This is the closing song on this first-rate CD and is a reflective hindsight view of his life and career. The two early verses comes close to a description of his early career in semi-pro bands, Lynn's Cafe in 1950s Northampton, hookers, and traveling to Germany to try and make it in the music business which is the subject of Bed of Roses. To get his genuine start in music the "lunatic" is Guy Stevens who was the first person to encourage Ian and tell him he had a future in music. Hunter was desperate and he would sign any contract just to get in music. The sixth verse sound like a review of Mott The Hoople that 'tripped the light fandango" and how the dream went astray "fell off the edge of a dream." Then, he ends up in the USA. As Ian has spent so many years in music the song is a review of his musical career and life. This was another song that started with words one day as Hunter woke up and the song is reminiscent of The Band.
Long Time
(Ian Hunter)
They called me the idiot
My hands were on fire
Blood flowed from my fingers every time I pressed the wires
Exiled to the attic, out of harm's way
I hit that bow and arrow till I hit the hay
I got a suitcase full of energy
I'm following the wind, old enough to know better young enough to join in
Lived opposite a graveyard, you could hear the hookers cry:
"You never paid me last week - so you ain't gettin' nothin' tonight!"
It's been a long time
It's been a long time
Hangin' out in Lynn's Cafe 1959
We ran the streets together and we never had a dime
It's been a long time, it's been a long long long long time
Still life never moved me or the friends that I chose
They was always up to something, as the saying goes
The road to good intentions was starting to fray
And then I met a lunatic who showed me the way
It's been a long time
It's been a long time
Well 'no' is not an option when your ass is on the line
I didn't need no lawyer, I was desperate to sign
It's been a long time, it's been a long long long long time
Be careful what you wish for
Dreams can come true
I was used to failure
This was something new
We tripped the light fandango till we ran out of steam
And then one by one we fell off the end of a dream
It's been a long time, it's been a long time,
You take a chance on destiny
You never know what you'll find
Fortune and misfortune are forever entwined,
It's been a long time - it's been a long long long long time
It's been a long time, it's been a long time,
You've been going your way
I've been going mine
I wasn't born in the USA but I'm that way inclined,
It's been a long time
It's been a long long long long long long long long time,
Oo if you're ever in the vicinity
Drop me a line
It's been a long time
It's been a long long long long...
These lyrics have been determined after careful listening to the tracks in question, and are provided for educational purposes only. Due to the possibility of mis-hearing, we cannot vouch for their accuracy. Copyright remains vested in the lawful copyright holders.
Ian Hunter and The Rant Band CD: "Fingers Crossed"
Sleeve and track listing
Proper Records PRPCD137
Review
Ian's 2016 album Fingers Crossed shows that he's as sharp an observer and incisive commentator as ever. The run of form that started with 2001's Rant shows no sign of abating, with this album being up there with his very best.
Ian hasn't been this good since the 70's, with killer album after killer album. No, I'm not an "I praise everything" type of reviewer - this is the honest truth. At 77 years of age (oh, yes!) Ian shows no sign of slowing down.
Dandy is the standout track, his homage to David Bowie who passed away back in January 2016. See how many Bowie tracks he manages to weave into the lyrics! Clever, very clever.
Mid-tempo rockers such as White House, Bow Street Runners and Stranded In Reality sit alongside slower, more thoughtful songs such as Morpheus and the title track Fingers Crossed.
Ian has always had his feet planted firmly in reality, as on You Can't Live In The Past he notes "You can never go back, those days are gone". On the closing track, the rockabilly Long Time he offers advice to younger wannabes "Be careful what you wish for" as he notes "Take a chance on destiny, you'll never know what you find".
Sheers class. And as essential as ever.
| Long Time | 4:18 | Originally released on Fingers Crossed. |
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