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.
Sister Josephine
Jake Thackray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What do all these policemen mean
By coming to the convent in a grim limousine
After Sister Josephine?
While you, Sister Josephine,
You sit with your boots up on the altar screen.
You smoke one last cigar.
What a funny nun you are!
The policemen say that Josephine's a burglar in disguise,
Big bad Norman - fifteen years on the run.
The sisters disbelieve it: No, that can't be Josephine;
Just think about her tenderness towards the younger nuns.
Oh, Sister Josephine,
They're searching the chapel where you've been seen,
The nooks and the crannies of the nun's canteen
After Sister Josephine.
While you, Sister Josephine,
You sip one farewell Benedictine
Before your au revoir.
A right funny nun you are!
Admittedly her hands are big and hairy
And embellished with a curious tattoo.
Admittedly her voice is on the deep side,
And she seems to shave more often than the other sisters do.
Oh, Sister Josephine,
Founder of the convent pontoon team,
They're looking through your bundles of rare magazines
After Sister Josephine.
While you, Sister Josephine,
You give a goodbye sniff of benzedrine
To the convent budgerigar.
A bloody funny nun you are!
No longer will her snores ring through the chapel during prayers,
Nor her lustful moanings fill the stilly night.
No more empty bottles of altar wine come clunking from her cell.
No longer will the cloister toilet seat stand upright.
Oh, Sister Josephine,
Slipping through their fingers like Vaseline,
Leaving them to clutch your empty crinoline
After Sister Josephine.
While you, Sister Josephine,
Sprinting through the suburbs when last seen
Dressed only in your wimple and your rosary.
A right funny nun you seem to be!
The lyrics to Jake Thackray's "Sister Josephine" tell the tale of a quirky and rebellious nun who is accused of being a burglar on the run. The song is filled with a playful sense of irony and satire, as Thackray juxtaposes the image of a traditional, pious nun with that of a cigar-smoking, alcohol-drinking, tattooed thief. Sister Josephine is portrayed as a complex and intriguing figure who defies easy categorization, and the song raises questions about identity, perception, and authority.
Despite the accusations against her, Sister Josephine is defended by the other nuns who know her as a kind and nurturing presence in the convent. However, the police continue to search the premises, looking for evidence of her alleged crimes. As she prepares to flee, Sister Josephine indulges in some last-minute vices, sipping Benedictine and sniffing benzedrine, before making her dramatic escape dressed as a nun. The final image of her "sprinting through the suburbs...dressed only in your wimple and your rosary" is both humorous and unsettling, suggesting that Sister Josephine's true identity remains elusive and enigmatic.
Overall, "Sister Josephine" is a clever and witty song that explores themes of conformity, rebellion, and perception. Thackray's use of irony and satire creates a playful and engaging tone, while his portrayal of a non-traditional nun challenges conventional ideas about religion and authority.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, Sister Josephine,
The song begins by addressing Sister Josephine.
What do all these policemen mean
By coming to the convent in a grim limousine
After Sister Josephine?
The singer wonders why the police have come to the convent in a menacing car looking for Sister Josephine.
While you, Sister Josephine,
You sit with your boots up on the altar screen.
You smoke one last cigar.
What a funny nun you are!
Sister Josephine is smoking a cigar with her feet on the altar screen, making her quite the unconventional nun.
The policemen say that Josephine's a burglar in disguise,
Big bad Norman - fifteen years on the run.
The sisters disbelieve it: No, that can't be Josephine;
Just think about her tenderness towards the younger nuns.
The police accuse Josephine of being a notorious burglar named Norman but the nuns refuse to believe it and instead point out her kindness towards the younger nuns.
Oh, Sister Josephine,
They're searching the chapel where you've been seen,
The nooks and the crannies of the nun's canteen
After Sister Josephine.
The police are searching the chapel and other parts of the convent where Sister Josephine has been seen.
While you, Sister Josephine,
You sip one farewell Benedictine
Before your au revoir.
A right funny nun you are!
Sister Josephine drinks a farewell drink before her departure which is once again unconventional for a nun.
Admittedly her hands are big and hairy
And embellished with a curious tattoo.
Admittedly her voice is on the deep side,
And she seems to shave more often than the other sisters do.
The singer lists off some peculiar features of Sister Josephine which include her large, hairy hands with a tattoo, a deep voice, and the tendency to shave more frequently than the other nuns.
Oh, Sister Josephine,
Founder of the convent pontoon team,
They're looking through your bundles of rare magazines
After Sister Josephine.
The police are now searching through Sister Josephine's belongings including her rare magazine collection and she is reminded as the founder of the convent pontoon team.
While you, Sister Josephine,
You give a goodbye sniff of benzedrine
To the convent budgerigar.
A bloody funny nun you are!
Sister Josephine gives a sniff of a drug called benzedrine to the convent budgerigar before her escape.
No longer will her snores ring through the chapel during prayers,
Nor her lustful moanings fill the stilly night.
No more empty bottles of altar wine come clunking from her cell.
No longer will the cloister toilet seat stand upright.
The singer describes how Sister Josephine's habit of snoring and moaning in her sleep will no longer be heard and the empty bottles of altar wine that she would drink from will no longer be found in her cell.
Oh, Sister Josephine,
Slipping through their fingers like Vaseline,
Leaving them to clutch your empty crinoline
After Sister Josephine.
Sister Josephine has managed to escape the clutches of the police and the convent and her pursuers are left holding her empty crinoline.
While you, Sister Josephine,
Sprinting through the suburbs when last seen
Dressed only in your wimple and your rosary.
A right funny nun you seem to be!
Sister Josephine is last seen sprinting through the suburbs dressed in only her wimple and rosary, solidifying her reputation as an unconventional, funny nun.
Writer(s): J. Thackray Copyright: Music Sales Corp. O/B/o Noel Gay Music Ltd.
Contributed by Eli B. 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.