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.
Wild 'n' Free
Ian Hunter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wild 'n free wild 'n free
Oh! I'd never known what it was like to free
I always thought it was never true
I got a feeling i was lost in space
Did not like my face
Just wanted to be
Wild 'n free wild 'n free
Wild 'n free wild 'n free
Oh insanity's so insane
Wild 'n free wild 'n free
I ain't got no got no got no name
Wild 'n free wild 'n free
Don't want no ball and chain
Damn people telling me that i was thinking bad
Had me believing they was right
All they wanted was another slob
In some stinking job
That just ain't me i just want to be
W w w wild 'n free wild 'n free
Like a hurricane
Wild 'n free wild 'n free
Oh insanity's so in so insane
Wild 'n free wild 'n free
I ain't got no name
Wild 'n free wild 'n free
I don't i don't want to know a ball and chain
Just then i found out i was too broke to get out
So i took to the road no one was having me
I said don't want no handouts
Cause I'm making out
You ain't like me i just want to be
Uh uh uh wild 'n free
I tried to tell you babe but you never understood
I always tried to make you see
But you believed just what your old man said
He had you chained to his head
And its on TV TV TV TV
Want to be want to be want to be
Wild 'n free wild 'n free
Like a hurricane
Wild 'n free wild 'n free
Oh insanity's so insane
Wild 'n free wild 'n free
I ain't got no got no got no name
Wild 'n free wild 'n free
Don't want no ball and chain
Wild 'n free wild 'n free
Just like a be
The song "Wild 'n' Free" by Ian Hunter is a representation of the artist's desire for freedom and autonomy. The repetitive use of "wild 'n free" depicts the yearning for liberation not only in terms of physical freedom but also from societal norms and expectations. The lyrics describe the singer's frustration with the expectations of society for him to conform and live an ordinary life. Throughout the song, the idea of being wild and free is portrayed as a form of rebellion against the norm, against the expectations of those in power. The singer feels constrained by societal expectations of being a "slob" in a "stinking job," and as a result, he seeks to resist regulations.
The song also features a sense of loneliness, with the singer feeling as if he is alone in his quest for liberation. The lyrics "I ain't got no name" and "Don't want no ball and chain" depict the singer's desire for anonymity and freedom from emotional commitments, which the artist implies may be holding him back from pursuing his goals.
Overall, "Wild 'n' Free" is an alluring song with a deep meaning. It urges people to reject societal expectations at large and live a life that fulfills their needs and desires. Hunter creates a powerful message through the use of compelling lyrics and engaging tune, which combined make this song a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
Wild 'n free wild 'n free
The singer is celebrating the idea of being wild and free.
Oh! I'd never known what it was like to free
The singer had never experienced true freedom before.
I always thought it was never true
The singer had believed that freedom was unattainable.
I got a feeling i was lost in space
The artist felt directionless and without purpose.
Did not like my face
The artist was unhappy with their appearance.
Just wanted to be
The singer desired to be wild and free.
Like a hurricane
The singer desires to be a force of nature, untamed and powerful.
Oh insanity's so insane
The artist embraces the idea of being wild and free to the point of appearing insane to others.
I ain't got no got no got no name
The artist doesn't want to be defined by societal labels or expectations.
Don't want no ball and chain
The artist desires to be free from anything that would hold them back or restrain them.
Damn people telling me that i was thinking bad
The singer has been criticized by others for thinking differently or unconventionally.
Had me believing they was right
The artist had been convinced by others that their way of thinking was wrong.
All they wanted was another slob
The singer believes that society values conformity and compliance over individuality.
In some stinking job
The singer sees traditional employment as limiting and unfulfilling.
That just ain't me i just want to be
The singer desires to live life on their own terms and to be true to themselves.
W w w wild 'n free wild 'n free
Reiteration of the desire to be wild and free.
Just then i found out i was too broke to get out
The artist realizes that their desire for freedom may not be immediately attainable due to financial constraints.
So i took to the road no one was having me
The singer decides to take matters into their own hands and pursue their desire for freedom, even if it means leaving behind their old life and relationships.
I said don't want no handouts
The singer doesn't want to rely on others for support or assistance in achieving their goals.
Cause I'm making out
The artist is confident in their ability to succeed on their own.
Uh uh uh wild 'n free
Reiteration of the desire to be wild and free.
I tried to tell you babe but you never understood
The artist has tried to communicate their desires to a romantic partner, but they don't comprehend or support them.
I always tried to make you see
The singer has repeatedly attempted to convey their perspective to their partner.
But you believed just what your old man said
The artist's partner has been heavily influenced by their upbringing or the opinions of their father.
He had you chained to his head
The partner's father has a significant impact on their thoughts and behavior, which stifle the singer's desires for freedom.
And its on TV TV TV TV
Reiteration that societal pressures and expectations are heavily influenced by media and mass culture.
Want to be want to be want to be
Reiteration of the desire to be wild and free.
Just like a bee
The artist wants to be able to move about freely and unrestrained, like a bee that flies from flower to flower without being hindered by external factors.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROBERT C. HUNTER, JIM LAUDERDALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind