Common Disease is an out take from the All American Alien Boy sessions, and is more up-tempo than other tracks on the album. However, Ian has been dismissive of the song and has said it doesn't make it. The song was written to a formula and sounds more like a demo.
The formula is those more typical life of a rock 'n' roller songs and the perils of road and groupie life hence the singer gets a common disease such as the "clap." Maybe I enjoy the straightforward songs so I can take it for what it is but with the stronger songs on Alien this one made more sense to discard.
Common Disease
(Ian Hunter)
Started sweating, got a twitch in my eye
My (?)starts pumping and my temperature's high
Uh oh here we go again
I haven't had it since I don't know when
Mr Physician I got terrible news
I got a dose of something that I just can't lose
Uh oh here we go again
Cute little lover boy see where it gets you then
To me the juice, get me on the loose
Oh no you know it's a common disease
I wanna move it before I groove
Oh no you know it's a common disease
I'm feeling trapped, lost at 45
I'm a Rock 'n Roll singer and I wanna get clap
But I know I know you know it's a common disease
Doctor Doctor you're a venerable man
I read the posters get me out of this jam
Uh oh here we go again
Like I was jumping when he said lots of pain
See I'm in love but I've blown it completely
I thought I was a stud but she netted me neatly
Uh oh here we go again
One more goner, what a shame, what a shame
I want a prescription, I got an addiction.
Oh no you know It's a common disease
Feel like a crook, get me off the hook
No no you know I got a common disease
Wanna play around with the boys in the band
I wanna play around but I'm a one woman man
But I know you know you know I got this common disease
It's a common disease
It's a common disease
Oh it's a common disease, oh it's a common disease
oh it's a common disease, yeah it's a common disease
oh it's a common disease, oh it's a common disease
yeah it's a common disease
Ian Hunter CD: "Once Bitten Twice Shy"
Sleeve and track listing
Sony/Columbia 496284 2.
![[Box set sleeve]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_s3ID4s0GBZITGWs8y5moTqA5PsYkjWev80rGkTpnfYs2p0UDkPP-l3FNBVqWn4YmSEhnvcNiUYkQcQ_jPoKmGVGBdZ2s0MF-I0Gd4OSm_XcseK_wwBiRVxwoo=s0-d)
Review
This 2-CD set has been a long time coming. Once Sony released a 3-CD Mott The Hoople Anthology, it was inevitable they would issue a similar "box set" covering Ian Hunter's solo career. Comparisons with that set are therefore inevitable, although somewhat unfair.
This set attempts to include all the rarities: single A-sides, B-sides, movie soundtracks, a few outttakes and demos as well as the great/classic album tracks. Lovingly put together by Campbell Devine, Ian's input was, I'm told, minimal: recording vocals on two or three otherwise unfinished tracks, a handful of demos, and a request the set be split into "Rockers" and "Ballads".
Colwater High is an early highlight on the Rockers disc. An outtake from Ian's first album, it is very keyboard-oriented since Mick Ronson never laid down a guitar part for it. As such, it would not be out of place on the Hoople album. Common Disease is an outttake from the Alien Boy sessions, and is more up-tempto than other tracks on the album. Otherwise, it is a worthy song and I'm surprised it has taken so long to see the light of day.
Traitor (b-side to the Good Ones single) has never worked for me. It starts strongly, with powerful keyboard playing from Tommy Mandel, then it suddenly changes tempo and just sort of plods along. Three of the four movie soundtracks Ian recorded in the 80's are here (Wake Up Call being the one missing), the highlight for me being Great Expectations which has a good riff and a great chorus. I'd love to see Ian do this live some time.
Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady is an outtake from the Artful Dodger sessions, and takes a couple of listens to appreciate. I'd have put it on the "Ballads" disc, but then what do I know? The "Rockers" disc finishes with a live version of ATYD by Def Leppard (with Ian as special guest, of course).
The "Ballads" disc continues in a similar vein, mixing rare singles with alternate versions and previously-unreleased material. Shades Off is a spoken version of the track on Ian's first album, while Advice To A Friend is an alternate take of God (Take One) from the Alien Boy sessions. Don't ask me to chose which one is the better version, as both work for me.
Bluebirds is the highlight of this disc - an outtake from the Good Ones sessions, it is a power ballad - starts quietly but keeps building. Stylewise it is close to something Meat Loaf would do (when Jim Steinman is producing).
Both Sunshine Eyes and All Is Forgiven are demos, recorded in Ian's home studio and as such are true solo recordings. They are certainly interesting, and demonstrate the breadth of styles Ian is capable of. But demo quality is all they are, and Ian didn't see fit to record them on any of his albums.
The set comes complete with 32-page booklet featuring a short biography, track-by-track notes from Ian, and many rare and previously-unpublished photos.
As a compilation of Ian Hunter solo material, this is certainly the best so far, covering as it does both CBS and Chrysalis material. However, my main complaint concerns the balance of material presented. We get no fewer than six tracks from Schizophrenic, but only one from YUI Orta (heck, there are two tracks from Overnight Angels, Ian's least favourite album), and nothing at all from Dirty Laundry or Artful Dodger.
Ian says (in the sleeve notes) that this compilation will go a long way to answering the question "what have you done since 1975?". This compilation answers the question concerning Ian's 1970's and 1980's work, but the question of Ian's output in the 1990's remains unanswered here.
| Common Disease | 3:56 | This outtake from the All American Alien Boy sessions was originally issued on the compilation Once Bitten Twice Shy. It is also on Tilting The Mirror - Rarities (box set only). |
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