The Who — Happy Jack
Album: A Quick One (Happy Jack)Avg rating:
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Total ratings: 862
Length: 2:08
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Happy Jack wasn't tall, 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 in a hurry on Quay.
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!)
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 in a hurry on Quay.
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!)
Comments (97)add comment
I never got a clue from the song itself what the hell it was about. Abuse? Bullying? Kids are alright being alright? Despite odd lyrics -- I always did like it. Moon was a maniac even in the early years. A solid 8 for me.
ah.... worlds greatest rnr drummer
firefly6 wrote:
Almost as if they were having fun huh
There is a clip in "The Kids Are Alright" where Pete Townshend explains the band hasn't got any quality, that they are just throwing stuff out there for the audience to react to. I am a big Who fan, but do accept that their recording career was a mixed up stream of sounds, no two albums the same, no two songs were quite alike, but many scattered gems along the way.
Almost as if they were having fun huh
Very good song for desk drumming. Love Keith!
Wonder what he was happy about
Geecheeboy wrote:
It's "I saw ya"! Also furry donkey, not
hurry on Quay in the lyrics.
Still listen for "I'm Sorry" at the end but Bill cuts it off.
It's "I saw ya"! Also furry donkey, not
hurry on Quay in the lyrics.
Pity it is always cut off, not allowing the very last line to be heard (albeit very quietly).
There is a clip in "The Kids Are Alright" where Pete Townshend explains the band hasn't got any quality, that they are just throwing stuff out there for the audience to react to. I am a big Who fan, but do accept that their recording career was a mixed up stream of sounds, no two albums the same, no two songs were quite alike, but many scattered gems along the way.
I always loved this tune. So subversive, although I could never comprehend the fucking lyrics. I knew that Jack was a gnarly or misbegotten dude, and those DRUMS were the absolute rage.
Even on this silly tune, you can't help but notice Keith and John's unmistakable sound.
saellig668552 wrote:
You obviously don't get The Who. Guess you had to be there. 10.
Silly and more like childerns music - there was lot better stuff coming from These guys - thankfully this is also and more played on RP.
This one could be forgotten and deactivated from the playlist.
You obviously don't get The Who. Guess you had to be there. 10.
Silly and more like childerns music - there was lot better stuff coming from These guys - thankfully this is also and more played on RP.
This one could be forgotten and deactivated from the playlist.
Please show the video of Keith Moon's third arm playing drums.
There's no other way to explain this guy's drumming.
There's no other way to explain this guy's drumming.
Never was a big fan of The Who's novelty songs (this, Boris the Spider, Squeeze box, etc.). I always wanted them to be bigger than that kind of throw-away song...
Almost annoying except for its pedigree. And the drums. Out of his fookin mind this guy.
Proclivities wrote:
Sunspots...
My lord, they're just babies.
Sunspots...
GT66 wrote:
Shopped all the way.
I don't like Hummers mostly because of the douche bag types that buy and drive them. That said, the machines themselves are fairly solid. To me, this seems like a photoshop job. So much damage to that Hummer and it didn't even break the back glass of the bus door. How is that possible?
Shopped all the way.
Age 15, new to smoking ... herbs ... this song cooked my noggin' - heck, the entire album did :)
I think this first appeared on an album called "Meaty, Beaty Big and Bouncy". Also contained "Boris the Spider".
Geecheeboy wrote:
I thought it was "I saw you!"
Ah ha!
Wikipedia quote... "The song features Roger Daltrey on lead vocals with John Entwistle singing the first verse, making it one of the only songs composed by Pete Townshend to feature Entwistle on lead vocals. At the tail end of "Happy Jack", Townshend can be heard shouting "I saw you!", and it is said that he was noticing drummer Keith Moon trying to join in surreptitiously to add his voice to the recording, something the rest of the band disliked."
Still listen for "I'm Sorry" at the end but Bill cuts it off.
I thought it was "I saw you!"
Ah ha!
Wikipedia quote... "The song features Roger Daltrey on lead vocals with John Entwistle singing the first verse, making it one of the only songs composed by Pete Townshend to feature Entwistle on lead vocals. At the tail end of "Happy Jack", Townshend can be heard shouting "I saw you!", and it is said that he was noticing drummer Keith Moon trying to join in surreptitiously to add his voice to the recording, something the rest of the band disliked."
