“The Gulf and Western* garbage,
just ain’t the prettiest smell.
When you’re re sleeping on the fourth floor up,
it’s like a living hell.“
*The Gulf and Western Building written about by Ian Hunter in this 1981 song has since changed it’s name. The “high-rise building at 15 Columbus Circle and 1 Central Park West on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City,” says Wikipedia, is now known as the Trump International Hotel and Tower.
Here’s another classic Ian Hunter song presented to you in our ongoing celebration of Ian’s upcoming 85th birthday on June 3, 2024. I happen to like this song as it reminds me of both the 80s and the excitement of being young and living in a big city, which in my case was Chicago, not New York City. Ian Hunter released this song in 1981 on his album, Short Back n’ Sides and this tune blared forth from my car cassette player often. Mick Jones and Topper Headon of the Clash play on this song giving it street cred and punk power. Love the drumming on this one. Go Topper, play your head off!
Back in the chaotic 80s one part of Chicago on the upswing was the then-recently gentrified area west of the Chicago Park District acreage which includes a zoo (and the stink of zoo poo), Lincoln Park, that Chicagoans referred to as Lincoln Park West. This was probably borrowed nomenclature from NYC’s tonier and more historically glamorous Central Park West.
