hunter-mott.com

Mott The Hoople and Ian Hunter

All The Way From Memphis

(Ian Hunter)

Forgot my six-string razor - hit the sky
Half way to Memphis 'fore I realised
Well I rang the information - my axe was cold
They said she rides the train to Oreoles

Now its a mighty long way down the dusty trail
And the sun burns hot on the cold steel rails
'N I look like a bum 'n I crawl like a snail
All the way from Memphis

Well I got to Oreoles y'know - it took a month
And there was my guitar, electric junk.
Some spade said "Rock'n'rollers, you're all the same.
Man that's your instrument." I felt so ashamed.

Now its a mighty long way down rock'n'roll
Through the Bradford Cities and the Oreoles
'N you look like a star but you're still on the dole
All the way from Memphis

Yeah it's a mighty long way down rock'n'roll From the Liverpool docks to the Hollywood Bowl
'N you climb up the mountains 'n you fall down the holes
All the way from Memphis

Yeah its a mighty long way down rock'n'roll
As your name gets hot so your heart grows cold
'N you gotta stay young man, you can never be old
All the way from Memphis

Yeah its a mighty long way down rock'n'roll
Through the Bradford Cities and the Oreoles
'N you look like a star but you're really out on parole!
All the way from Memphis

Whizz Kid

(Ian Hunter)

Little whizz kid mystified me, she was a New York City beat
She came on flash - monster mash, motors in her feet
Now we moved out of Manhattan to her home on the Brooklyn Heights
Her dad's a street punk and her mum's a drunk, but we made out alright

Far far from home, oh I felt so alone
Could not spin to the speed of the city
Oh send me my ticket, I'm too scared to stick
With my little whizz kid - such a pity

Now she really tried her hardest just to make me leave the band
She even hired a toy "rent-a-boy" straight from a Times Square stand
Oh thank you little whizz kid, but me and my friends gotta eat
So get back to school or the tying pool, just get yourself out on the street

Send you victorious, happy and glorious
You got the stardust, the sawdust, and the smile
Don't lose your sting, how I'd hate you to swing
Oh my little whizz kid you got such a style

She's a cute super sleeper, she don't dive in deeper
A natural leaper, she don't let people pass
Watch out for the auto-mite, quick or she's outta sight
Oh my whizz kid, you know you're such a gas
Such a gas.

Hymn For The Dudes

(Ian Hunter/Verden Allen)

God ain't jive For I can see his love As it runs alive
'N one by one
Through fields of rusted wire
The war has just begun
Oh, cross over shame like the wise dove
Who cares not for fame just for shy love
'N rejoice for the king ain't lost his throne, oh no
He's still here, you are not alone

Correct your heads
For there's a new song rising
High above the waves
Go write your time
Go sing it on the streets
Go tell the world, but you go brave
Oh my sweet instant Christian you are such a sly clown
Too many questions, no replies now
'N rejoice for the king ain't lost his throne, oh no
He's still here, you are not alone

I got an idea
Go tell the superstar
All his hairs are turning grey
Star-spangled fear
As all the people disappear
The limelight fades away
Cos if you think you are a star
For so long they'll come from near and far
But you'll forget just who you are (yes you will)

You ain't the nazz
You're just a buzz
Some kinda temporary

Cross over shame like the wise dove
Who cares not for fame just for shy love
Oh-oh, my sweet instant Christian you are such a sly clown
Too many questions, no replies now
'N rejoice for the king ain't lost his throne. Oh no.
He's still here, you are not alone, you are not alone.

Honaloochie Boogie

(Ian Hunter)

I was a city child with a dead-end smile
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'

Violence

(Ian Hunter/Mick Ralphs)

I'm a missing link, poolroom stink, I can't talk
(Well that's too bad)
What's going on, something's wrong, I can't work
Can't go to school, the teacher's a fool, the preacher's a jerk
(Well that's such a drag)
Got nothing to do, street-corner blues, and nowhere to walk

Violence, violence
It's the only thing that'll make you see sense
(Repeat)

Gotta fight, nothing's right, livin' nowhere
(That's so sad)
Watch out for the gun, snake on the run, hide in my hair
You keep your mouth shut, or you'll get cut. Haha - I like to scare (Bet you're so mad)
I'm a battery louse, a superstar mouse, I don't care

Get off my back or I'll attack, 'n I don't owe you nothin' (OK)
Head for your hole, you're sick and you're old
'N I'm here to tell you something