Love Happy Jack!
Still listen for "I'm Sorry" at the end but Bill cuts it off.
Stingray wrote:
There is a real opportunity here for a cover version that rhymes "lapping" with "fapping".
The song got a whole new meaning in times of Internet-porn!
There is a real opportunity here for a cover version that rhymes "lapping" with "fapping".
10The song got a whole new meaning in times of Internet-porn!
pinem wrote:
Sunspots...
why is 2001 listed as the related date when I heard this back in 65/66
Sunspots...
I still have the original LP. Great stuff. Watch out for Boris the spider!
pinem wrote:
You were ahead of your time?
why is 2001 listed as the related date when I heard this back in 65/66
You were ahead of your time?
why is 2001 listed as the related date when I heard this back in 65/66
Cynaera wrote:
Saw Daltrey two years ago, touring with Eric Clapton. Still wears tight pants and swings a dangerous microphone, but looks and sounds like you'd expect after living as hard as these guys did for 25 (30?) years.
{Funny comment about "The Who Sell Out" a little earlier.}
... Daltrey in those tight jeans, swinging the microphone during "Won't Get Fooled Again" - He did a rather great version of "Walking the Dog" that I haven't been able to find anywhere...
Saw Daltrey two years ago, touring with Eric Clapton. Still wears tight pants and swings a dangerous microphone, but looks and sounds like you'd expect after living as hard as these guys did for 25 (30?) years.
{Funny comment about "The Who Sell Out" a little earlier.}
Wading into the muck like the dork that I am.... I don't watch much TV, so I have no idea about what the Hummer references are. I don't like this Who song, but only because I have so many favorites by individual members before they met their demises. And The Who were brilliant when they were rebellious. Daltrey in those tight jeans, swinging the microphone during "Won't Get Fooled Again" - He did a rather great version of "Walking the Dog" that I haven't been able to find anywhere...
Yes, "Happy Jack" was not their best work. But - it's The Who, and I love it if only for that reason alone.
Yes, "Happy Jack" was not their best work. But - it's The Who, and I love it if only for that reason alone.
GT66 wrote:
Apparently that Hummer-School bus picture is real - and the driver only "suffered minor injuries". Anyhow - I've always liked this song and was quite annoyed by its connection to those vehicles. What's going on, Pete?.
I don't like Hummers mostly because of the douche bag types that buy and drive them. That said, the machines themselves are fairly solid. To me, this seems like a photoshop job. So much damage to that Hummer and it didn't even break the back glass of the bus door. How is that possible?
Apparently that Hummer-School bus picture is real - and the driver only "suffered minor injuries". Anyhow - I've always liked this song and was quite annoyed by its connection to those vehicles. What's going on, Pete?.
This song is woven through the fabric of the happy, innocent summer of my first kiss.
fuh2 wrote:
Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (aka HMMWV or "Humvee") by General Motors appears to be coming to an end. The revolting Hummer H1, insidious Hummer H2 and despicable Hummer H3 lines will no longer be produced by General Motors, who has hired Citigroup to review selling the Hummer brand.
I don't like Hummers mostly because of the douche bag types that buy and drive them. That said, the machines themselves are fairly solid. To me, this seems like a photoshop job. So much damage to that Hummer and it didn't even break the back glass of the bus door. How is that possible?
Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (aka HMMWV or "Humvee") by General Motors appears to be coming to an end. The revolting Hummer H1, insidious Hummer H2 and despicable Hummer H3 lines will no longer be produced by General Motors, who has hired Citigroup to review selling the Hummer brand.
sirdroseph wrote:
One of the greatest TV show theme songs of all times!! The show itself is good too. Oh and this Who song is good too!
Kind of before the Who were The Who....
Sort of. Still the goofy, unpredictable clowns they turned out to be.
Before the could see for miles.
Before Tommy left a scar on her cheek to remind her of his smile.
Sort of. Still the goofy, unpredictable clowns they turned out to be.
Before the could see for miles.
Before Tommy left a scar on her cheek to remind her of his smile.
slartibart_O wrote:
One of the greatest TV show theme songs of all times!! The show itself is good too. Oh and this Who song is good too!
One of the greatest TV show theme songs of all times!! The show itself is good too. Oh and this Who song is good too!
