The song is a highlight of the Once Bitten Twice Shy compilation which was originally released as part of the1984 Up the Creek movie soundtrack. The song has a good riff and a great chorus.
It sounds like a father concerned about his daughter's errant ways.
Great Expectations
(Ian Hunter)
Now my little girl's a cute little thing
But she ain't grown up much yet
She plays with the toys
N' she plays with the boys
And you never know what to expect
She does what she wants
She says what she wants
Cause she knows what she wants - she gets
And she tells me lies, she makes me worry a lot
And I never know what to expect
Well you never know what, you never know what,
you never know what - comes next
They tell you lies, they make you worry a lot
And you never know what to expect
Now my little girl likes to travel a lot
She thinks she's one of the jet set
She talks to strangers
She don't care about the dangers
And she never knows what to expect
I said, "You little Creep
You're in too deep
You're gonna get your neck wet
Stop messin' with the boogers in the parking lot
Cause you never know what to expect"
I said, you never know what, you never know what,
you never know what - comes next
You're messing with the boogers in the parking lot
And you never know what to expect (do ya?)
Her old man came to the house last night
He said, "I'm just a little bit upset"
I said, "What's she done?"
He said, "Everyone!"
I said, "You never know what to expect"
No you never know what, no you never know what,
no you never know what - comes next
You love 'em to death, and in the very next breath
You never know what to expect
You never know what, you never know what,
you never know what - comes next
But like it or not, you're all that I've got
You never know what to expect
You never know what to expect
I got great expectations (great expectations)
I got great expectations (great expectations)
You know, I got great expectations (great expectations)
I got great expectations (great expectations)
You never know what, you never know what,
you never know what - comes next
You love 'em to death, and in the very next breath
You never know, you never know, you never know whatIan 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_uWY0rqK2df_3hN2EPiyjho4nQaDaycfsUc_2qPDeiqmtJufcjGRM4V31TZbjRMGaTdywYMn4c0MRjYhH157hM9LFVxrOtuPvrLyF-9kymKE8CyWfIkI9XcXZU=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.
| Great Expectations (You Never Know What To Expect) | 3:54 | Originally a movie soundtrack; it can be found on the compilation Once Bitten Twice Shy. It can also be found on Tilting The Mirror - Rarities (box set only). |
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