Excerpt:
This song with a biblical title and sexual undertones appeared all together. The song is almost haunting featuring a strong lyric, vocal performance, and now band, rocks. The female character is torn as she is somewhat committed to marrying a rich man but she meets the Good Samaritan who needed more than he could give and not her superficiality. The theme is similar to Ian's sentiment in Bastard. Here the singer and the woman could not meet again as he asks rhetorically:
And I don't know what possessed you, was I just a one night stand
And not your good Samaritan, good Samaritan, good Samaritan, good Samaritan.A live version exists from 2002 as well.
Great news! Advance copies of On Track Ian Hunter have reached the publisher and will be available soon! I even saw an advance copy on eBay.
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 at TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me!
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Good Samaritan
(Ian Hunter)
The sun shone through the window as I lay down on your carpet
Staring at the speakers - pretending to be tortured
And I never moved a muscle
No, I never moved a muscle
The sunlight turned to shadows, and the minutes turned to hours
Somebody turned the lights on, there was conversation, laughter
And you know just what I'm after - you know just what I'm after
You will look at me, and your curiosity is gonna get the better of you, will get the better of you
Standing next to me now - she's in the air I breathe
She says, "I'm marrying a rich man but he still thinks I'm a virgin
So I need a little action, I need a little fun
I need a good Samaritan, good Samaritan, good Samaritan, good Samaritan"
We raged around our cages until all the doors lay open
Then we fell upon each other in the fury and the frenzy
And we fought like Gods of Thunder - and we played like fives 'n under
And the only screams that mattered turn to whispers in my ear
You're my good Samaritan, you're my good Samaritan, you're my good Samaritan, you're my good Samaritan
Walking down the street - they make such a lovely couple
And she freezes when she sees me - but she don't have to worry
Cos I needed something deeper - I needed something longer
She said, "People who are weaker, need people who are stronger"
And I don't know what possessed you, was I just a one night stand
And not your good Samaritan, good Samaritan, good Samaritan, good Samaritan.
Ian Hunter CD: "Rant"
Sleeve and track listing
Fuel2000/True North TND 235.
- Still Love Rock 'n' Roll (4:34)
- Wash Us Away (3:57)
- Death of a Nation (5:35)
- Morons (5:32)
- Purgatory (4:46)
- American Spy (4:30)
- Dead Man Walkin' (Eastenders) (6:20)
- Good Samaritan (4:07)
- Soap & Water (5:18)
- Ripoff (4:50)
- Knees Of My Heart (3:35)
- No One (3:37)
Running time: 56m 47s
Sleeve variations
UK sleeve
Review
Ian's first studio album since The Artful Dodger finds him in a determined mood with a lot to say. Always at his best when he feels he has something to say, Ian is on the warpath with this one, his most politically charged in over 25 years. And boy has he delivered, an album that will stand the test of time mixing belting rockers with poingant ballads.
Opening track Still Love Rock 'n' Roll is a nod to the music that inspired Ian in the first place, a great mid-tempo rocker, Chuck Berry meets Little Richard covering all points in between but with a fresh perspective. I can see this being in the live set for years to come. Wash Us Away is a great slower number that grows on you, you'll soon find yourself humming the tune when you're busy doing something else.
Death Of A Nation is next, some of you may remember it from last year's tour. Almost folkish in places with acoustic guitar, Ian laments the decline of the England that (WW2 leader) Churchill would have known, and has a message for the politicians responsible for it all: "But you've been getting away with it for far too long/Your promises ain't worth the paper they're written on". In terms of pace and delivery it is reminiscent of God (Take 1), I can see it becoming another live favourite.
Morons is an up-tempo rocker, with plenty of piano, reminiscent musically of Marionette and lyrically Crash Street Kidds where Ian positively spits venom at the politicians and media for treating people like... well, morons: "Read moron newspapers, watch moron television... Etonians, Harovians think they're the chosen ones", and later "Look at those morons! They do nothing but whine and they're slow all the time... We can leave 'em behind, while we're dumbing them down we'll be robbing them blind!"
The subject of the high cost of living in England crops up again later, like in American Spy where Ian notes "Always in the red, never in the black/You make a bit of money and they take it all back/This ain't no way to spend the rest of my life" and in the more obvious Ripoff: "I really don't know why England's such a ripoff" and, he notes, "Some day you might win the lottery/Some day you might win the pools/But that's all you've got to live for" which for an awful lot of people isn't to far from the truth.
But it isn't all political, as Ian shows time and again he can write beautiful ballads that hit the emotional nail right on the head, such as Knees Of My Heart ("Slipped the ring on your finger/It's still there to this day" and "Honest and faithful, loyal and true/Where would I be if it were not for you".
Soap 'n' Water is direct and to the point, being directed at someone else entirely: "I can't believe what you did, you know how to hurt/All you do is drag old memories through the dirt".
This is a CD that takes a couple of plays to hit you (Ian never makes it easy for his fans!). But believe me, there is quality and depth here that will reward repeated playing. The (US) CD comes with an insert that folds out to reveal full lyrics and musician credits - I can only assume the UK CD will do likewise. All in all, highly recommended.
| Good Samaritan | 4:07 | Originally issued on Rant. |
| Good Samaritan (live 19th May 2002) | 5:45 | This live version (recorded Life Cafe, Manchester England) can be found on Bag Of Tricks (Vol 1) (box set only). |
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