VOLUME UP!
nagsheadlocal wrote:
Hah - That's a Thomas Built bus, built here in North Carolina. It's survived with just a little bent metal while the Hummer has eaten it. I'm going to forward this to an old friend who works as a welder on the Thomas line.
Sure looks like somebody died in this crash. Not too funny, pal.
Hah - That's a Thomas Built bus, built here in North Carolina. It's survived with just a little bent metal while the Hummer has eaten it. I'm going to forward this to an old friend who works as a welder on the Thomas line.
Sure looks like somebody died in this crash. Not too funny, pal.
fuh2 wrote:
Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (aka HMMWV or "Humvee") by General Motors appears to be coming to an end. The revolting Hummer H1, insidious Hummer H2 and despicable Hummer H3 lines will no longer be produced by General Motors, who has hired Citigroup to review selling the Hummer brand.
Hah - That's a Thomas Built bus, built here in North Carolina. It's survived with just a little bent metal while the Hummer has eaten it. I'm going to forward this to an old friend who works as a welder on the Thomas line.
Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (aka HMMWV or "Humvee") by General Motors appears to be coming to an end. The revolting Hummer H1, insidious Hummer H2 and despicable Hummer H3 lines will no longer be produced by General Motors, who has hired Citigroup to review selling the Hummer brand.
Hah - That's a Thomas Built bus, built here in North Carolina. It's survived with just a little bent metal while the Hummer has eaten it. I'm going to forward this to an old friend who works as a welder on the Thomas line.
helgigermany wrote:
i'm with you dude. total Kinks rip-off, with hysterically inappropriate drums
really one of the whos worst songs
i'm with you dude. total Kinks rip-off, with hysterically inappropriate drums
fuh2 wrote:
Yeah and what a fukkin sellout The Who is too eh?
Hey! That would make a great name for one of their LPs: The Who Sell Out
Yeah and what a fukkin sellout The Who is too eh?
Hey! That would make a great name for one of their LPs: The Who Sell Out
really one of the whos worst songs
gjeeg wrote:
Pre-Tommy Who: Fairy-tale, drunken, melodic songsters
So?? What's wrong with that.
Got Love the OX.
This should be left in the past where it belongs. Suck-tastic! 
Misterfixit wrote:
You're probably thinking of "Pictures of Lily". This is a great song - classic. Actually, Southern Culture On The Skids does a cool cover of this as well.
Uh, say, Peeps, you DO know, of course, that this song is about masturbation, didn't you?
You're probably thinking of "Pictures of Lily". This is a great song - classic. Actually, Southern Culture On The Skids does a cool cover of this as well.
Did you bother to read the lyrics?
Misterfixit wrote:
Misterfixit wrote:
Uh, say, Peeps, you DO know, of course, that this song is about masturbation, didn't you?
Jelani wrote:
Ditto - H2"s &H3"s aren't Hummers at all. Only one Hummer, and all of the wannabe's driving 2's &3's couldn't afford one or live up to the responsibility of owning one.
Only Hummer worth driving is the Up-Armored Version with the mounted fifty caliber M2 Machine Gun on the top shielded rotator mount, loaded with linked .50 ammo, one tracer, one armor piercing, one ball and one anti-personnel fragmentation in standard Urban Warfare sequence. Here, let's try out the all-wheel drive and low-range crawler gear as we climb and descent the streets of San Fransissyco, searching for the different, the strange, the unusual, the abnormal, the non-standard, the weird, the alien. The frequent braaaap sound of the diesel exhaust belching it's filthy carbon footprint interspersed by the 400 round-per-minute short bursts of the Eliminator of Dissent ... Dance Hippies! Dance! Pathetic Earthlings! Who can help you now?
Ack!
Ditto - H2"s &H3"s aren't Hummers at all. Only one Hummer, and all of the wannabe's driving 2's &3's couldn't afford one or live up to the responsibility of owning one.
