Track Listing

1. Lah Di Dah
2. On Again On Again
3. Country Bus
4. Worried Brown Eyes
5. Cactus
6. Jolly Captain
7. Caroline Diggeby Pratte
8. Brother Gorilla (Le Gorille)
9. Sophie
10. Personal Column
11. Kiss
12. Castleford Ladies Magic Circle
13. Jumble Sale
14. Family Tree
15. Isobel Makes Love Upon National Monuments
16. Ulysees
17. Bantam Cock
18. Statues
19. Sister Josephine
20. Grandad
21. Isobel
22. Last Will And Testament Of Jake Thakray

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8925 in Music
• Released on: 1991-07-15
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Customer Reviews

Hilarious, perfectly crafted, comic yet poignant songs.
Jake Thackray has never been beaten at this genre. This CD contains nearly all of his best work. Behind the humour is wonderful observation of humanity. There's wisful nostalgia, belly laughing comedy and odd songs with a serious and deeply felt message. I get the feeling that there's a lot of Thackray biography hidden in there. All of his songs are perfectly crafted. The rhymes, alliteration, the inventive twists and turns in the rhythm never fail to delight me (as one who attempts the genre himself). He's a master poet. But none of the poetic devices intrude in the flow or the sense of the songs. There are no gratuitous words or inversions for the sake of rhyme. And though Thackray's no John Williams on the guitar (competent though) and no great singer, his performace style fits the songs perfectly. He wrote them to perform himself and no-one else could do them justice. Yes, I think Victoria Wood is good, but in this field, Thackray is master. I don't know what's happened to Jake Thackray, this is the only compilation I know of to have been produced on CD. If anyone knows what he's doing now please let me know.

The biggest question is still un-answered!
That Jake Thackray is a word master is, I think, undisputed. Village life flows from every word and you seem to know someone who would fit each song perfectly!
But the question I ask is - why have there been no follow-up CDs? He has written many, many more songs than those featured on this disc which would be just as worthy an airing.

Brilliant
Jake Thackray is a genius, his songs are loved by everyone who knows them and they deserve a wider audience. His voice is deep and earthy and gloriously Yorkshire, and his lyrics are inspired, and move you variously to tears (eg: Ulysees) and to uproarious laughter (eg: Lah-di-Dah, Castleford Ladies Magic Circle). His observations about life are sometimes cynical but somehow never fail to leave you feeling optimistic and warm inside. I think this is because he is loving towards humanity with all its flaws, he mocks but never condemns. And The Last Will and Testament is a superb finale to the collection. Has anyone noticed how much the band Divine Comedy seems to be influenced by Jake? I assume they must be fans as their sound is often quite similar...