One of the Boys (Mott the Hoople song)

According to rock historian Joe Harrington, the lyrics of "One of the Boys" celebrate the singers' hooliganism in behaving contrary to social norms and joining a rock group.{{cite book|page=263|title=Sonic Cool: The Life & Death of Rock 'n' Roll|author=Harrington, Joe|year=2002|publisher=Hal Leonard|isbn=9780634028618}} Harrington regards this, and similarly themed songs that share an "unembellished" sound such as "Cum on Feel the Noize", "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" and "Borstal Boys" as being influenced by the Rolling Stones and being an important step towards punk rock. The Clash historian Randal Doane noted the song lyric's "manneristic self-referentiality", similar to the Rolling Stones' "Torn and Frayed" and John Lennon's "God", a style the Clash used in some of their early songs.{{cite book|title=Stealing All Transmissions: A Secret History of the Clash|author=Doane, Randal|year=2014|publisher=PM Press|isbn=9781629630489}} Allmusic critic Dave Thompson cited the line "I borrowed [a] Gibson just to show them, and now I'm in a rock'n'roll band, I don't wanna know them/If they want a Slade, they'd better go out and grow one" to illustrate that the song gives "a five-minute lesson in how to form a great group, and how to remain one as well." Thompson called the song "a magnificently anthemic rallying call which is at least as powerful, in its own way, as the better feted 'All the Young Dudes.'"{{cite web|title=One of the Boys|access-date=2023-01-17|author=Thompson, Dave|publisher=Allmusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/one-of-the-boys-mt0007150361}}

Upon its release, Record World called it "an exciting rhythmic number with sensational lyrics and topBowie production."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=December 23, 1972|access-date=2023-03-27|title=Single Picks|page=18|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/72/RW-1972-12-23.pdf}} Rolling Stone critic Bud Scoppa said that "the playing off of a Keith Richards-style tense, ringing guitar against a power-chorded Led Zeppelin guitar-bass boom" "gets your attention."{{cite magazine|title=All the Young Dudes|magazine=Rolling Stone |author=Bud Scoppa |date=7 December 1972|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/all-the-young-dudes-199713/|access-date=2023-01-18}} Billboard recommended the single.{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NAkEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22one+of+the+boys%22+%22mott+the+hoople%22&pg=PA60|date=January 20, 1973|title=Radio Action and Pick Singles|page=60|access-date=2023-01-18}}

Classic Rock History critic Brian Kachejian rated "One of the Boys" to be Mott the Hoople's 5th greatest song.{{cite web|title=Top 10 Mott the Hoople Songs|author=Kachejian, Brian|date=31 July 2018 |access-date=2023-01-17|publisher=Classic Rock History|url=https://www.classicrockhistory.com/top-10-mott-the-hoople-songs/}} Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci rated it as Mott the Hoople's 9th greatest song, saying that it is the "tightest link to [the band's] bluesy past" on the All the Young Dudes album.{{cite web|title=Top 10 Mott the Hoople songs|publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock|access-date=2023-01-17|author=Gallucci, Michael|date=3 June 2013|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/mott-the-hoople-songs/}} Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine regarded it as one of Hunter's best songwriting efforts.{{cite web|title=All the Young Dudes|author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=2023-01-17|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/all-the-young-dudes-mw0000198239}} Thompson called it "the quintessential Mott the Hoople rocker" Pitchfork critic Joe Tangari called it a "strong hard boogie tune."{{cite web|title=All the Young Dudes|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/11786-all-the-young-dudes-mott/|author=Tangari, Joe|publisher=Pitchfork|access-date=2023-01-18|date=April 27, 2006}}

Producer David Bowie wanted "One of the Boys" to be the lead single from All the Young Dudes, but the band preferred to release the title track, which Bowie had written. In the US, "One of the Boys" was released as the follow-up single to "All the Young Dudes", which became a big hit. "One of the Boys" did not replicate its predecessor's success, stalling at No. 96 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{cite web|title=Mott the Hoople: Chart History|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/mott-the-hoople/|publisher=Billboard|access-date=2023-01-17}}

"One of the Boys" was included on several of Mott the Hoople's compilation and live albums, such as the CD release of Greatest Hits, Live and In Performance 1970–1974.{{cite web|title=Greatest Hits|author=Unterberger, Richie|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=2023-01-18|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/the-greatest-hits-bonus-tracks--mr0001303448}}{{cite web|title=Live [Bonus Disc]|author=Thompson, Dave|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=2023-01-18|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/live-bonus-disc--mr0002759860}}{{cite web|title=In Performance 1970–1974|author=Thompson, Dave|access-date=2023-01-18|publisher=Allmusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/in-performance-1969-1974-mw0000792005}}

The song was featured in an episode of the BBC Television drama series, Life on Mars.{{cite book|title=The Complete David Bowie|author=Pegg, Nicholas|year=2016|publisher=Titan|isbn=9781785655333|edition=Revised and Updated 2016 }}

After leaving Mott the Hoople, Ralphs joined the newly formed band Bad Company. He based the guitar riff for Bad Company's first single "Can't Get Enough" on that from "One of the Boys".{{cite web|title=Ready for Love|author=Thompson, Dave|access-date=2023-01-15|publisher=Allmusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/ready-for-love-after-lights-mt0012488415}}{{cite web|title=Mott the Hoople Greatest Hits liner notes|url=http://albumlinernotes.com/Hoople_Greatest_Hits.html|publisher=Album Liner Notes|access-date=2023-01-17}}{{cite web|title=Bad Company|publisher=Rolling Stone|author=Scoppa, Bud|access-date=2023-01-17|date=August 29, 1974|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/bad-company-203602/}} "Can't Get Enough" proved to be a more successful single release for Bad Company than "One of the Boys" was for Mott the Hoople, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{cite web|title=Billboard Hot 100|date=2 November 1974|access-date=2023-01-17|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1974-11-02/|publisher=Billboard}}

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Category:Mott the Hoople songs

Category:1972 songs

Category:1972 singles

Category:Songs written by Mick Ralphs

Category:Song recordings produced by David Bowie

Category:Songs written by Ian Hunter (singer)

Category:Columbia Records singles