Only Hummer worth driving is the Up-Armored Version with the mounted fifty caliber M2 Machine Gun on the top shielded rotator mount, loaded with linked .50 ammo, one tracer, one armor piercing, one ball and one anti-personnel fragmentation in standard Urban Warfare sequence. Here, let's try out the all-wheel drive and low-range crawler gear as we climb and descent the streets of San Fransissyco, searching for the different, the strange, the unusual, the abnormal, the non-standard, the weird, the alien. The frequent braaaap sound of the diesel exhaust belching it's filthy carbon footprint interspersed by the 400 round-per-minute short bursts of the Eliminator of Dissent ... Dance Hippies! Dance! Pathetic Earthlings! Who can help you now?
Ack!
Uh, say, Peeps, you DO know, of course, that this song is about masturbation, didn't you?
@fuh2
Please save your politically correct inspired comments for the appropriate political forums; i.e. NOT HERE. kthxbai
Please save your politically correct inspired comments for the appropriate political forums; i.e. NOT HERE. kthxbai
Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (aka HMMWV or "Humvee") by General Motors appears to be coming to an end. The revolting Hummer H1, insidious Hummer H2 and despicable Hummer H3 lines will no longer be produced by General Motors, who has hired Citigroup to review selling the Hummer brand.
It's drums, bass, vocals—and incidentally guitar. Brilliant.
renegade_X wrote:
I am a devoted MST 3K follower, but I miss the connection here. Clarify, please. I'd get a Satellite of Love reference, a la Lou Reed, but not Happy Jack.
Okay peeps in here usually read my mind, but not this time. Who else thinks of Mystery Science Theater 3000 when they hear this song??
I am a devoted MST 3K follower, but I miss the connection here. Clarify, please. I'd get a Satellite of Love reference, a la Lou Reed, but not Happy Jack.
I never realized this song was by The Who. I'm a big fan of the Hummer commercial (long version) this song was used in. Pared it up nicely with the lyrics they used. Has that great "underdog makes good" feel to it.
drumming 9, rest of the song 5; that makes a solid 8!
This is such a great, eccentric chestnut of a rocker! Great percussion, and I don't mean just Moon's drums , but the bass too: John Entwhistle, one of rock's most underrated musicians.
, but the bass too: John Entwhistle, one of rock's most underrated musicians.Pre-Tommy Who: Fairy-tale, drunken, melodic songsters
A nice contrast for 'My Names' Jack' by Manfred Mann.
At the end of this song you can hear Townshend yell "I saw ya!". He's speaking to Moon who throughout the recording of the vocals was trying to sneak in--he had been banished because his singing voice was awful.
fuh2 wrote:
Ditto. Disgusting vehicle, disgusting song forever. Shame on you Townsend!
In the past, Pete has "sold" the rights to use his songs in commercials usually to kick up some scratch for Roger and John. Mostly Johnsince he managed to piss away millions on fur-lined cars and diamond cowboy boots. Too bad John took a little of that dough and bought some blow for his last rockstar night.
Okay peeps in here usually read my mind, but not this time. Who else thinks of Mystery Science Theater 3000 when they hear this song??
Gregorama wrote:
Pete Moon had to have been just about the best rock drummer ever. No one else pounded out so much of their soul on such a consistent basis.
I didn't know Keith had a brother who played drums too. LOL
A childhood favorite.
Love it...Moon's crazy drumming...there's a great black and white video too!
I hate hummers too (except the original) but to hate the song for that is dumb.
I'm happy to say I missed that commercial that everyone was talking about, so I don't care on that regard. This song DID make my speakers sound like they were out of polarity, or something, and that kind of bothered me. Aside from that, I enjoyed it!
I hate SUVs and I love The Who. But I hate it when musicians (who already have more money than God) sell their songs as jingles. It reduces the music and strips away the emotional impact. But for some reason I don't have the same reaction to this one as I do to say, Moby songs selling Lexus.
I was thinking "gee, haven't I heard this song in a commercial for something" (obviously the commercial failed). Not being able to remember this sort of thing tends to drive me to distraction.
But I think, no problem, the "OMG a commercial ruined this song" posters will not fail me.
And you did not! 
MojoJojo wrote:
Gotta add my $0.02 here...
Can't stand H2/H3 "Hummers", and this comes from a self-confessed car nut. Am-gen built the only Hummer. H2's and H3's are over-priced, poorly built Suburbans with less interior volume and the white-trashiest body cladding known to all history.
Ditto - H2"s &H3"s aren't Hummers at all. Only one Hummer, and all of the wannabe's driving 2's &3's couldn't afford one or live up to the responsibility of owning one.
