The Ballad of Little Star has a bit of history as it began as A Little Star during the Alien Boy sessions. As resurrected it was Ian also reminiscing about being on a reservation in Canada during Mott The Hoople; it inspired the song. A little organ grinder circus-like intro begins the track and then smolders with sparse piano. This is one of the topics that Ian visits occasionally about Native Americans as with Ta Shunka Witco (Crazy Horse) and River of Tears: "the reservation killed your nation." As Little Star's father explained:
Bowed those fine heads that, once proud, roamed the plains
They sought nothing to gain 'til our fathers civilised
And broken hearted arrows roamed the skies
Then you were born to feel the pain
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The Ballad of Little Star
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=7IPl7jBUlN0
(Ian Hunter)
You don't look a day over ten so why be
Do you have to pretend to be older than you are
Beads and mirrors by your body
And in some roadside bar you feel the pain
Little Star
Lost on a merry go round, on the game
You can never be found cause you don't know who you are
The reservation killed your nation
And in some tourists car you feel the pain
Little Star
You know you know
We grow and grow
We never slow
We always win
And you feel lost
And you feel crossed
And you feel tossed
Just like the wind
Your father will have told you of the wind
Bowed those fine heads that, once proud, roamed the plains
They sought nothing to gain 'til our fathers civilised
And broken hearted arrows roamed the skies
Then you were born to feel the pain
Little Star
You know you know
We grow and grow
We never slow
We always win
And you feel lost
And you feel crossed
And you feel tossed
Just like the wind
You know you know
We grow and grow
We never slow
We always win
And you feel lost
And you feel crossed
And you feel tossed
Just like the wind
Your father will have told you of the wind
Ian Hunter LP/CD: "Overnight Angels"
Sleeve and track listing
Sony/Columbia 474781-2.
Review
After receiving (and turning down) several offers in 1976, Ian realised he wanted to be in a band again. After the less than commercial success of Alien Boy, he went in to the studios wanting to record fast songs again (having recorded Alien Boy never wanting to do a fast song again!). With Roy Thomas Baker producing (he had produced several Queen albums), this should have been a monster.
The result could almost be described heavy metal - it is certainly not a typical Ian Hunter album. The rockers are certainly there, but the production is too thin - everything is at the same level in the mix (up front!), with Ian's voice almost drowned out at times.
Released when punk was at its height, the album and subsequent tour received mixed reviews. Columbia in the States was more forthright - they refused to release it (although a few test pressings exist). Ian would soon part company from CBS/Columbia and Fred Heller (his manager), and soon disowned the album, describing it as "that horrible album" and "a mistake", and hasn't played any track from it in concert since.
| The Ballad of Little Star | 2:32 | Originally issued on Overnight Angels. Also on the compilations Once Bitten - the CBS Collection and The Singles Collection 1975-83. |
| The Ballad Of Little Star (live 11th October 2010) | 2:50 | This live version (recorded at The Journal Tyne Centre, Newcastle England) was released on Bag Of Tricks (Vol 3)(box set only). |