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I take the opportunity of the release of the reissue of this wonderful album to promote this band a bit, too often underestimated or known only for the title track of this album.
It's 1972 and Mott The Hoople are in crisis with disbandment on the horizon. David Bowie is a great fan of the group and tries to help his idols by writing for them the song that will become an anthem of the glam-rock era, on par with the great hits of Bowie himself and his other friend-rival, the white duke, that Marc Bolan of "Children of the Revolution." How could you refuse the help of the most sought-after person of those years? Lou Reed gets Transformer produced, Iggy Pop and the Stooges run to England to have Raw Power produced... you certainly couldn't say no...
The song is "All The Young Dudes," it will give the title to the album that Bowie will produce, also appearing as a musician with his saxophone. But Mott the Hoople are more than this song, the band is supported by the great voice of Ian Hunter, who knows how to be fierce and sweet with Dylan-esque echoes, and by Mick Ralphs' guitar (later of Bad Company).
The album opens with the cover of Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane," continues with "Momma's Little Jewel," the title track, and the stunning and biting "Sucker." All tracks are memorable: "Jerkin's Crocus," "One Of The Boys," "Soft Ground" with its vaguely oriental riff, the rock-blues ballad "Ready For Love" with Hunter's great vocals, and "Sea Diver," the final piano ballad with orchestral arrangements by Mick Ronson.
The recent reissue includes demo and live versions of some songs and especially the version of "All The Young Dudes" with David Bowie duetting with Ian Hunter, which alone is worth buying this remastered version CD.
If you like or have liked this album, the following "Mott" (1973) is no less... A band that certainly made the history of English glam rock of those years on par with Bowie, T-Rex, Roxy Music, Sweet, Slade... and deserved a spot on DeBaser!!!
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Sweet Jane (04:20)
(Lou Reed)
Standing on the corner
Suitcase in my hand
Jack is in his corset and Jane is in her vest
And me I'm in a rock and roll band
Riding in a Stutz Bearcat Jim
Those were different times
And the poets studied rules of verse
And all the ladies rolled there eyes
Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane
Now Jack he is a banker
And Jane she is a clerk
And they're both saving up all their money
And when they come home from work
Sitting by the fire
Radios a-play
A little classical music for you kids
To the march of the wooden soldiers and you can hear Jack say
Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane
Some people like to go out dancing
Other people they got to work
And there's always some evil mothers
I tell you life is just full of dirt
And the women never really faint
And the villains always blink their eyes
And children are the only ones that blush
And that life is just to die
But anyone who had a heart
He wouldn't want to turn around and break it
And anyone who ever played a part
He wouldn't want to turn around and hate it
Sweet Jane Sweet Jane Sweet Jane Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane Sweet Jane Sweet Jane Sweet Jane
Oh my sweet Jane
02 Momma's Little Jewel (04:26)
(Ian Hunter/Overend Watts)
Momma's little jewel just out of school fresh from the nuns that made you
Don't know why but I'm going to try to re-in-celibate you
Momma's little jewel you got the rules but I'll be the one to educate you
Take what's mine take a little time and don't bite the hand that makes you
True when I hold you near well I'm
Caught even when I'm on the road well I'm
Wearing my scorpio faces when I
Come in the midnight sun
What you want I can't buy so why don't you try it my way
What you look for ain't in the book but I'm going to show you someday
Laugh in the evening when I
Catch you with my [w...?] when I
Wearing my scorpio faces when I
Come in the midnight sun
You won't rise you won't shine you won't even try boys
You've got brains if you love changes you'll have to play with my toys
Momma's little jewel such a little fool thinks she can learn all the answers
She don't want to feel she just want to steal don't want to take any chances
True when I hold you near well I'm
Caught even when I'm on the road when I'm
Wearing my scorpio faces when I
Come in the midnight sun when I
Laugh in the evening when I
Catch you with my watering gun when I
Wearing my scorpio faces when I
Come in the midnight sun when I
Come in the midnight sun when I
Come in the midnight sun when I
Come in the midnight sun when I
Come in the midnight sun when I
03 All the Young Dudes (03:32)
Well Billy rapped all night about his suicide
How he kick it in the head when he was twenty-five
Speed jive don't want to stay alive
When you're twenty-five
And Wendy's stealing clothes from marks and sparks
And Freddy's got spots from ripping off the stars from his face
Funky little boat race
Television man is crazy saying we're juvenile deliquent wrecks
Oh man I need TV when I got T Rex
I'm a dude man
All the young dudes (Hey dudes)
Carry the news (Where are ya)
Boogaloo dudes (Stand up Come on)
Carry the news
All the young dudes (I want to hear you)
Carry the news (I want to see you)
Boogaloo dudes (And I want to talk to you all of you)
Carry the news
Now Lucy looks sweet cause he dresses like a queen
But he can kick like a mule it's a real mean team
But we can love oh yes we can love
And my brother's back at home with his Beatles and his Stones
