The Rivingtons were a doo-wop group noted for being one of the most loud an… Read Full Bio ↴The Rivingtons were a doo-wop group noted for being one of the most loud and raucous of the genre. Their first hit, "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" (1962), like many such songs, began with the bass chanting nonsense syllables (in this case the title), followed by the tenor singing over repetitions of it. "Mama-Oom-Mow-Mow", an even more baroque rewrite of the theme, failed to sell, but they returned to the charts the following year with the similar "The Bird's The Word".

Previously the Rivingtons had been known as The Sharps and had already tasted chart action via Thurston Harris' "Little Bitty Pretty One" in 1957, after which they appeared on several Duane Eddy recordings when any extraneous sounds of rebel yells were required.

After the two hit singles, the Rivingtons struggled till the mid 60s to find another hit but after the Columbia single "A Rose Growing In The Ruins" flopped they called it a day. However, the two hits entered a life of their own, courtesy of a Minnesota group called The Trashmen, who recorded a song made up from the nonsense syllables, calling it Surfin' Bird. The band cut the disc over a record shop and passed it off as their own work because it was a medley of the choruses without the verses. However the Rivingtons' management reported it to their lawyers and the group were ordered to add the surnames of the Rivingtons to the credits, having the effect of causing the first pressings without the Rivingtons credit to become collectors items.

After the publicity surrounding the allegations in Billboard the Trashmen had to share the writing credits on not only this recording but a later one as a sign of good faith. Surfin' Bird itself was revived in the 70s by the Ramones and the Cramps.

Happy Jack
The Rivingtons Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Happy Jack wasn't old, but he was a man
He lived in the sand at the Isle of Man
The kids would all sing, he would take the wrong key
So they rode on his head on their furry donkey

The kids couldn't hurt Jack
They tried and tried and tried
They dropped things on his back

And lied and lied and lied and lied and lied

But they couldn't stop Jack, or the waters lapping
And they couldn't prevent Jack from feeling happy

But they couldn't stop Jack, or the waters lapping
And they couldn't prevent Jack from feeling happy

The kids couldn't hurt Jack
They tried and tried and tried
They dropped things on his back
And lied and lied and lied and lied and lied

But they couldn't stop Jack, or the waters lapping
And they couldn't prevent Jack from feeling happy

(I saw ya!)

Overall Meaning

The Rivingtons's song "Happy Jack" is a delightful tune about a man named Jack who lives on the Isle of Man. Despite the fact that he was not old, he was still considered a man. The kids would frequently tease him by singing in the wrong key, riding on his head like a furry donkey, and dropping things on his back. However, despite their best efforts, they were unable to harm him, and he remained happy.

This song can be interpreted in a number of ways. One interpretation is that Jack represents someone who possesses an inner strength that allows them to withstand the trials of life, including the cruel actions of others. Despite the kids' attempts, they were unable to wear him down, and he remained happy. Another interpretation is that the song is a commentary on how people sometimes try to bring others down in order to feel better about themselves, but ultimately this approach is unsuccessful.

The lyrics are simple, but they are effective in conveying a sense of perseverance and inner strength in the face of adversity. The catchy melody is complemented by the playful lyrics, making it an enjoyable song to listen to.

Line by Line Meaning

Happy Jack wasn't old, but he was a man
Happy Jack was not advanced in age, but he had reached maturity

He lived in the sand at the Isle of Man
He resided on the sands of Isle of Man

The kids would all sing, he would take the wrong key
The children sang in chorus, and Happy Jack would vocalize off-key

So they rode on his head on their furry donkey
They took a ride on Happy Jack's head while mounted on a furry donkey

The kids couldn't hurt Jack
The children were unable to harm Happy Jack

They tried and tried and tried
The youngsters made numerous attempts

They dropped things on his back
They released objects on his back

And lied and lied and lied and lied and lied
And told falsehoods consistently

But they couldn't stop Jack, or the waters lapping
Nonetheless, they couldn't halt Happy Jack or the waves from the ocean

And they couldn't prevent Jack from feeling happy
Their efforts were futile, and Happy Jack remained content

(I saw ya!)
Exclamation of having seen something peculiar unrelated to the previous lyrics