The title track started with Gerry Weems' piercing guitar which cut in sharply on the fade out of Letter To Britannia From The Union Jack. Originally entitled To Rule Britannia from Union Jack the opening track of the LP addresses a concern about Great Britain that Ian raises from time to time and increasingly and profoundly throughout his career. Not surprisingly, on an album about his first impressions of America from a recent transplant he reviews his thoughts about his homeland England. He recognizes the slow decline of Britannia symbolized as the helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield from the perspective of the Union Jack flag. It is a lament about England as "just a victim of your history" but the glory of England remains firmly on the masted flag. The Union Jack pleads "do not lower me by half." The sentiment of the song is sad but it implies the hope that Britannia may rise again. The song was a comment on Ian's feelings about the sorry state of Seventies England; his feelings are complicated but this is how he felt at the time.
There are two live versions from 1979 and it was also performed live in 2008. There is an alternate original version of Letter to Britannia From the Union Jack on the 2006 CD reissue of All American Alien Boy.
Also recorded at the Park West, Chicago IL 22nd June 1979 on Missing In Action.
For more information Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me
| To Rule Britannia From The Union Jack | 4:08 | An alternate version of Letter To Britannia From The Union Jack is on the 2006 CD reissue of All American Alien Boy. |
is the national personification of Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield
Letter To Britannia From The Union Jack
(Ian Hunter)
Poor Britannia - drowning in your waves
With the Body of the unknown soldier and the best of the brave
I have known you ever since I was a child
How come you don't salute me - now - when I smile
You was always so young and on all o' that money
How come new mourners pass you by and think it's so funny
I'd be there with you but I'm chained unto this stake
For I am loyalty but my mast I cannot forsake
I looked down on a bunch of amusements, I looked down walls
I've looked on hangings 'n parades 'n city halls
And I've seen love in so many living rooms
And I've seen rich men slowly die inside their tombs
I know we're just two charms but it's heavy on my mind
Have faith in me I said, now, look at time
I know you're just a victim of your history but
Have faith in me, I said and you would be free....
You pull me up and you pull me down
And when the Queen's in residence I hang around
I don't wave madly 'cos the climate's civilised
Just flutter sadly 'cos I'm old 'n I'm wise
And you-you been up, and you - you been down
You been through many things I know you been around
I have fought armies for you in the conflicts of the past
Britannia, I implore you, do not lower me by half.
Ian Hunter LP/CD: "All American Alien Boy"
Sleeve and track listing
Sony BMG 82876 769432.
Sleeve variations
The 1998 UK sleeve
The original sleeve
Review
Ian recorded his second solo album in NYC, and this finds him in an altogether softer mood - there are none of Ian's trademark rockers on this album. Management differences meant that Mick Ronson was absent ("I'll never work with Mick again so long as Tony DeFries is his manager" - Ian), so Ian brought in Chris Stainton on keyboards to act as a balancing force in the studio ("I need someone who'll argue with me").
Highlight of the album is Irene Wilde (which Ian maintains is a true story), and You Nearly Did Me In(which features Queen's Freddie Mercury, Brian May and Roger Taylor on backing vocals).
The 2006 reissue sees excellent sound quality, and a host of bonus tracks none of which have been released before. It also comes with an excellent booklet written by Campbell Devine. The original version of Rape has been restored, which some may see as a disappointment compared with the rare intro on the previous 1998 CD.
This is the third release of this album on CD. This album was previously available on a USA CD. Sound quality was good, considering that by all accounts the master tapes were not in good shape. No bonus tracks. In 1998 this album was issued in the UK as part of Sony's Rewind series. Sound quality was excellent, audibly better than the USA CD. The 1998 CD also came with a previously-unavailable version of Rape, which had the Singin' In The Rain intro. This version was previously available only on a few US test pressings and had never been issued officially before!
| To Rule Britannia From The Union Jack | 4:08 | An alternate version of Letter To Britannia From The Union Jack is on the 2006 CD reissue of All American Alien Boy. |
| Letter To Britannia From The Union Jack | 3:49 | Originally released on All American Alien Boy, also on the compilations Gold, The Journey, Once Bitten - the CBS Collection, Once Bitten Twice Shy and The Singles Collection 1975-83. See also To Rule Britannia From The Union Jack. |
| Letter To Britannia From The Union Jack (live 22nd June 1979) | 3:03 | This live version (recorded at Park West, Chicago IL) was released on Missing In Action (not on the box set). |
| Letter To Britannia From The Union Jack (live 7th July 1979) | 3:51 | This live version (recorded at Berkeley Community Theater, Berkeley CA) is on the 30th Anniversary issue of You're Never Alone With a Schizophrenic, and on If You Wait Long Enough For Anything, You Can Get It On Sale(box set only). |
| Letter To Britannia From The Union Jack (live 2nd March 2008) | (10:08) | This live version (recorded at the Mick Jagger Centre, Dartford England) was issued on Acoustic Shadows (box set only). |
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