C or D: Ian Hunter's "All of the Good Ones are Taken"

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I said gull, I'm livin' in the middle of a blow country.

I play this one over and over in my car to/fro work, and it amazes me how I never get tired of hearing it. Much to love: the very singable verses with thick British accent, the "whooooo" after the title, the unexpected detour into "I'm hangin' around with my head in the air...", and MOST of all towards the end, with wave upon wave singing the chorus and the sax breaking in. One of the rare songs that sounds both fun, sad, and inexplicably sexy all at the same time.

So, does anyone remember this chestnut from the good ol' days of MTV yore? Representative of his other material from this time? Or am I overidealizing all this, is it really the spawn of Satan? If it IS indeed good, is it enough to redeem Ian from touring with Ringo Starr's All Star Band? Answer, damn you!!

― Joe (Joe), Saturday, 26 October 2002 02:06 (twenty-three years ago)

OK, you want an answer?

"All of the good ones are taken" is one of the few Ian Hunter songs of the 80s worth hanging on to. Partly for some of the reasons you mention - though I could happily live without the sax but that's just me - but also for the lyrics and the general conviction of the performance, he sings it like he means every single word.

As to representative of his material from the era, you only have to check out the album of the same name to find it's all absolutely dire except for this one track - and even the slowed down 'reprise' version of the song at the end of the album does nothing for it.

But do check out the album before it "Short back'n'sides" which has some hilarious hook-ups with members of the Clash. "Gun control" anyone?

― Rob M (Rob M), Saturday, 26 October 2002 09:10 (twenty-three years ago)

His first three solo albums are all well worth having, but it's mostly very dud after that.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 26 October 2002 11:21 (twenty-three years ago)

Yer all so naturally perverse, ain't even gotta rehearse...bastards.

― dave q, Saturday, 26 October 2002 12:54 (twenty-three years ago)

eight years pass...

That particular song was his best ever. And I mean including everythinghe did with Mott The Hoople. Shame it wasn't more of a hit.

Good album too.

― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Friday, 1 April 2011 23:00 (fifteen years ago)

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