We never got it off on that revolution stuff
What a drag too many snags
Now I've drunk a lot of wine and I'm feeling fine
Got to race some cat to bed
Oh is there concrete all around
Or is it in my head
I'm a dude man
All the young dudes (Hey dudes)
Carry the news (Where are ya)
Boogaloo dudes (Stand up)
Carry the news
All the young dudes (I want to hear ya)
Carry the news (I want to see ya)
Boogaloo dudes (And I want to relate to you)
Carry the news
All the young dudes (What dudes)
Carry the news (Let's hear the news come on)
Boogaloo dudes (I want to kick you)
Carry the news
All the young dudes (Hey you there with the glasses)
Carry the news (I want you)
Boogaloo dudes (I want you at the front)
Carry the news (Now you all his friends)
All the young dudes (Now you bring him down cause I want him)
Carry the news
Boogaloo dudes (I want him right here bring him come on)
Carry the news (Bring him here you go)
All the young dudes (I've wanted to do this for years)
Carry the news (There you go)
Boogaloo dudes (How do you feel)
Carry the news
04 Sucker (05:00)
(Ian Hunter/Mick Ralphs/Overend Watts)
Hi there your friendly neighbourhood sadist want to take you for a ride
Come on tell me 'bout the nights that I make you cry
Two tiny purple hands crawling out across the floor
All I could hear was a voice 'give me more more more'
My baby call me when she want a tale
My baby call me when she want a tale
My baby call me when she want a tale
She knows its right in her heart I never fail
She's a sucker
God help the woman who's late for work I get a green light flashing red
Like a superstar [brass town?] queen who's crown I bled
Now I just ran out of aspirin for an aching head
So I guess I'll have to do it just one more time instead
My baby call me when she want a tale
My baby call me when she want a tale
My baby call me when she want a tale
She knows its right in her heart I never fail
She's a sucker
Good games play games no names well that's alright if you can stand the pain
You can smoke my cigar all night through the link in your chain
Stand up baby its time to go
Well look what's here maybe if we do it slow
My baby call me when she want a tale
My baby call me when she want a tale
My baby call me when she want a tale
My baby call me when she want a tale
My baby call me when she want a tale
My baby call me when she want a tale
(fade)
05 Jerkin' Crocus (04:01)
(Ian Hunter)
Old man Tyler had a crash in his car down on the fortune highway
Doctor said it was his cruel sick heart didn't go to church on Sunday
Oh your pace is going to knock you dead
Out of the race you got time to spare
Jerkin' Crocus is the cause of the cross you bear
Didn't you wish you were there
I know what she want
Just a lick of your ice cream cone
I know what you say
Pappas in bed well hey hey hey
When he got stuck with a hole in his head she asked to try it my way
Get down low with all that haughty jive you don't know what it's like babe
Oh oh oh it's getting down around here
I got nothing to hide I'm to tired to fear
Jerkin' Crocus didn't kill me but she sure came near
She's a nads puller
I know what she want
A judo hold on a black mans balls
I know what you think
Ease over baby going to rock that thing
Alright!
I know what she want
Just a lick of your ice cream cone
I know what you say
Pappas in bed well hey hey hey
I know what she want
A judo hold on a black mans bones
I know what you think
Ease over baby going to rock that thing
Alright!
C'mon Jerkin'
C'mon Jerkin'
I know
No no no no
Alright!
I know
That's better
No no no no
That's much better
06 One of the Boys (06:46)
(Mick Ralphs/Ian Hunter)
Know that I grow my hair just to scare the teacher
My goodness gracious me ain't little Johnny a creature
And I lost count of the times when I never bathed
I'm one of the boys
One of the boys
I don't say much but I make a big noise
And it's growing alright its growing
I borrowed Gypsy's Gibson just to show them
And now I'm a rock and roll star I don't want to know them
If they want a stray they better go out a grow one
I'm one of the boys
One of the boys
I'm only human so I ain't got much choice
And I know it yeah I know it
Alright!
Hit it come on!
I'm just one of the boys
One of the boys
I don't say much but I make a big noise
And it's growing yeah its growing
I'm one of the boys
One of the boys
I'm only human so I ain't got much choice
And I know it yes I know it
One of the boys
I'm just one of the boys
One of the boys
I'm just one of the boys
One of the boys
I'm just one of the boys
One of the boys
I'm just one of the boys
Lets go! Alright!
Just just just just just
(fade)
07 Soft Ground (03:19)
(Verden Allen)
Too many people about
Telling me what to do with myself
It's hard to get around
Walking on soft soft ground
Well they can say what they feel
Cause I'm completely foreign
I know it's clear
It's putting my mind my mind at ease
She's reliable but demanding
She orders me about
She often keeps on wanting
'Til the morning light is out
Too many mouths
Arguing over nothing
Its hard to get around
Walking on soft soft ground
10 Sea Diver (02:53)
(Ian Hunter)
On morning shadows you were ill-spent
"It's time", you said, or is it time you went
I tried so hard to leave you
I tried to sleep
The hours you keep
Oh Lord I wish I could escape this iron veil
Ride on my son
Ride on my son
Ride until you fail
Something comes and something goes
And something dies before it grows
And I'm like a sea diver
Who's lost in space
["Sweet", said His Grace?]
Oh Lord I wish I could escape this iron veil
Ride on my son
Right on my son
Ride until you fail
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