiss
You gotta tell it like it is
You bin creepin' 'round the alleyways-all night long
You can't hide a secret-more than a week
Oh oh oh- we gotta get to the bottom of this
You gotta tell it like it is
Hangin' on a corner- of the danger zone
Just another nightmare- let me take you home
c'mon baby, c'mon baby
You've gotta tell it like it is...
These lyrics suggest a longing for honesty and transparency in a relationship. The singer begins by reminiscing about a time when the truth was freely expressed by their partner every day. This created a feeling of openness and freedom as there were no barriers between them. However, the singer acknowledges that they won't become overly excited unless their partner is also willing to confront their own struggles and open up about them. They sense that something is wrong, and they believe that it is crucial for their partner to speak honestly and openly about it.
The second paragraph addresses the partner directly, asking why they seem to be hesitant to share the truth. The singer implies that the partner has been sneaking around late at night, indicating a possible hidden secret. The singer understands that secrets cannot be kept for long, and they emphasize the urgency of getting to the bottom of the situation. They urge their partner to speak openly and honestly, to "tell it like it is."
In the third paragraph, the singer describes themselves as being in a dangerous and unstable situation, hanging on the edge. It seems they are experiencing a state of emotional turmoil or uncertainty. They ask their partner, whom they address with affectionate terms like "baby," to trust and confide in them. The singer offers solace, suggesting that they can provide a safe space for their partner to express the truth.
The final line, "You've gotta tell it like it is," reinforces the core message of the song. It serves as a plea or demand for their partner to be open and truthful. The repetition emphasizes the importance the singer places on honesty and the belief that a successful and healthy relationship requires both partners to communicate honestly and authentically.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you remember truth-you used to tell it everyday
Remember when you used to be honest and tell the truth every day
Oh what a feelin'-there was nuthin' in the way
It was such a great feeling when there were no obstacles or barriers
I won't get excited- if you don't slash your wrists
I won't get worked up or emotional if you don't harm yourself
Oh oh oh-something is gravely amiss
Oh, something is seriously wrong or missing
You gotta tell it like it is
You need to be completely honest and straightforward
What's the matter baby- cat got your tongue?
What's bothering you, baby? Are you at a loss for words?
You bin creepin' 'round the alleyways-all night long
You've been sneaking around in dark places all night long
You can't hide a secret-more than a week
You can't keep a secret for longer than a week
Oh oh oh- we gotta get to the bottom of this
Oh, we need to find out the truth or the root cause of this
You gotta tell it like it is
You need to be completely honest and straightforward
Hangin' on a corner- of the danger zone
Being in a risky or dangerous situation
Just another nightmare- let me take you home
Just another frightening or unpleasant experience, let me bring you to safety
c'mon baby, c'mon baby
Come on, baby, come on, baby
You've gotta tell it like it is...
You need to be completely honest and straightforward
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: IAN HUNTER, MICK RONSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@annjohansson4177
Great song 🎶 ❤️
@demah8655
Love Mick on this! Ian-another fabulous song!
@madeleinehague648
'Love the fat guitar on this. The late, great Mick Ronson.