Irene Wilde from Ian's second LP is one of the most well-known, beloved, and most often played of all Hunter originals. The song is a classic coming of age song for so many of us young boys growing up. We have that first crush and then she breaks our heart. In Ian's case, this incident was the point of growing up and motivated him to confess:
"I'm gonna be somebody - someday."
Hunter actually started his songwriting career based on this rejection and composed all his early songs for her. Thank you, Irene! As a result, we have the output that Ian has produced all from this key youthful rejection:
And I think most folks agree, a little put-down makes them see
They ain't no chain - just a link and that's why you made me think
Gonna be somebody - be somebody - be somebody - somedayHunter was that sixteen year old who ran letters between Irene and a guy she went out with at Shrewsbury High School. According to Ian she had an irresistible Julie Christie jawline; Christie was a British actress and an icon of the Swinging 1960s.
Irene really did snub Ian at the bus station, later married, had twins, and never saw her again but heard she liked the song. The Barker Street bus station is a car park now. At first the song was not going to be on the album since Hunter thought the melody was too much like Bach's Air On A G-String but manager Fred Heller insisted the song was included on the album and of course he was right, as Ian says: for once!
The confessional nature of Hunter's ballad on this song is similar to the emotional impact that Waterlow and I Wish I Was Your Mother, immortalized as one of his finest autobiographical efforts.
The true story played consistently on the 1979-1981 tours, then again in 1989, there is a Strings Attached version from 2002, two versions in 2004, an acoustic version in 2008, and a live version from 2010. Finally, an alternate version, Irene Wilde (Number One) is on the reissues of All American Alien Boy. There was another version considered for Shrunken Heads done Chet Atkins style but it was not fully completed.
Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me
Irene Wilde (Number One)
Irene Wilde
(Ian Hunter)
When I was just sixteen - I stood waiting for a dream -
at Barker Street bus station every night
When I tried to get it on - she just looked at me with scorn - my courage
turned to dust and I took flight
For those looks they seemed to say
You ain't nuthin' - Go away
You're just a face in the crowd so I went home and I vowed
I'm gonna be somebody - someday
Her name was Irene Wilde - Oh such beauty for a child
When she started dating boys - I nearly died
For I could not barely stand to see someone hold her hand
I felt I had to crawl away and hide
In my mother's living room I composed so many tunes
All the same - just a frame - for her name, and just to say
Gonna be somebody - someday
Wild as your name I soon left that country town
I been around, seen some fame, seen some ups and seen some downs
Smile through your shock when you hear your name aloud
It's that face in the crowd - didn't dig it - much too proud...
When I was just sixteen I stood waiting for a dream
A Barker Street bus station non affair
At the time it seemed so sad, but it did not turn out bad
If you hadn't messed me up I'd still be there
And I think most folks agree, a little put-down makes them see
They ain't no chain - just a link and that's why you made me think
Gonna be somebody - be somebody - be somebody - someday
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!
| Irene Wilde | 3:44 | Originally issued on All American Alien Boy, also on the compilations Gold Once Bitten - the CBS Collection and The Journey. |
| Irene Wilde (live 5-11th November 1979) | 4:13 | This live version (recorded at The Roxy, Los Angeles CA) was issued on Welcome to the Club, and on the compilations The Collection and From The Knees Of My Heart. |
| Irene Wilde (live 22nd November 1979) | 4:25 | This live version (recorded Hammermith Odeon, London England) was originally issued on If You Wait Long Enough For Anything, You Can Get It On Sale (box set only). |
| Irene Wilde (live 19th April 1980) | 4:41 | This live version (recorded Rockpalast TV Show, Grugahalle, Essen Germany) was originally issued on Live At Rockpalast (not on the box set) |
| Irene Wilde (live 11th September 1981) | 4:40 | This live version (recorded Dr. Pepper Music Festival, Pier 84, New York NY) was originally issued on the Ian Hunter Rocks video (VHS/Laserdisc only). The video (DVD) can also be found on It Never Happened (box set only); the audio can be found on From The Knees Of My Heart (not on the box set). |
| Irene Wilde (live 15th February 1989) | 5:50 | This live version (recorded The Dominion, London England) was issued on BBC Live in Concert. |
| Irene Wilde (live 29/30th January 2002) | 4:05 | This live version (recorded Sentrum Scene, Oslo Norway) was issued on Strings Attached. |
| Irene Wilde (live 28th May 2004) | 5:19 | This live version (recorded The Astoria, London England) was released on The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nuthin' But The Truth. Not on the box set |
| Irene Wilde (live 12th June 2004) | 5:09 | This live version (recorded at the Bikini, Barcelona, Spain) was released on Bag Of Tricks (Vol 2) (box set only). |
| Irene Wilde (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). |
| Irene Wilde (live October 2010) | 4:18 | This live version (recorded at an unknown UK venue) was released on Live In The UK 2010. |
| Irene Wilde (Number One) | 3:52 | An alternate version of Irene Wilde is on the 2006 and 2016 CD reissues of All American Alien Boy. |
Posts
