All the Way from Memphis
Encyclopedia
"All the Way from Memphis" is a single released by Mott the Hoople
. The song tells a story about a rock n' roller whose guitar is shipped to Oriole, Kentucky instead of Memphis
. The musician gets half-way there before he realizes his instrument is missing and takes a month to track it down. When he gets the guitar back, he is scolded by a stranger for being neglectful and self-centered. In the original version of the song, the stranger is referred to as a "spade", in later versions the word "dude" is substituted.
The song reflects a weariness with the rock and roll lifestyle, including the strain of constant touring and the low public opinion of rock 'n roll singers. This theme appears in the chorus, which is repeated with minor variations: "you look like a star, but you're still on the dole," "you look like a star, but you're really out on parole."
It was covered by Brian May
on his 1998 album Another World
; Hunter guested on this cover. The event was one of the many times Queen have connected with Mott the Hoople. It was also covered by supergroup
Contraband
on their 1991 debut and last album. The British rock band Thunder
also performed a live version appearing on multiple compilation albums.
The song was probably based on an actual event involving guitarist Mick Ralphs
. This loss of Mick's guitar is also mentioned on "The Ballad of Mott the Hoople".
The song was used in the film Breaking the Waves
and Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
. The song was also featured on the 16 October 2008 broadcast of the ABC series Life On Mars
.
Magnus Uggla
has stated that he was inspired by the song when he wrote his first hit single "Varning på stan" (later recorded in English as "Hit the Girls on the Run") in 1977.
Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople were a British rock band with strong R&B roots, popular in the glam rock era of the early to mid 1970s. They are popularly known for the song "All the Young Dudes", written for them by David Bowie and appearing on their 1972 album of the same name.-The early years:Mott The Hoople...
. The song tells a story about a rock n' roller whose guitar is shipped to Oriole, Kentucky instead of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. The musician gets half-way there before he realizes his instrument is missing and takes a month to track it down. When he gets the guitar back, he is scolded by a stranger for being neglectful and self-centered. In the original version of the song, the stranger is referred to as a "spade", in later versions the word "dude" is substituted.
The song reflects a weariness with the rock and roll lifestyle, including the strain of constant touring and the low public opinion of rock 'n roll singers. This theme appears in the chorus, which is repeated with minor variations: "you look like a star, but you're still on the dole," "you look like a star, but you're really out on parole."
It was covered by Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
on his 1998 album Another World
Another World (Brian May album)
Another World is the second full studio album delivered by Queen guitarist, Brian May. Recorded at his home studio after the completion of the last Queen album, Made in Heaven, the album was released in the UK on 1 June 1998 and on 15 September of that year in the US. The album itself started life...
; Hunter guested on this cover. The event was one of the many times Queen have connected with Mott the Hoople. It was also covered by supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
Contraband
Contraband (band)
Contraband was a short-lived supergroup/side project that included members of several famous rock bands from the 1980s, such as The Michael Schenker Group, Ratt, Vixen, Shark Island and L.A. Guns....
on their 1991 debut and last album. The British rock band Thunder
Thunder (band)
Thunder were an English hard rock band, who originally formed in 1989 when the band Terraplane broke up, leaving lead singer Danny Bowes and guitarist/main songwriter Luke Morley to form a new group, namely Thunder...
also performed a live version appearing on multiple compilation albums.
The song was probably based on an actual event involving guitarist Mick Ralphs
Mick Ralphs
Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Ralphs is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was a founding member of rock bands Mott the Hoople and Bad Company.-Career:...
. This loss of Mick's guitar is also mentioned on "The Ballad of Mott the Hoople".
The song was used in the film Breaking the Waves
Breaking the Waves
Breaking the Waves is a 1996 film directed by Lars von Trier and starring Emily Watson. Set in the Scottish Highlands in the early 1970s, it tells the story of an unusual young woman, Bess McNeill, and of the love she has for Jan, her husband. The film is an international co-production led by Lars...
and Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore is a 1974 American drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Robert Getchell. It stars Ellen Burstyn as a widow who travels with her preteen son across the American Southwest in search of a better life, along with Alfred Lutter as her son and Kris...
. The song was also featured on the 16 October 2008 broadcast of the ABC series Life On Mars
Life on Mars (U.S. TV series)
Life on Mars was a science fiction crime drama television series which originally aired on ABC from October 9, 2008 to April 1, 2009. It is an adaptation of the BAFTA-winning original UK series of the same name produced by the BBC...
.
Magnus Uggla
Magnus Uggla
Per Allan Magnus Claësson Uggla is a Swedish artist, composer, actor, and occasional radio host known for his satirical lyrics. He is a member of the Swedish nobility and a descendant of several European rulers, among which John III of Sweden and Gustav Vasa...
has stated that he was inspired by the song when he wrote his first hit single "Varning på stan" (later recorded in English as "Hit the Girls on the Run") in 1977.