(Miss) Silver Dime is an ode to Alice as a "drunken Mona Lisa" and was based on a Slick guitar lick, great piano, and good melody and chorus. Another song about an Alice thought topically this is closer to a Lounge Lizard than the Alice from the Mott The Hoople days. Silver Dime seem to be attracted to the rock 'n' roll lifestyle and connects with the singer. Earl Slick got a co-writing credit on the tune on this song which took only about ten minutes to write. It was to be the first single from the LP and it was written naturally. This Alice was not connected to the one on The Hoople LP, in fact, Ian does not know any Alice.
Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me
(Miss) Silver Dime
(Ian Hunter/Earl Slick)
Alice was a drunken Mona Lisa
Arching up some American wall
She said I really want to please you
I said that's easy let yourself fall All you got to do is go
Ride on down rock and roll
Shine on Miss Silver Dime
Ride on down rock and roll
Blow my sweet mind
Blow my sweet mind
As I was posing down some empty broken street
Said the world is coming to an end
She screamed out loudly
I'm so lonely I'm so lonely
I'm so lonely I'm so lonely
I said on me you can depend
All you got to do is go
Ride on down rock and roll
Shine on Miss Silver Dime
Ride on down rock and roll
Blow my sweet mind
Blow my sweet mind
She sucked so sadly on this feather tail
She got me up when I was down
She plays the music and when the music fades
I want her to get me up I want her to get me up
I want her to get me up I want her to get me up
I want her to get me up get me up
Get me up get me up get me up get me up
Get me up get me up get me up get me up
All you got to do is go
Ride on down rock and roll
Shine on Miss Silver Dime
Ride on down rock and roll
Blow my sweet mind
Blow my sweet mind
Ride on down rock and roll
Shine on Miss Silver Dime
Ride on down rock and roll
Blow my sweet mind
Blow my sweet mind
All you got to do is go
(fade)
Ian Hunter LP/CD: "Overnight Angels"
Sleeve and track listing
Sony/Columbia 474781-2.
Review
After receiving (and turning down) several offers in 1976, Ian realised he wanted to be in a band again. After the less than commercial success of Alien Boy, he went in to the studios wanting to record fast songs again (having recorded Alien Boy never wanting to do a fast song again!). With Roy Thomas Baker producing (he had produced several Queen albums), this should have been a monster.
The result could almost be described heavy metal - it is certainly not a typical Ian Hunter album. The rockers are certainly there, but the production is too thin - everything is at the same level in the mix (up front!), with Ian's voice almost drowned out at times.
Released when punk was at its height, the album and subsequent tour received mixed reviews. Columbia in the States was more forthright - they refused to release it (although a few test pressings exist). Ian would soon part company from CBS/Columbia and Fred Heller (his manager), and soon disowned the album, describing it as "that horrible album" and "a mistake", and hasn't played any track from it in concert since.
(Miss) Silver Dime | 4:34 | Originally issued on Overnight Angels. It can also be found on the compilations Gold and Once Bitten - the CBS Collection. |