Excerpt:

This early youthful years tale Girl From The Office is a story of lust and bravado. The song is delivered with acoustic and bouzouki instrumentation about an actual incident. Ian worked on the factory floor and he relates a working-class roots romance tale with this song. He was a "16-year old apprentice covered in filth." It is reminiscent of the Kinks and feels English. The older men wolf-whistle and the boys just drool. The girl worked at Sentinel in Shrewsbury and her name is Margaret Oliver and you can imagine the scene with these grungy guys and the clean looking girl. Ian seized this opportunity and learning that she enjoyed dancing he enrolled in the Sabrina Dancing Academy as his way to be a somebody; yes, a juvenile dream. Nonetheless, it has a happy ending (he gets the girl) so clearly this tale is just the opposite of Irene Wilde. Ian did become a "happening dude" and it is a true story. For a juvenile story Ian's was quite the gentleman because when he is pressed for information about the particulars he says:

I feel bad 'cos she's so sweet and I'm sick of everybody asking me

A clever rhyme is really genius pairing "office" with "stand-offish." The song was Hunter's fun song for this release and is simply sweet.

Upcoming Podcast Appearances! More details soon:
Better To ...? Podcast, recorded a terrific conversation, due for release 2 August 2024. 

In the meantime, listen to previous appearances! 
Yeah Uh-Huh by Lisa and Phil https://youtu.be/r46AbOSo-MM?si=uuWy3T8rQjhnGkwS

Tell Me About Your Book, The Phenomenal Musician John Christian
https://www.facebook.com/.../pfbid09pnutefvQEpSF8uz8jMTip...
Set Lusting Bruce with Jesse Jackson https://podcasts.apple.com/.../set.../id1038228650... 

HODGEPOD with Rob Fredette https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-bgfx7-14962b2

Toby Gribben Show, awesome show, and live 8 February 2024!

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Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me

Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me

The Girl From The Office

(Ian Hunter)

Everybody says that the girl from the office is the best-looking girl they've ever seen
And everybody smiles at the girl from the office when she walks across the factory floor

And everybody says that the girl from the office is a little stand-offish when they talk to her
And everybody thinks that the girl from the office isn't keen on hanging out with the boys from work

Oh what a hero I would be if the girl from the office went out with me

What's she like... What's she like...
What's she like... What's she like...
What's she like... What's she like...
Everybody says
What's she like... What's she like...
What's she like... What's she like...
What's she like... What's she like...
What's she like in bed?

No one seems to know where the girl from the office goes in her spare time, well I found out
She visits the Sabrina Dancing Academy, I just got my membership card filled out

Oh what a hero I would be if the girl from the office went out with me

Everybody knows - their lives are going nowhere
Everybody dreams - 'n she's a breath of fresh air
Everybody's eyes - are gazing at the software
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Everybody says that the girl from the office is the best-looking girl they've ever seen
And everybody smiles at the girl from the office when she fetches me a coffee from the staff canteen
Now I'm the hero of the factory
Mr Popularity
But I feel bad 'cos she's so sweet and I'm sick of everybody asking me

Everyone's in love with the girl from the office

Ian Hunter CD: "Man Overboard"

Sleeve and track listing

New West NW6167

The Great Escape
Arms And Legs
Up And Running
Man Overboard
Babylon Blues
Girl From The Office
Flowers
These Feelings
Win It All
Way With Words
River Of Tears

Review

After two albums that were somewhat political in nature (2001's Rant and 2007's Shrunken Heads), 2009 find Ian in a more mellow frame of mind. After a long and successful career he has time to look back on his life and say "Yeah... I've no complaints..."

The album opens strongly with The Great Escape, which tells of the singer's narrow escape after a "lack of respect" for a local thug. Indeed, several songs seem to be telling tales of the rougher side of life, such as the title track which informs us "They say crime doesn't pay, well take a walk down my way..."

Ian doesn't forget his working-class roots either, with the delightful Girl From The Office, which is reminiscent of the Kinks at their best and has a very English feel to it, and tells the story of a factory-floor romance. As always with Ian's songs of this nature, it has a happy ending (he gets the girl).

Ballads have always been a strong point with Ian, and these are prominent especially on the second half of the album. Not all work, however, with These Feelings being a particular weakness.

More up-tempo songs are on the first half of the album. I hesitate to say "rockers", as medium-pace is about the best we get these days (I did say Ian is more mellow these days) and guitars, although present, are rarely high in the mix any more. Those expecting another Just Another Night or Cleveland Rocks should perhaps look elsewhere. That was then and this is now... That said, Arms And Legs is a strong guitar-led song that will really work well in a live setting, as is the next track Up And Running.

Ian hopes to tour with the album both in the USA and UK, so we will wait and see how the songs work in a live setting. Reports from the two gig so far (at the time of writing, end July '09) are positive. As for where this album fits in Ian's extensive back catalogue time only will tell. It is more immediately likeable than its predecessor (sometimes it takes a few plays to "get" an Ian Hunter album, but I liked this straight away), but ulimately I feel it may end up a notch or two down from his very best.

Girl From The Office

4:35

Originally issued on Man Overboard.

Thursday, June 15, 2023

Girl From The Office, Ian Hunter, Man Overboard.

The Girl From The Office

Ian Hunter CD: "Man Overboard"

Sleeve and track listing

Review