Mott the Hoople formed when Silence, a not-too-successful group from the Welsh borders, was joined by session pianist and rock and roll hopeful Ian Hunter along with musicians Mick Ralphs, Verden Allen, Pete Overend Watts, and Dale Griffin . They developed from Dylan obsessives to their own character over the course of four albums for Island. They were a very popular live act but only achieved brief commercial success.
In 1971, the band was close to splitting up but continued to record track "All the Young Dudes", a song written for them by up and coming pop star and fan David Bowie. Three more albums and several pop hits later, the group fell apart after Ian Hunter left in 1974. The remaining members mutated into Mott, an 'also-ran' band which released two albums before disbanding in 1976. Original guitarist Ralphs had a massive boost in his fortunes as a member of rockers Bad Company.
Griffin died in his sleep on 17 January 2016 at the age of 67 and Watts died, almost exactly a year later, on 22 January 2017, from throat cancer.
Honaloochie Boogie
Mott the Hoople Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a worm's-eye point of view
Oh I knew my way, I was a back-street stray
And I had my eyes on you
Now I got this friend and he's a screwdriver-jiver
You know, some kinda automobeat on the street
And he has converted me to rock'n'roll
I just wanna dance to
Honaloochie boogie yeah
Get in time, don't worry 'bout the shirt shine
Honaloochie boogie yeah
You sure started somethin'
Now my hair gets longer as the beat gets stronger
Wanna tell Chuck Berry my news
I get my kicks outta guitar licks
And I've sold my steel-toed shoes
Now I got this friend and he's a spider west-sider
You know, he's hung up on a protection rejection thing
But I have made him see the light
He just wanna dance to
Honaloochie boogie yeah
Get in time, don't worry 'bout the shirt shine
Honaloochie boogie yeah
You sure started somethin'
Honaloochie boogie yeah
Get in time, don't worry 'bout the shirt shine
Honaloochie boogie yeah
You sure started somethin'
The lyrics of Mott the Hoople's "Honaloochie Boogie" describe the journey of a young man who had a rough start in life. He grew up in the city with a limited perspective on the world, but he had his eyes set on a girl. Along the way, he meets two friends- one who is a mechanic and has given him an appreciation for rock'n'roll, and another who is hung up on the idea of protection and rejection but has seen the light thanks to him.
The singer of the song has a newfound appreciation for rock'n'roll and the guitar licks that come with it. He has found the perfect dance partner in "Honaloochie Boogie," a song that emphasizes the importance of rhythm and feeling the music. The singer ignores traditional societal standards like having a clean shirt and focuses solely on enjoying the music and having a good time. In the end, the song is a testament to the transformative power of music and the role it can play in shaping our perceptions of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a city child with a dead-end smile
I was young and living in the city, but I felt hopeless about my future and didn't smile much.
And a worm's-eye point of view
I had a very limited and low perspective on life.
Oh I knew my way, I was a back-street stray
I was street smart and knew how to navigate the rougher areas of the city.
And I had my eyes on you
I had my sights set on someone special.
Now I got this friend and he's a screwdriver-jiver
I met someone who is skilled at playing rock music and dancing to it.
You know, some kinda automobeat on the street
They seem to be a cool and flashy musician who plays on street corners.
And he has converted me to rock'n'roll
They introduced me to the exciting genre of rock music and I became a fan.
I just wanna dance to
I don't care about anything else, I just want to move to the music.
Honaloochie boogie yeah
This particular song, Honaloochie Boogie, is what I want to dance to.
Get in time, don't worry 'bout the shirt shine
I want to dance in sync with the beat of the song and I don't care about looking perfect while doing it.
You sure started somethin'
This song has really got me going and has started something special in me.
Now my hair gets longer as the beat gets stronger
I'm growing out my hair as a symbol of my love for rock music, and as the music gets louder and more intense, my passion grows stronger.
Wanna tell Chuck Berry my news
I want to share my love for rock and how it has changed my life with the legendary rock icon, Chuck Berry.
I get my kicks outta guitar licks
I love the guitar solos and riffs in rock music and they give me a rush of excitement.
And I've sold my steel-toed shoes
I used to dress a certain way, but my new love for rock music has changed my style and attitude towards life.
Now I got this friend and he's a spider west-sider
I met someone who is tough and from the west side of town, but is also a fan of rock music.
You know, he's hung up on a protection rejection thing
This friend has had a difficult life and has developed a mistrust of others as a survival mechanism.
But I have made him see the light
I have introduced him to rock music and helped him see that there is something positive in life to enjoy.
Honaloochie boogie yeah
This song is something that both my friend and I can dance to and enjoy together.
Get in time, don't worry 'bout the shirt shine
We don't care about looking perfect while we dance, we just want to move to the music.
You sure started somethin'
This song has brought us together and started a new bond between us.
Honaloochie boogie yeah
We can't get enough of this song and we keep dancing to it.
Get in time, don't worry 'bout the shirt shine
We continue to dance in sync with the beat and don't care about looking perfect.
Honaloochie boogie yeah
This song has become our anthem and we love dancing to it together.
You sure started somethin'
This song has started a whole new love for rock music and dancing for us.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ian Hunter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Not Inconceivable
Hi Richard. I have just uploaded a version of this music video, using your upload here as the source video. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/c9SwG7yKRl0
I have credited you in the description, and presented a link to your upload.
I have improved the sound quality and the picture-sound synchronisation, and I have altered the colour, which I consider to be an improvement.
To replace the audio track with a high-quality one involved speeding up the footage, as it was running a bit slow. To get the picture in sync with the sound took quite a lot of work. On your version, not only does the picture run late compared to the sound, but some parts of the video have the picture running later than others. I had to use speed adjustment software to get the different scenes in sync with the sound. There is still one short passage of the video in which I think the picture and sound may be out of sync, but I could not tell how they were supposed to match up, and trying out different options did not succeed in finding a combination that appeared any more in sync than the original combination. This passage occurs between the 0:50 and 0:54 time-points and is a close-up of Pete's bass-playing.
Thank you for uploading this, and well done on making an otherwise excellent music video. I had never seen it before. This single was the first record I ever bought and I still love it. I was seven.
Ole Andreas Jensen
Thank you Richard weaver. The films you have made is very important documentation of the rock and roll era and musical history. - Thank you, absolute awesome work you have done and superb videos. Brilliant : )
Richard Weaver Films
Thank you Ole. My job is to entertain, so that is so nice of you
Richard Weaver Films
Thank you, Ole
QrystalQlear
I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS! THAT'S THE MOTT THE HOOPLE THAT I REMEMBER, WITH MICK RALPHS ON GUITAR, & IAN ON PIANO AT THE ZENITH OF THEIR EXCELLENCE!
Donna Zasgoat
I remember this from my teenager years. My best friend Carol and I had to have her mother explain the phrase "shirt shine". I still love it at age 62.
R W
Absolutely love this band. 😀
MrMeadfoot
What a find Richard !!! Been a MTH fan since the early 70's and don't recall seeing this. Thank you very much for posting !
peacepalestinesyria
this is fantastic! First time I'm seeing it and it is so gorgeous, just showing the band playing in their unique style. Just love it!
Kelley Jones
GREAT! My all time favorite band!
The Q-Continuum
This has 1970's running right through it. Not the most prolific recording act, mainly a live act, with their own following. Still sounds great nearly fifty years on !