Ian Hunter – All of the Good Ones Are Taken

This title track was my first introduction to Ian Hunter. I had no clue he had been with Mott the Hoople when I heard it. In the eighties, I heard this on our local rock station, WKDF, daily, and I fell for it. It’s one of those songs I never hear now, except maybe at a grocery store, and it’s a shame. It is a nice jangly song in the synth-heavy 1980s, an underrated song. For a bonus, we have Clarence Clemmons doing the sax solo. The video, as well, got my attention with a take on the movie Arthur. 

Hunter had moved from Cleveland to New York by this point, being influenced by his new city. He later said that the recording reflected his uneasy stance in the musical landscape of that time. His longtime guitarist, Mick Ronson, wasn’t in the picture for this album (although he played on one song); Hunter instead used Robbie Alter and New York session players.

There were two versions of this song: the version most radio stations played and a slow version. What I liked about this song, too, is that the version I heard sounded out of step with 1983, and I appreciated that. Many of his fans often point to it as one of his most underrated tracks, and I totally agree. 

This song peaked at #25 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in 1983. I had the album and the cassette that I wore out in my car tape deck. 

All Of The Good Ones Are Taken

Girl, things ain’t been goin’ too good for me
Girl, I’m living in the middle of a mystery
You’re the one that can turn me on
‘N’ now that you’re gone
I said Girl, I’m livin’ in the middle of your memory
Girl, you’re still the figure in my favorite fantasy
I know you know that’s the way it goes
And still my love grows

I said all o’ the good all o’ the good ones are taken
All o’ the good all o’ the good ones are taken

I’m hangin’ around with my head in the air
Watchin’ the lovers go by
I had a lover, but she never cared
All you could say was goodbye
Maybe I was mistaken, maybe I got it wrong
But all of the good ones are taken from now on
‘N’ girl, I’m livin’ in the middle of a broken dream
I said girl all this fallin’ in love ain’t like it seems
Out in the rain can’t you feel my pain
Again ‘n’ again ‘n’ again ‘n’ again ‘n’ again
All of the good all o’ the good ones are taken
Maybe I was mistaken, maybe I got it wrong
But all of the good ones are taken in my song

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

22 thoughts on “Ian Hunter – All of the Good Ones Are Taken”

  4. Generally I only know his name but I guess I know his ‘Cleveland Rocks’ that Randy mentioned and hearing this, it is vaguely familiar. I also sometimes get his name mixed up with Ian Drury though they are obviously nothing alike.

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    1. This to me was a good one to be introduced by…the reason is because of the MTV phase…the guy was cool and poked fun at himself which is great on the video…plus as you know…it has a jangly sound I like…it IS different for him though….and it was different sounding for the time…almost alternative.

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      1. Distinct sax sound or what. The E Street connection goes back to the ‘Schizophrenia’ album. Ronson and Hunter made some of my favorite rocknroll. Torch bearers of that loose no bullshit music that grabbed me back when. Ian has been doing it for a long long time. I remember first hearing Mott and I didnt even have to think about liking it. Ian has always stayed true to what he wants to play. And yeah you gotta like that not taking yourself to seriously. “Alternative” by always staying grounded in rocknroll. . I like that Max.

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      2. One thing I always loved about Ian…unlike most of the other big bands except The Kinks…he never tried to sound American like the rest did which to my ears was gold.
        Seeing that video at 16 made me a fan and of course the song. I always like Mott as well…thats a good description of alternative.

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  8. there are so many sides to the Ian Hunter story….so many greats tunes…Central Park and West….and the guy knows how to rock (Just Another Night, Man o War) but also wrote Ships that Barry Manilow covered…..it’s still undecided who looked cooler in sunglasses, Hunter or ELO’s Jeff Lynn….

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  9. Good stuff. I think I last heard him on (yet another) Uncut compilation CD, he did ‘Up And Running’ which rollicks along nicely.

    Can’t go wrong if you get Ronson to be your hired guitar slinger IMHO.

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