Jake Thackray (27 February, 1938 - 24 December, 2002) was a singer-songwrit… Read Full Bio ↴Jake Thackray (27 February, 1938 - 24 December, 2002) was a singer-songwriter in the tradition of French chansonniers such as his friend and inspiration Georges Brassens. Born in Yorkshire and educated at the highly respected University of Durham, Thackray became a teacher in the early 1960s and started singing, both in folk clubs and to amuse his students. He became a familiar figure on television in the late 1960s, often composing a new song every week. He recorded several albums and was a popular stage performer, but Thackray preferred the smaller, more intimate atmosphere of folk clubs. He retired from recording in the mid 1970s and scaled down his performances to his favoured small venues.
Jake's precise diction and risque lyrics won him comparison to Noël Coward; his distinctive nylon-stringed guitar technique is deceptively complex.
Jake retired to Monmouthshire in Wales in the 1990s, where he died in 2002.
A musical based on his work, Sister Josephine Kicks The Habit, made its debut in 2005. After many years out of print, Jake's music has started to reappear - Jake In A Box collects all of his EMI work and a number of live albums have appeared, highlighting Jake's rapport with his audiences, his tall tales, and his warmth as a performer.
Jake's precise diction and risque lyrics won him comparison to Noël Coward; his distinctive nylon-stringed guitar technique is deceptively complex.
Jake retired to Monmouthshire in Wales in the 1990s, where he died in 2002.
A musical based on his work, Sister Josephine Kicks The Habit, made its debut in 2005. After many years out of print, Jake's music has started to reappear - Jake In A Box collects all of his EMI work and a number of live albums have appeared, highlighting Jake's rapport with his audiences, his tall tales, and his warmth as a performer.
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Jake In A Box (The EMI Recordings 1967-1976)
Jake Thackray Lyrics
Country Bus Country bus, north country bus, Clumsy and cumbersome, rumbu…
Family Tree Up my, my family tree There hangs my curious pedigree, My lo…
Famous People You are unwise to think we love you. You are unwise…
Isabella Nobody else is loved so well by Isobel, my Isobel Oh…
Isobel Nobody else is loved so well by Isobel, my Isobel Oh…
Lah-Di-Dah Now we're agreed that we're in love We'll have to face…
Leopold Alcocks Leopold Alcocks, my distant relation, Came to my flat for a…
Sophie I should like to know, I'd like to find out, What my…
The Cactus When I and my new love, my true love, got…
The Castleford Ladies Magic Circle The Castleford Ladies′ Magical Circle meets tonight, In an u…
The Kirkstall Road Girl Now that she's the queen, the Aphrodite of the socialite…
The Last Will And Testament Of Jake Thackray I, the under-mentioned, by this document Do declare my true…
The Lodger My landlady had three lovely daughters. They used to come an…
The Statues Closing time on Saturday it was dark. Me and Uncle Samuel…
Ulysses When Ulysses comes home He always greets me with an open…
Maja Tompkins
on Jumble Sale
There is a mistake in the transcription of the first verse of "Family Tree". It should say "There they perch for all to see", as it does in all the other verses.