Lounge Lizard although released on the first solo LP had a bit of history. The song was originally a mechanical Mott The Hoople track as the B-side of Saturday Gigs. Mick Ronson re-did it with Johnny Gustafson on bass. The re-do produced a stronger version than the original. The track features a Honky Tonk Women cowbell, Ronson's guitar motif, and Roxy Music's Gustafson impressive bass line.
The year before Hunter met his future wife Trudi he was pulling women out of the Speakeasy in the middle of the night which is the theme of the song.
The lounge lizard is what most fans imagine the rock 'n' roll lifestyle is all about with groupies clamoring for musicians. Hunter wrote it using a girl but as a cover up for something else he was trying to express; maybe it is the tawdry rock life but a fan often sees the lifestyle as glamorous. Ian confirms that the song is fictional.
There is a live version from 2005 as well.
Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me
Lounge Lizard
(Ian Hunter)
Well I picked her up on a Saturday night
Pool hall poison but she felt alright
Oh dear what a sight when I saw her in the light of day
She was a speakeasy sleazer of the highest degree
Oh you should hear the stories she was laying on me
We really got it on as she held my point of view
Oh! She's a lounge lizard
Coming on strong
Who you fooling
Its me you're with
Lounge lizard
Come on come on
You got to be joking
Give give give yeah
Well I don't care if your sisters a john
I don't mind where your momma come for
Just give it to me
Just pull it through me
Alright
[Golly?] is a dolly got makeup on
I don't mind just keep your raincoat on
No hesitation no reputations to scale us
Oh! She's a lounge lizard
Coming on strong
Who you fooling
Its me you're with
Lounge lizard
Come on come on
You got to be joking
Give give give
Hey hey hey hey hey hey
Oh! She's a lounge lizard
Coming on strong
Who you fooling
Its me your with
Lounge lizard
Come on come on
You got to be joking
Just give give give
Oh! She's a lounge lizard
Coming on come on
Who you fooling
Its me your with
Lounge lizard
Come on come on
You got to be joking
Give give give
I said give give give
Give give give
Give give give
Give give give
Give give give
Ian Hunter LP/CD: "Ian Hunter"
Sleeve and track listing
Sony/Columbia 519817 2.
Sleeve variations
Regular CD/LP
Review
After leaving Mott the Hoople, Ian teamed up with guitarist Mick Ronson to record his first solo album. Mott had booked Air studios in London, but Ian and Mick went in instead. The result is an album that is totally stunning - one of Ian's best.
From the opening "'Ullo!" of Once Bitten Twice Shy to the savage cut-off of original album closer I Get So Excited this is an album packed full of good tracks. I can't pick out highlights because they're all good.
The 30th Anniversary issue now includes two session outtakes (unreleased at the time), together with two single edits. All of the bonus material was previously released on the Once Bitten Twice Shycompilation.
Sound quality is excellent, as are the sleeve notes.
This album has been issued several times on CD. The original Columbia (USA) CD had good (but not exceptional) sound quality, while the UK Sony/Rewind CD had very good sound quality. Neither had bonus tracks.
| Lounge Lizzard | 4:31 | Originally issued on Ian Hunter, also on the compilations Gold, Once Bitten - the CBS Collection and The Journey. This track was also recorded by Mott The Hoople. |
| Lounge Lizzard (live 18th March 2005) | 5:02 | This live version (recorded at the SxSW Festival Austin TX) was released on Bag Of Tricks (Vol 2) (box set only). |
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