What For is a fun rocker with strong guitars and piano reminiscent of early Mott The Hoople or The Rolling Stones. It's a critique of society or even certain individuals. There is so much trash television, magazines, bling, cell phones, but what is needed is to use your own mind. He's urging the listener know who and what you are, who your friends and enemies are, and grow in the big world we are in.
Hunter has said this song is about entitled youth. They have material things but they are miserable. `What for?' is the response the young people say to the parents who try to communicate. Ian specifies that it is not about his children who have accomplished things in life but it's to communicate to other self-centered kids in the younger generation. Hunter says this is about precocious, entitled little twats and it's about time somebody gets back at them.
A clever ending is the Jerry Lee Lewis Great Balls of Fire refrain.
Ian Hunter for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me
What For
(Ian Hunter)
I had enough of those plastic bags
Can't read them daily rags
Can't watch, can't listen to trash television, trash television
Had enough of counting sheep
Buyin' them magazines, read 'em 'n' weep
What you read is what you know
Gonna write a letter, gonna write a letter home
Cut the crap, lose the bling
Try a little recreational skulldiving
Satellite shopping, inflatable rain
Amateur dramatics, amateur dramatics
Get off that cellular phone
Ain't you got a mind of your own
You gotta learn how to use it, learn how to use it, learn how to use it
Show me what you got now
What for, what for, what for, I'll give you what for
What for, what for, what for, I'll give you what for
Change your habits, change the locks
Don't be just another kid on the block
Know your enemies, know your friends
Look for something better, look for something better
Big wide world waitin' outside
You're never gonna know if you don't give it a try
You gotta learn how to use it, learn how to use it, learn how to use it
Show me what you got now
What for, what for, what for, I'll give you what for
What for, what for, what for, I'll give you what for
You always worried about the way you look
You're gonna fall for every trick in the book
Own little street, own little prison
Ah, you never listen, ah, you never listen
I want respect, and what is more
You ain't getting no key to the door
Until you learn how to earn it, learn how to earn it, learn how to earn it
Show me what you got now, show me what you got now, show me what you got now
What for, what for, what for, I'll give you what for
What for, what for, what for, I'll give you what for
What for, what for, what for, I'll give you what for
What for, what for, what for, I'll give you what for
What for, what for, what for, I'll give you what for
What for, what for, what for, I'll give you what for
What for - yada yada yada yada
What For is another rocker with strong guitars and piano reminiscent of early Mott The Hoople. Ian hasn't rocked like this for years, and it sounds like he's having fun.
What For | 4:23 | Originally issued on When I'm President. |