After Mott The Hoople yesterday I had to go into full Ian Hunter mode. The piano intro in the song is incredible. Not only the riff but the sound they got off of it. This song was written by Hunter and Mick Ronson. It was about a night in an Indianapolis jail. I have a quote by Hunter at the bottom of the page about it.
The song was off of the brilliantly named album You’re Never Alone with a Schizophrenic and it peaked at #35 in the Billboard 100 and #49 in the UK in 1979. The album has been called by some critics his best ever. The album also has one of his most recognizable songs Cleveland Rocks. The song peaked at #68 on the Billboard 100 Charts in 1979.
Ian Hunter had a great band behind him on this song. Mick Ronson on guitar, and the E Street Band’s Gary Tallent on bass, Roy Bittan on keyboards, and Max Weinberg on drums. It was produced by Mick Ronson.
You can just picture yourself cruising down the highway with this song blasting from the speakers. It’s got that timeless feel that makes you wanna listen to it over and over again. Just like this song…Ian Hunter doesn’t seem to age. He released an album last year called Defiance Part 1. On April 19, 2024…he is releasing part II of that album Defiance Part 2: Fiction.
My friend Christian has a review of Defiance Part 1 from last year…check it out. CB has a review of You’re Never Alone with a Schizophrenic.
Ian Hunter: It was about a night in a city jail, in Indianapolis. And the last interview I just did before you was from Indianapolis! That was what the song was about. It was done with The E Street Band, so the initial recording [sounded] too much like Bruce! So Ronson was like, “Come on, do it how you wrote it!” And I said, “I can’t remember how I wrote it!” And then he remembered the groove, which was more rock and roll.
Just Another Night
Oh no, the fuzz, all in a lineMy oh my, I think I’m gonna dieAnd it’s just another nightIt’s just another night
Got a long black face; Who goes there?All the reefer madnessput a poor kid in jailAnd it’s just another nightYeah, it’s just another night
Oh take it easy boy or it’s DOAChrome on my body and a lot of folks sayThat it’s just another nightHey, It’s just another nightOh, it’s just another night on the other side of life
Head one’s a saw-bones and he wrecked my chairSaid “How’d you like to do it in a room downstairs”And it’s just another nightOh, just another night
Hey now, Papa Joe, Don’t you pull my hairAll this intrigue, it gets me out of my leagueAnd it’s just another nightIt’s just another night
His old man spent a fortune just to get him inBut baby boy growed up just as stupid as himAnd it’s just another nightIt’s just another nightIt’s just another night on the other side of life
Just another night, hung down slowI don’t like the hotel let me goHells bells! Give me a chance!This rock ‘n’ roller don’t wanna danceJust another nightJust another nightWell, 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 crazedA head spoutin’ noodles said, “What do you plead?”I said “You ain’t got to touch a man to make a man bleed”
‘N’ it’s just another night (on the other side)It’s just another night (on the other side)It’s just another night (on the other side)It’s just another night (on the other side)It’s just another night (on the other side)It’s just another night (on the other side)It’s just another night (on the other side)It’s just another night (on the other side)It’s just another night (on the other side)It’s just another night (on the other side)It’s just another night (on the other side)It’s just another night (on the other side)It’s just another night (on the other side)It’s just another night!
…
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 
Thanks for the shout-out, Max. Shockingly, you picked my favorite song off that album, one of the few Ian Hunter solo albums I’ve listened to. 🙂
I was also impressed with “Defiance Part 1” and how great Hunter’s vocals sound. As such, I’m looking forward to Part 2. Last evening, I watched a clip in which he discussed the making of the forthcoming second installment. At some point, he said he’s since written a bunch of new songs, hinting there might be a Part 3.
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Ian Hunter is a great rocker…and I love his voice. I only knew All The Young Dudes and “All The Good Ones Are Taken” by him for a long time but CB sent me some links and I went from there.
I’m looking forward to his new album as well. I’m glad you are going to cover it. I appreciate you mentioning it yesterday in the comments!
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Cool song that I did not know. Ian still going strong, good for him! I confess I only remember his “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” but I know he worked with Bowie and as you noted has kept himself busy.