MojoJojo wrote:
Gotta add my $0.02 here...
Can't stand H2/H3 "Hummers", and this comes from a self-confessed car nut. Am-gen built the only Hummer. H2's and H3's are over-priced, poorly built Suburbans with less interior volume and the white-trashiest body cladding known to all history.
Can't help but associate them with this song. Wish I could say otherwise. Sorry Who and Who fans (in or out of whoville).
Ditto. Disgusting vehicle, disgusting song forever. Shame on you Townsend!
Beez wrote:
I don't give a S*&% if this song was used in a Hummer commercial. I still LOVE IT!!
ditto
Gotta add my $0.02 here...
Can't stand H2/H3 "Hummers", and this comes from a self-confessed car nut. Am-gen built the only Hummer. H2's and H3's are over-priced, poorly built Suburbans with less interior volume and the white-trashiest body cladding known to all history.
Can't help but associate them with this song. Wish I could say otherwise. Sorry Who and Who fans (in or out of whoville).
phineas wrote:
But you never know if they actually did the selling of the song --- this is so old, they may not own the rights.
And you could always turn off the TV (ya, like I can ever do that!)
I was told by a Who fan last week that Pete Townshend wrote and still owns all The Who songs. And yes I change the channel if that obscene commercial comes on.
fuh2 wrote:
Yeah and what a fukkin sellout The Who is too eh?
But you never know if they actually did the selling of the song --- this is so old, they may not own the rights.
And you could always turn off the TV (ya, like I can ever do that!)
steeler wrote:
Exactly right! What a drummer.
Yeah and what a fukkin sellout The Who is too eh?
dmax wrote:
Good God, Keith Moon was brilliant.
He's like little controlled explosions over and over - but not so many that you get numb to them.
Wonderful tune. As much as I love the hits (and this was one of them), the Who were so diverse that it's good to play things from all periods.
Pete Moon had to have been just about the best rock drummer ever. No one else pounded out so much of their soul on such a consistent basis.
dmax wrote:
Good God, Keith Moon was brilliant.
He's like little controlled explosions over and over - but not so many that you get numb to them.
.
Exactly right! What a drummer.
Beez wrote:
I don't give a S*&% if this song was used in a Hummer commercial. I still LOVE IT!!
Do you own a Hummer Beez? Geez! I am going to throw up if I hear that S$^$ￜ& song again! Absolutely DISGUSTING! Boycott The Who!! Boycott General Motors for bastardizing this song and making the Hummer.
Feeling Flaccid? https://stopsuvs.org/html/hummer_models.htm
I don't give a S*&% if this song was used in a Hummer commercial. I still LOVE IT!!
this song is permantly associated with a very specific memory from days gone by....and it's a good memory
:nodhead:
fuh2 wrote:
Yup, the ultimate sell-out song of all time. I used to like the Who. https://www.fuh2.com/
Ouch. That's a depressing thought. Happily, we don't have Hummer commercials (or Hummers) in the UK. sweet_william wrote:Directly influenced by Ray Davies who says the Who adopted the Kinks sound for their own after a series of shows where they shared the same stage. The Kinks did it first and they did it better than any of the pop bands of the 60's.
Thanks for this connection. Living in the UK I have to be a major Kinks AND Who fan. It seems to me that this album, which does have a Kinks sound, was a bit of a style "drift" between the My Generation, Tommy and ultimately, even harder Live at Leads Who. Even the Stones drifted quite a bit around 1967.
Directly influenced by Ray Davies who says the Who adopted the Kinks sound for their own after a series of shows where they shared the same stage. The Kinks did it first and they did it better than any of the pop bands of the 60's.
drH wrote:
wow! I didn't realize this was a real Who song. I thought it was made for the Hummer commercial. 
Yup, the ultimate sell-out song of all time. I used to like the Who.
wow! I didn't realize this was a real Who song. I thought it was made for the Hummer commercial.
pazzat wrote:
This song was recorded on 10 November 1966. Did people worry about AM radio optimisation then? 
For Radio One, methinks.
This odd little early Who foray into the realm of a \"not quite right\" subject has so many edgy elements that its delivery mirrors the nature of its main charascter. The drums still have a crisp demented nature that hold up well after decades.