Man O' War is so blatant and misogynist unlike almost anything Ian has written I would suspect there is a bit of fun going on here. It's a tongue-in-cheek, twelve-bar, Stones-style rocker. It's as if Ian is pulling our leg because the lyrics are so comical, I mean, "demon of the semen," seriously? Hunter openly states he and Ronson weren't keen on the song after having been on the road so much he had just about hit empty. He was desperate to write in San Diego for a week where they were rehearsing for the Roxy week dates. They needed almost anything, and this is the result. It's sort of like a perverse pleasure to hear something so wooden but after repeated plays the song grows on you.
Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me
Man O'War
(Ian Hunter/Mick Ronson)
I never brush my teeth and I never wash
I guess I never bother with no brush
I don't care about a knife and fork
And don't you argue with the way that I talk
And all you ladies want my autograph
And have you seen my photo, have you seen my photographs....yeah
I hit the city when the sun goes down
I get this feeling that I'm running around
I love virgins, I like 'em petite
Cute little sister won't you sit on me
End up scoring, over 5 dollars down
You don't have to tell me I'm a clown
Cause I'm a bad mother - try me and see
I'm a bad mother - check my I.D.
I'm a bad mother - got nothing to do
If I could spit, I'd spit all over you.
I'm a Man O' War, hey hey
The demon of the semen, I'm a Man O' War
And you know it for sure, yeah
You better get back on your feet, I'm a Man O' War
I tol' my woman that I got this disease
She says, "Honey, please! Get down on your knees"
"You look so sexy when you sing with the band
Tie me up, tie me up, tie my hands!".
How'd you like to do it with the leader of the band
You better kick out the jams, the back seat's wet
Cause I'm a bad mother - I get around
I'm a bad mother - I know the sound
I'm a bad mother - nothing to do
If I could spell, I'd put a spell on you
Cause I'm a Man O' War hey hey
Ain't nobody told you I'm a Man O' War
I got a gun for show, yeah
So get up on your feet I'm a Man O' War
(Come on Mickey)
Cause I'm a bad mother - check me and see
I'm a bad mother - I got VD
I'm a bad mother - got nothing to do, oh
If I could spit, I'd spit all over you
I'm a Man O' War hey hey
The demon of the semen, I'm a Man O' War
And you know it for sure, yeah
Oh baby get up on your feet, I'm a Man O' War
I'm a Man O' War, I'm a Man O' War
Give me an image, I'll take it to the limit
I'm a Man O' War, I'm a Man O' War
Mamma's little soldier, I'm a Man O' War
All right, yeah.
Ian Hunter LP/CD: "Welcome to the Club"
Sleeve and track listing
Chrysalis CDCHR 6075.
- FBI (3:52)
- Once Bitten Twice Shy (5:25)
- Angeline (4:56)
- Laugh at Me (3:40)
- All the Way From Memphis (3:33)
- I Wish I Was Your Mother (6:47)
- Irene Wilde (4:13)
- Just Another Night (6:03)
- Cleveland Rocks (6:01)
- Standin' In My Light (5:49)
- Bastard (8:12)
Running time: 58m 38s- Walkin' With a Mountain/Rock 'n' Roll Queen (4:20)
- All the Young Dudes (3:29)
- Slaughter On Tenth Avenue (2:25)
- One of the Boys (7:36)
- The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll (4:01)
- When the Daylight Comes (9:00)
- Once Bitten Twice Shy/Bastard/Cleveland Rocks (medley) (6:10)
- We Gotta Get Out of Here (3:14)
- Silver Needles (5:56)
- Man O' War (4:19)
- Sons and Daughters (5:04)
Running time: 55m 40s
Review
Ian's 1979 Schizophrenic album sold much better than anyone had expected, and Chrysalis were keen to keep the momentum going with another album. Because he doesn't write on the road, Ian didn't have the material together, so a 2-LP live set (recorded towards the end of the 1979 USA tour) was put out instead. It basically comprised three sides live and one side of new material live in the studio.
The 2-CD set offers excellent packaging and excellent sound quality, albeit with different artwork (the original having been lost). The CD includes the rare UK single b-sides One Of The Boys (live) and Once Bitten Twice Shy/Bastard/Cleveland Rocks (live medley), and the previously-unreleased The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll (live) and When the Daylight Comes (live).
Terms and conditions.
Man O' War | 4:19 | Originally released on Welcome to the Club, and on the compilations The Collection and From The Knees Of My Heart. |