Excerpt:
This snappy tune How Much More Can I Take is along the lines of the Beatles and with Hunter's relationship lyrics resulted in the Hunter Ronson teamwork in full-tilt rocking mode and a live version was also released in 1989 at the BBC. It's a powerful statement of waiting and wondering and most of us have been there at one time or another. It's the emptiness that you feel while waiting on love. The lyrics end with a rhetorical and emotional outpouring:
You fill my eyes
But you don't fill the hunger
How much more can I take
Hunter doesn't remember much about it other than he thinks it's too fast. Most of us can relate to the sentiment though when we wonder how much worse can things get? The protagonist is unable to tolerate love, rejects it, and then yearns for the unattainable and in some ways is somewhat reminiscent of Arms and Legs.
On Track Ian Hunter is shipping soon. Want to promote Ian? The publisher is marketing the book but asked for help from us fans in the Hunter orbit. If you have contacts with podcasts, magazines, or other music outlets let me know so we can promote Ian's music. I'm open for interviews to talk about Hunter's catalog. Thanks!
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.
On Track Ian Hunter https://www.amazon.com/dp/1789523044...
Upcoming Podcast Appearances! More details soon:
Full of Words & Book 101!
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
Frankly Francisco Podcast:
Mostly about Burning America: In the Best Interest of the Country? but On Track Ian Hunter is mentioned as well:
https://open.substack.com/pub/micksmith/p/who-was-on-the-frankly-francisco?r=e00v8&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Toby Gribben Show, awesome show, and live 8 February 2024!
Sign up now for behind the scenes information about On Track
Ian Hunter at TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me!
To book and interview:
TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me
What is the difference between a Beatles biography or a song by-song review of the Beatles career?
https://micksmith.substack.com/p/what-is-the-difference-between-a-9fc
Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me
How Much More Can I Take
(Ian Hunter)
You're breakin' my heart
Stealing my thunder
How much more can I take
You're draggin' me down
Holding me under
How much more can I take
How much more can I take
Won't somebody break
The news to you gently.
You fill my eyes
But you don't fill the hunger
How much more can I take
I see your face
Everywhere, every place
How much more can I take
You're here in the night
You're here in the morning sunlight
How much more can I take
How much more can I take
I (wish that I could) make your mind up (for you).
You fill my eyes
But you don't fill the hunger
How much more can I take
How much more can I take
Won't somebody help me
I'm naked as the day I was born
These clothes have a way of changin' what I'm feelin'
I try and I try but I can't put 'em on
I sit here alone
Wait by the telephone line
How much more can I take
I'm jealous as hell
Mixed up 'n mean as well
How much more can I take
How much more can I take
I know she'd like to break
Those stones over my body.
You fill my eyes
But you don't fill the hunger
How much more can I take
he full-tilt rocker How Much More Can I Take
Ian Hunter CD: "YUI Orta"
Sleeve and track listing
Lemon CD LEM 6.
Review
Ian teamed up with his old mate Mick Ronson once again to record this album in the middle of 1989. Ian and Mick had toured the USA and Europe in late 1988/early 1989, before the album was even recorded, and the result is a highly polished album - one of their best.
Highlights include the Stonsey Women's Intuition (if only Mick 'n' Keef were still this good!), the full-tilt rocker How Much More Can I Take, Big Time (Ian borrows his own riff from Once Bitten...), Tell It Like It Is (Mick borrowing the Get It On riff) and Mick's guitar showcase Sweet Dreamer which is breathtaking beautiful.
When the album was released, they toured the USA and Europe again to promote it. Intended in some ways as a comeback album for both men, the record company did little to promote it themselves, and it didn't sell in great numbers. They were dropped by the record company, and all plans for a follow-up were put on hold when Mick Ronson was diagnosed with liver cancer.
Unavailable for many years, this CD has finally been reissued on the Lemon label (a planned reissue on NMC having fallen through when NMC went bust). This reissue includes a couple of Ronno bonus tracks from 1971 - great for the completist but somewhat at odds with the rest of the album. The insert includes the lyrics from the original CD, but the sleeve notes are appallingly inaccurate - a shame really that Campbell Devine's notes for the aborted NMC release weren't used.
In 1995, Windsong issued an official release of their 15-Feb-89 concert, which had been recorded by the BBC for radio broadcast. This live album has since been reissued on Strange Fruit.
As is normal these days, there was material left over in the vaults, some of which is circulating amongst fans. This includes (Give Me Back My) Wings, which was demoed but never recorded, Ill Wind (now available on the Once Bitten Twice Shycompilation), More To Love Than Meets The Eye and Look Before You Leap, which IMO would have been a great single and features some beautiful guitar work from Mick Ronson
The album title is derived from "Why you... I ought to...", a phrase popularised by The Three Stooges.
Technical
The original CD
The reissued CD
Comments
Analysis of the reissued CD shows some compression being used; this has boosted overall loudness slightly (by some 2.2dB) without any noticeable affect on sound quality.
How Much More Can I Take | 3:49 | Originally issued on YUI Orta. |
How Much More Can I Take (live 15th February 1989) | 4:06 | This live version (recorded The Dominion, London England) can be found on BBC Live in Concert. |