Violence, violence
It's the only thing that'll make you see sense
(Repeat several times )

Drivin' Sister

(Ian Hunter/Mick Ralphs)

Eight-track machine playing 'Half Moon Bay'
Drivin' in my Volks down on Hamstead Way
Her mother got bust on a 88
And her brother got stuck on my number plate

Hey mister bartender won't you gimme some wine
I gotta get outta town, meet my baby on time
He put five gallons in my petrol tank
You know we just about made it but her breath sure stank yeah

Drivin' sister rock'n'roll
She's got feel on the wheel
Drivin' sister rock'n'roll
She don't make with no brakes

Drivin' sister rock'n'roll
She's an automobeat on the street
Drivin' sister rock'n'roll
She's much too much on the clutch

Drivin' sister rock'n'roll
She got her feet on the wheel
Drivin' sister rock'n'roll
She don't make with no brakes

I said drive, drive, drive, drive
And drive little sister drive
I said drive, drive, drive, drive
And drive little sister, drive on.

Ballad Of Mott (March 26th 1972 Zurich)

(Ian Hunter/Overend Watts/Mick Ralphs/Verden Allen/Dale Griffin)

I changed my name in search of fame
To find the Midas touch
Oh I wish I'd never wanted then
What I want now twice as much
We crossed the mighty oceans
And we had a few divides
But we never crossed emotion
For we felt too much inside

You know all the tales we tell
You know the band so well
Still I feel, somehow, we let you down
We went off somewhere on the way
And now I see we have to pay
The rock'n'roll circus is in town

Buffin lost his child-like dreams
And Mick lost his guitar
And Verden greyed a line or two
And Overend's just a rock'n'roll star
Behind these shades the visions fade
As I learn a thing or two
Oh but if I had my time again
You all know just what I'd do

Rock'n'roll's a loser's game
It mesmerises and I can't explain
The reasons for the sights and for the sounds
We went off somewhere on the way
And now I see we have to pay
The rock'n'roll circus is in town

So Rock'n'roll's a loser's game
It mesmerises and I can't explain
The reasons for the sights and for the sounds
The greasepaint still sticks to my face
So what the hell, I can't erase
The rock'n'roll feeling from my mind

From my mind...from my mind...from my mind
From my miiiiiind...from my miiiiind...from my miiiiiiiiind
From my miiiiiiiiiiiind

I'm A Cadillac/El Camino Doloroso

(Mick Ralphs)

When I feel so down, like a worn out shoe
Gotta grease my wheels, turn around and crawl to you
And you turn me on, like you did before
But it won't be long you'll be running through the door

Lovin' you is hard enough, lovin' you is strange
Burnin' up my days and nights, lock me up in chains
Then you cast your spell on me, I hear rock'n'roll
Keeps my motor runnin' cool, rollin' down the road

I'm a cadillac, I'm just holding back
All the speed inside just to let me ride you through
You're a thunderbird cruisin' round my heart
But don't push your luck, I don't always play my part

Lovin' you is hard enough, lovin' you is strange
Burnin' up my days and nights, lock me up in chains
Then you cast your spell on me, I hear rock'n'roll
Keeps my motor runnin' cool, rollin' down the road

You know I'm not for sale, I'm just here for fun
Call me up sometime, try and catch me on the run...

I Wish I Was Your Mother

(Ian Hunter)

I scream at you for sharing
'n I curse you just for caring
I hate the clothes you're wearing, they're so pretty
'n I tell to not to see me
'n I tell you not to feel me
'n I make your life a drag, it's such a pity
'n I watch your warm glow palin'
'n I watch your sparkle fadin'
As you realise you're failin', cos you're so good
Now I don't mean to upset you
But there's so much crime to get through
If only I could make it easier, then I would

Oh I wish I was your mother
I wish I'd been your father
'n then I would have seen you
Would have been you as a child
Played houses with your sisters
And wrestled with all your brothers
And then who knows
I might have felt a family for a while

It's no use me pretendin'
You give and I do the spendin'
Is there a happy ending, I don't think so
Cos even if we make it
I'll be too far out to take it
You'll have to try and shake it from my head

Oooooh I wish I was your mother
I wish I'd been your father
'n then I would have seen you
Would have been you as a child
Played houses with your sisters
And wrestled with all your brothers
And then who knows
I might have felt a family for a while