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Randy you might know “Cleveland Rocks.” It was the theme to the Drew Carey show for a while…it’s a cool song for a UK guy to be singing. I found him in the 80s with “All The Good Ones Are Taken”
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Right I forgot about that Drew Carey show, that was a cool theme song.
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Certainly the first song I think of when I hear his name, though it had been a long time since I heard it!
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Yea it’s been a while for me also…I also think of Cleveland Rocks…because I was a fan of the Drew Carey Show.
This one really rocks…
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(That episode where Drew’s fridge dies is just surreal. What were the writers on?!?!)
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Betsy….I haven’t see that one in such a long time.
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Ian Hunter is amazing. He’s now in his 80’s and still making albums and touring.
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That is the band I was telling you about in the live cut. They are killer. Hunter rocks. He has had a very long career and never gets to far from rock n roll. I busted out a couple old Mott records yesterday after your take. Wasnt disappointed.
(I might have mentioned this before. I bought this album and ‘Squeezing Out Sparks’ by Parker on the same day. Not a bad day for CB is the music world.
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That is a great album buying day! I didnt’ know him really until the 80s with that power pop song he did…All The Good Ones Are Taken…since you brought him up I’ve listened to a lot of his stuff. I gave his last album a listen last night and loved it.
Loved the fact that this one was about a night in a city jail.
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He has a wealth of material. The album is a keeper. I cant get that band out of my head. I saw a clip back when and wanted to see him so bad. Never happened. I didnt know that about the “jail” thing.
You being the fact guy (Among other things). The woman in the band is Ellen Foley. I dont know how I got this info but I think she did the vocals with the big Meatloaf song.
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I didn’t know that was Foley. I knew about her with Meatloaf but not this. That is cool to know.
I do need to go over his other albums…and I will be checking out next weeks new release as well.
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Like I said , some how I caught a whole show of his on the tube when he did “Welcome to The Club’. That’s where I was introduced to Foley. I cant get ‘When Im President’ out of my head.
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Funny you said that…my bookmark beside I Saw The Light was that When I’m President… I almost did that one today.
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Good stuff today fella.
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Right. Ellen Foley.
Notable duet vocalist with Meat Loaf on Bat Out Of Hell’s Paradise By the Dashboard Light.
Released the Nightout album in 1979, produced by Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson, containing a Hunter song on it in Don’t Let Go and an absolute classic in the Spectoresque We Belong To the Night.
Girlfriend of The Clash’s Mick Jones circa 1979-1982. Jones and Strummer contributed several songs to her Spirit Of St. Louis album.
In return, she sang lead vocals on The Clash’s Hitsville UK, from their 1980 Sandinista! album.
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I remember seeing the add for this in Creem magazine back then and forgot about it til now lol. What a stellar backing band Ian had. Wow
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I love the album cover and the title…and yea…can’t beat that band with Ronson on guitar on top of it.
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Speaking of Ronson. Check out a song by the Payolas called Eyes of a Stranger. Bob Rock was the producer and member of the band back in the early 80s. Ronson produced the album the song was from. Rock always tells the story that Ronson told them to use the demo which is what they did as the final version which became a hit.
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I’m checking it out now…dude I’ve heard this somewhere before. Very cool song. Love the band name also lol.
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That band name caused them problems in the States at the time. lol
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LOL oh yea…that was a big no no…but went on forever.
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I’ve been listening to this since Christian featured another song by Hunter. It’s really good.
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He is worth going back and looking at.
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I was listening to Mott the Hoople last week too.
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I’d forgotten Mick Ronson was in this recording. Whenever I see Ian Hunter’s name I think of “Bastard,” the first song of his I heard.
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That is a good song…
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Truly is.
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Yep, you could hear how that could easily become a ‘We’re Backing Bruce’ track. Good rocker of a song, and just the kind of real life drama song that comes with experience, I guess. On the Ronson thing I never dived deep but his ‘Billy Porter’ had all the hallmarks of a hit (to me) but disappeared without trace.
I’ll listen to that ‘Payola’ track later- I’ve a busy day today.
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Today while on my way to the park with Martha…I thought…did Ronson ever have a solo career? You just answered that so I’ll check it out. Dave and I were close today….both featured him.
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A pretty good rocker!
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