Ian Hunter’s Song for Bowie
By Madeline Bocaro ©
Shortly after Bowie’s passing in 2016, Ian Hunter wrote a beautiful tribute song. It appears as a single, and on his album, Fingers Crossed.
Listen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqA5aDBk2Zc
I think it’s so sweet that although Ian recorded with Bowie, and is much older than him, he wrote the song from the viewpoint of a fan during the Ziggy Stardust era. ‘Dandy’ is clearly reminiscent of Mott’s farewell ‘Saturday Gigs’, a love letter to Hoople fans upon the band’s breakup, taking us through the years of wonderful memories. ‘Dandy’ has an equally sweet guitar melody (like Ronson’s on ‘Saturday Gigs’) and a similar long ‘goodbye’ fadeaway.
Ian starts the song with his hero Bob Dylan’s line from ‘Ballad of a Thin Man’ about our very own ‘Mr. Jones’ (Bowie’s real surname). So cool that he name-checks the Spiders, and credits Ronson (as Little Lord Fauntleroy) who let the genie out of his lamp / amp.
Ian manages to incorporate Bowie’s future masterpiece ‘Heroes’ which is what he made us all feel like. I also love the mentions of ‘The Prettiest Star’ and ‘Life on Mars?’ And the Cabaret Voltaire reference is spot on!
The line makes me cry is:
Dandy – this world was black-and-white
You showed us what it’s like
To live inside a rainbow
The middle eight ‘Lie lie la lie…’ refers to Bowie’s ‘Starman’ yet it has a Germanic Brecht/Weil vibe, which David would love. I wish Bowie were here to sing backing vocals on this one!
Thanks to Ian for getting it right, and for dedicating it to the fans!
DANDY – Ian Hunter
Something is happening – Mr. Jones
My brother says you’re better than
the Beatles or the Stones
From Saturday night to Sunday morning
You turned us into heroes
Can you hear the heroes sing
Dandy you are the prettiest star
There ain’t no life on Mars – but we always there might be
Dandy – you opened up the door
You left us wanting more
And then we took the last bus home
Who let the genie out of the lamp?
The Little Lord Fauntleroy who let him out of his amp
From Saturday night to Sunday morning
Well Trevor’s getting bolder
and Woody loves the hit thing
Dandy – this world was black-and-white
You showed us what it’s like
To live inside a rainbow
Dandy – you thrilled us to the core
You left us wanting more
And then we took the last bus home
Lie lie la lie / Lie lie la lie…
You beat up Goliath / You had it all
The voice, the look the songs that shook
The gift of the gab and the gall
From Saturday night to Sunday morning
When all we had to look forward to was
the WEEKEND
You made our lives worth living
Dandy – You’re still the prettiest star
There ain’t no life on Mars but we always thought there might be
Dandy you took us to the fair
With Cabaret Voltaire
And then we took the last bus home
Dandy – You know we waited long enough
They should put a statue up in Piccadilly Circus
Dandy – You blew us all away
Outta the drab and the gray
And then we caught the last bus home
The keeper of the flame
We won’t see your like again
Oh Dandy was a one-off
Hey look at what you’ve become
I guess I owe you one
So thanks for the memories
Read more stories in my featured category: ABOUT A SONG…
https://madelinex.com/category/about-a-song/
One thought on “The Dude & the Dandy: Ian’s song for Bowie”