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.
Isobel Makes Love Upon National Monuments
Jake Thackray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With style and enthusiasm and anyone at all.
Isobel′s done Stonehenge and the Houses of Parliament,
But so far little Isobel's never played the Albert Hall.
Many a monolith has seen Isobel,
Her bright hair in turmoil, her breasts′ surging swell.
But unhappy Albert, so far denied
The bright sight of Isobel getting into her stride.
The Forth Bridge, The Cenotaph, Balmoral and Wembley.
The British Museum and the House of Lords.
So many ticks in her National Trust catalogue,
But so far the Royal Albert Hall has not scored.
Countless cathedrals can now proudly show
Where Isobel's white shoulder blades have briefly reposed.
Miserable Albert, still waiting for
The imprint of Isobel on his parquet floor.
In Westminster Abbey she lay upon a cold tombstone,
The meat in a sandwich of monumental love,
With old po-faced Wordsworth unblinking beneath
And a bright-eyed young Arch-Deacon breathless above.
Many a stony faced statue has flickered its eyes
And swayed to the rhythm of her little panting cries.
But oh! wretched Albert never yet has known
Isobel's pretty whinnying echo round his dome.
On the last night of the Promenades she waved to the conductor
And there and then on the podium, with scarcely a pause,
With a smile and a bow and a loud "Rule Britannia!"
He completed her collection to enormous applause.
Rapturous Albert now knows full well
He′s captured forever elusive Isobel.
Prettily dishevelled but firmly installed
And faithfully for evermore to the Royal Albert Hall.
No more frantic scramblings up the dome of St. Pauls.
No more dank rambles on Hadrian′s Wall.
With style and enthusiasm and anyone at all,
Isobel makes love in the Royal Albert Hall.
The song "Isobel Makes Love Upon National Monuments" by Jake Thackray is a tongue-in-cheek ode to a woman named Isobel, who apparently enjoys having sex on various national monuments. The song lists several significant landmarks in the United Kingdom, from Stonehenge to the Houses of Parliament, that Isobel has allegedly had trysts on. As the lyrics progress, the song builds up to the moment when Isobel finally achieves her goal of making love at the Royal Albert Hall, which earns her enormous applause from the audience and finally satisfies the unhappy Albert.
The lyrics of the song use a witty and lighthearted tone to describe the titular character. Jake Thackray portrays Isobel as a woman who is unapologetic about her unconventional sexual exploits, and who takes a certain pride in her ability to have relationships with anyone she desires. The lyrics also subvert the idea of national monuments being inherently respectable and dignified; instead, they depict them as sites of clandestine and erotic activity. In doing so, the song is both playful and cheeky, but also challenges the idea of what is considered "appropriate" or "respectable" behavior in public spaces.
Line by Line Meaning
Isobel makes love upon national monuments
Isobel engages in sexual acts on historical landmarks
With style and enthusiasm and anyone at all.
Isobel is enthusiastic and casual about her partners
Isobel′s done Stonehenge and the Houses of Parliament,
Isobel has had sex on famous landmarks like Stonehenge and the Houses of Parliament
But so far little Isobel's never played the Albert Hall.
Isobel has not yet had sex in the Royal Albert Hall
Many a monolith has seen Isobel,
Isobel has had sex on many structures
Her bright hair in turmoil, her breasts′ surging swell.
During sex, Isobel's hair looks chaotic and her breasts move rhythmically
But unhappy Albert, so far denied
The Royal Albert Hall has not been one of the landmarks where Isobel has had sex
The bright sight of Isobel getting into her stride.
Albert is eager to witness Isobel having sex in the Royal Albert Hall
The Forth Bridge, The Cenotaph, Balmoral and Wembley.
Isobel has had sex on landmarks like the Forth Bridge, The Cenotaph, Balmoral and Wembley
The British Museum and the House of Lords.
Isobel has had sex in the British Museum and the House of Lords
So many ticks in her National Trust catalogue,
Isobel has had sex in many historical places and keeps track of them
But so far the Royal Albert Hall has not scored.
Isobel has not had sex in the Royal Albert Hall yet, unlike other landmarks
Countless cathedrals can now proudly show
Isobel has had sex in many cathedrals
Where Isobel's white shoulder blades have briefly reposed.
During sex, Isobel has rested her shoulders on cathedrals' structures
Miserable Albert, still waiting for
Albert is still unhappy that Isobel has not had sex in the Royal Albert Hall yet
The imprint of Isobel on his parquet floor.
Albert wants a moment of Isobel's sexual acts to be recorded in the Royal Albert Hall
In Westminster Abbey she lay upon a cold tombstone,
Isobel has had sex on a tombstone in Westminster Abbey
The meat in a sandwich of monumental love,
Isobel was in the middle of two other people having sex on historical landmarks
With old po-faced Wordsworth unblinking beneath
William Wordsworth's statue was beneath the people having sex
And a bright-eyed young Arch-Deacon breathless above.
A young archdeacon was above the people having sex
Many a stony faced statue has flickered its eyes
Statues seem to come alive during Isobel's sexual acts
And swayed to the rhythm of her little panting cries.
The statues seem to move according to Isobel's sounds of pleasure
But oh! Wretched Albert never yet has known
Albert is sad that he has not witnessed Isobel's sex in the Royal Albert Hall
Isobel's pretty whinnying echo round his dome.
Albert wants to hear Isobel's sounds of pleasure echo in the Royal Albert Hall
On the last night of the Promenades she waved to the conductor
Isobel attended the Promenades and waved farewell to the conductor
And there and then on the podium, with scarcely a pause,
Isobel started having sex with someone on the stage without wasting time
With a smile and a bow and a loud 'Rule Britannia!'
Isobel had sex with someone while smiling and bowing, and then cheered 'Rule Britannia'
He completed her collection to enormous applause.
Isobel successfully had sex in the Royal Albert Hall, and the act was applauded by the audience
Rapturous Albert now knows full well
Albert is now thrilled to know that Isobel had sex in the Royal Albert Hall
He′s captured forever elusive Isobel.
Albert has finally managed to get Isobel to have sex in the Royal Albert Hall
Prettily dishevelled but firmly installed,
Isobel is in the Royal Albert Hall, looking wrapped in pleasure but settled
And faithfully for evermore to the Royal Albert Hall.
Isobel is committed to having sex with someone in the Royal Albert Hall forever
Writer(s): jake thackray
Contributed by Katherine S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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.