Death 'n' Glory Boys is a political song and a straight forward denunciation about the stupidity of continually sending the young off to war. It should be clear that the song is inspired by the trauma of war and Ian has confirmed that the song is about the Falkland Islands war and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's adventurism. The conflict cost a great deal of money and young lives but the song can be applied to any unnecessary warfare. Hunter's daughter was seventeen years old then which hit home for him that a child that young could be killed in war.
Fortunately, since on most of the record he is absent, Mick Ronson offered a blistering guitar solo with Ian next to him. Hunter reports that Ronno forgot the chords so he was winging it. When Ian saw Mick freeze Ronson said afterwards `Well, if you're lost, you might as well stay where you are." Priceless!
Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me
Death 'n' Glory Boys
(Ian Hunter)
Get your son - young 'n' dumb
Give him a gun - make him run
Hot stuff - on a Saturday night
Wait a minute - this ain't right
It's that same old story
Talkin' 'bout the death 'n' glory boys
When your head is on the scaffold
'N' your ass is on the line
You gotta give it that old religion
One mo' time
Get the death 'n' glory boys
Midnight - no light
Cool sand - like mud in my hands
Got this feelin' - in my hair
What's that movin' - I ain't a scared
It's that same old story
Freak out with the death 'n' glory boys
When it's down to stealing apples
'N' you been doin' time
They can buy the hero in you
For a dime
You're a death 'n' glory boy
You'd better pack up your troubles
In your old kit bag
Say goodbye to your mother
She's the only friend you have
Long live the leaders
Long may they reign
May they live long enough
To feel every single pain
They don't care about the widows
They don't give no reasons why
They just keep on making medals
You can buy
From the death 'n' glory boys
Ian Hunter LP/CD: "All Of The Good Ones Are Taken"
Sleeve and track listing
Sony/Columbia 474780 2.
Review
Ian recorded this album at the end of 1982, and is a real mix of styles. Mick Ronson was absent, as he was seriously considering quitting the music business ("At one point I was even considering becoming a chef" - Mick). Strongest tracks are Speechless (later to be covered by Status Quo), and the title track. Every Step of the Way was also later covered by The Monkees on their Listen To The Band box set.
Side two closes with a slow version of All Of The Good Ones Are Taken, while side one opens with a fast version. The original version was "lost", but the record company persuaded Ian to re-record it ("But I couldn't get the feel back" - Ian). The fast version was released as a single, which was accompanied by a video which was shown for a while on MTV.
| Death 'n' Glory Boys | 5:58 | Originally issued on All of the Good Ones Are Taken, and on the compilations Gold, Once Bitten - the CBS Collection and The Singles Collection 1975-83 |
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