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Sorry, my second "Early stuff" post was supposed to be a reply to Pam’s comment in the first "Early stuff" topic (sure I pressed "reply"). I’m not very familiar with internet forums – wrong generation, probably …
Anyway … Unless I’ve missed it (in which case humble apologies) nobody seems to have used the forum to conduct an informal vote on members’ all-time favourite Jake song. I think my vote would have to be for "The Statues" – very funny, good tune, and I reckon "… shaking with a century of petrified desire" must be one of his best lines.
Or perhaps "To do with You" … or "Bantam Cock" … or …
D’you know, I think you’re right; I can’t find such a thread anywhere either, yet I’m sure it’s been discussed at various times.
As you hinted yourself, it’s not really possible to have only one favourite! So many are great in different ways……………..
Probably Lah-di-dah would qualify as my ATF, (until something else crops up)
I’m sure Pam’s right. Never mind. For my part it would have to be "The Bull". It still impresses me over twenty years on since the first time I heard it. I love the fact that "The Jolly Captain" contains the word "apoplexy". "To Do With You",with its, "they’ve all got,as like as not,a lot better taste in men than you’ve got", could well have been written with my wife in mind."On Again! On Again!" has the benchmark for the finest opening line of any song ever (obviously!). I could go on (I already have..) so I’ll stop. Looking forward to other suggestions.
Post edited by: Hugh Williams, at: 2008/02/03 14:58
I find it impossible to single out any one song or line: I have so many favourites. However, I agree with the late and much lamented Ian Watson (in the Jake on the Box documentary) that the second line of On Again (‘to me it is palpable proof of God’s existence, a posteriori’) is superb: the Latin tag works as a joke on multiple levels here. In The Kiss, ‘with my nose in her breastbone…there was a lot to understand’ is a simply wonderful line, and the verbal gymnastics and internal rhymes in The Lodger (‘she was chaotic, idiotic…’ etc.) are brilliant. I, too, could go on…and on…
May I just express a sadness that with over two and a half thousand members of this fabulous site only three (THREE!!) thought it worthwhile replying to jonb’s query about "All time favourite tracks". I fear apathy has set in and I fear apathy more than anything else.
As Paul states, it is indeed difficult to pick out an individual song or line. I tend to find that, presumably inspired by some general conversation I am either engaged in or overhear, the memory of certain lines occasionally comes back to me. One recent line that ‘came back’ (and I can’t for the life of me remember what ‘triggered’ it but probably some ‘gossip’) was from "The Kiss":-
"…every ‘tut-tut’ more grievous than the ‘well I never’before…"Anything from the On Again album as Dick Abell’s guitar counterpoint is quite stunning and perfectly complements Jake’s playing. It is a shame they did not record more together. The Kiss is a gem….
With such a great catalogue of songs, it is rather hard to pick one all time fave.
For me, it’s a toss up between "Molly Metcalfe" and "The Last Will and Testament". I’ve been trying to learn "The Last Will" for several months… such an amazing and funny song.
I’ve just (re)discovered Jake and have been listening to nothing else for the last week or so. My mum had a copy of "Live Performance" when I was small and I remember liking "The Hole", and on a whim the other day I downloaded it and "Jake in a Box" from iTunes – nearly 100 songs for not much more than 20 quid!
The funny stuff made the most immediate impression – "On Again! On Again!", "The Lodger" and "I Stayed off Work Today" being the standouts – but the expanded version of "Live Performance" and the box set have introduced me to his less comedic songs, and some of them are even better. "Little Black Foal" is beautiful, and I’ve added "Sophie" and "Over to Isobel" to my own modest musical repertoire.
Post edited by: paddybrown, at: 2009/03/05 11:35
paddybrown wrote:
I’ve just (re)discovered Jake and have been listening to nothing else for the last week or so. My mum had a copy of "Live Performance" when I was small and I remember liking "The Hole", and on a whim the other day I downloaded it and "Jake in a Box" from iTunes – nearly 100 songs for not much more than 20 quid!
The funny stuff made the most immediate impression – "On Again! On Again!", "The Lodger" and "I Stayed off Work Today" being the standouts – but the expanded version of "Live Performance" and the box set have introduced me to his less comedic songs, and some of them are even better. "Little Black Foal" is beautiful, and I’ve added "Sophie" and "Over to Isobel" to my own modest musical repertoire.<br><br>Post edited by: paddybrown, at: 2009/03/05 11:35
Now go to YouTube and type in "Jake Thackray" lots of clips of Jake himself and some of this groups members tribute concerts and some home recordings of his many, many fans.
That’s a great version of On Again, On Again. Too bad there’s not more footage of Jake performing on there. He did a lot of TV, but I suppose most of it was before home video.
I’ve been trying to learn a few of his songs with the help of this website, but bloody hell there’s a lot of words to remember, even once I get the chords down.
paddybrown wrote:
…bloody hell there’s a lot of words to remember, even once I get the chords down.
Welcome to our world, Paddy ! š
Today’s it’s Mrs Murphy, a costume drama film in 3mins, though it’s exalted position may slip on repetition
Songs is hard, On Again, On Again, Molly Metcalfe and The Last Will current faves.
But I agree with poster above on best line, I think the "a posteriori" line is one of the cleverest ever written.
I think Jake spoke Latin, didn’t he?
I studied philosphy for A Level (some years ago) and it always reminds me of those days.
I hadn’t it would have passed me by, as I’m sure it does most who hear it.
I came across a chap singing "on again" in a club a few weeks back and had to explain the relevance of "a posteriori" to him. I suspect the vast majority of people simply don’t understand the line.
My all time favourite "Jake" was the "rambling on" which went between the songs at his live performances. I was fortunate to see him live on numerous occasions and to record the PA mix on a couple of nights. I still have a tape of Jake and Alun Williams somewhere which Jake was interested to hear as, at the time, he’d never actually heard a recording of themselves. I suspect that it’s deteriorated somewhat in the last 35 years-must dig it out.
Ray
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