Album: A Quick One (1966)

Charted: 3 24

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• 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! Writer/s: PETER TOWNSHEND
  Publisher: T.R.O. INC.
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 42

• Blegh From Blurgh from ElderberrylandThe lyrics are "in their furry donkey". Listen to the live version of the song from the album The Kids are Alright. It's clear he says furry and donkey.
• Catsaregods from Northern CaliforniaTo Emul from St Petersburg, Fl: I believe you're dead right about "a hurry on Quay"! I listened to it with special earbuds today and that's what I'm hearing, and Musicmatch now agrees! But it's definitely "rode on his head" and "water's lapping" (the others even sing "lap, lap, lap" quite clearly.
• Steven from HaarlemSo they rode on his head on their furry donkey: As Happy Jack could not and did not sing in tune, the kids punished him childly by riding on his head with their furry donkey. Which donkey is, I think, a Souvenir Furry Doll Donkey they hold in their hand and move forward and back like kids do when they play with toys like animal dolls, horses, cars, planes, trains and so on.
• John Howard from UkI believe this song is about a specific person who lived in a driftwood hut & made his living as a beachcomber, there was a news story around this time about the IoM council moving 'Jack' & his hut off the beach as at that time many seaside places were going up-market to attract more tourists. Gotta be honest though my memory's not what it was though, it's nearly 60 years ago!
• Steven from HaarlemMusically the song has, to my opinion, similarity with the first part (Allegro) of the "Children's Symphony" (Sinfonia dei Giocattoli, Kindersinfonie, L.& W.A. Mozart) due to the songs iterative classical cadence V-I (Viennese Classics) and the tempo. It could be a denotation to the "Children" in the narrative.
  https://bit.ly/2VaYm54
• Andyb from Vancouver, BcMaybe this will clear up some of the lyric mystery. Apparently donkey rides were a popular attraction at some beaches in the UK. So "Rode on his head on/in their furry donkey" makes perfect sense. Check out this video clip of kids riding on their "furry donkey" http://www.bbcmotiongallery.com/gallery/clip/1B011737_0041.do
• Elmo from Polichar, United KingdomCannot Jack be the furry donkey seen on the sands of holiday venues such as Scarborough. When viewed through this lens, it seems to gel....
• John from Auckland, New Zealand... and the waters are most certainly lapping (lap,lap,lap,lap) !!!!
• John from Auckland, New ZealandThe lyrics line line 4 are still a mystery Emul. The line is definitely "...HIS HEAD..." not "AHEAD", and goes on "... IN THEIR..." - so it's still up for grabs. Maybe we can find Pete or Roger to ask?
• Jack from Mesa, AzSounds like you got it right Emul. Haha I always thought it was "So they wrote on his head I'm a furry donkey." Also: "the water lapping," "thwart his laughing"... you are The Lyric Master!
• Emul from St Petersburg, FlI know that everyone thinks the lyric is "furry donkey" (on ALL of the lyrics sites), but that makes as much sense as the Jimi Hendrix lyric "scuze me while I kiss this guy." Just listen to it and you'll hear a lyric that makes perfect sense: "They rode on ahead in a hurry on Quay." Note the Quay is pronounced "Key" and it is the main road along the beach on the East side of he Isle of Man. It is quite clear that this is the correct lyric. --- I also wonder about the line "They couldn't stop Jack or the water's lapping", as it makes more sense as "They couldn't stop Jack or thwart his laughing." The latter line makes perfect sense in light of the song's theme. However it does sound more like "lapping" but that could be due to the liquor or pot in Roger's system when he was singing it.
• Sophie from Invercargill, New Zealandhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV65Z7p2Xy8
  That's the link if any one wants to see that ad.
• Joey Freer from Kingston, NyI Love The Drummer It Goes From Slow To Fast.
• Estevan from Tsawwassen , BcWhat an outstanding recording! Classic rock from one of the BEST rock and roll bands of their time and ahead of their time. I named my new Triumph motorcycle "Happy Jack", being British and all. (the bike, not me)
• Andrea from Waterloo, OnNot sure if you were joking around Skip, but the *Monkees did not write all their own music..
• Rob from Detroit, MiAnd by the way, when you speak of deceased great rock drummers, don't forget Karen Carpenter.
• Rob from Detroit, MiBaker wins, Kristen. He's still alive.
• Kirsten from New York, NyThe question of the ages is bonham, moon or baker? Don't forget baker.
• Darrell from EugeneMy girlfriend and I associate this song with the golfball-sized foam-rubber clown heads that are given out by Jack-in-the-Box (a West Coast, Mountain state and Southwestern fast-food chain) and are found on my 1992 Alfa Romeo 164 Quadrifoglio "Cloverleaf" sport sedan, my 1994 Chevy Astro LT and my girlfriend's 1978 Renault Le Car. "Smilin' Jack" is, bar none, THE BEST antenna topper!
• Michael from Kearny, NjRoger, Pete and John were trying to record the backing vocals onto the otherwise finished track. Back in their early days, Keith Moon's voice was not considered good enough for vocals, so he was sitting in the control room watching the rest of the band in the studio through a glass window. Each time the recording started, Moon would distract the band with his antics in an attempt to crack them up. After several attempts, the guys became annoyed and the producer demanded that Moon sit on the floor below the glass, so the vocals could be completed without further interuption. At the very ending of the successful take, Moon popped his head up and down through the window. Townshend shouted out the famous "I saw Ya!" that was left on the finished recording.
• Susan from Npr, FlMoon wasn't banished from the studio, just part of it. He wasn't "allowed" to be heard singing in many of the recordings. Ever heard him sing? It's not truly awful, but it's not truly great. I believe it was the recording room itself that he was not supposed to be going into, but being the playful joker he was, he would sneak in there. He got caught, but I'm sure that was half the fun of it.
• Kika from Nyc, Nythis song sure makes me happy
• Jaym from The Dark Side Of The MoonBart, I think the lyrics are : "So they rode on ahead on their furry donkey"
• Fintan from Cheltenham, EnglandI think I know what you're hinting at, Bart...
• Jared from Westmont, Njeveryone seems to comment on the drms but as a beginner bassist... i love the bass line, its simplicity makes it recognizable; even little pop crazed pre-teens tend to "know it from somewhere"
• Rick from Humboldt, Iadoes the movie "jack" have anything to do with this song because the lyrics suggest that.
• Bart from Amityville, Nydoes anyone get the "So they rode on his head with their furry donkey" line?
• Nathan from Defiance, OhThe Hummer ad did the same thing to the Who what Nike did to the Beatles.
• David Corino from Hawley, Pahttp://www.misterpoll.com/4161124639.html
  http://www.misterpoll.com/728242186.html
  awsome bass, drums and so fourth. Same her Maya, i thought the line was "Happy Jack wasn't tall, but he wasn't fat.", damn you Moonie for druming over Daltrey. Great song!!!!
• Rick from San Juan, United StatesThe picture sleeve of "Happy Jack" has a caricature of The Who by artist Steadman. The peculiar "I saw yer!" at the end of the master recording was again used by Pete Townshend in live performances.
• Jeffrey from Bethel, AkI think this is a good song, but that hummer commercial ruined it... now everytime I hear this, I think of that danged commercial. Stupid hummers...
• Tom from Toronto, CanadaMoon was banned from singing in the studio (ause of her bad singing voice) , not playing drums, it was a game for him to sneak into the studio
• Helen from Oxford, EnglandThe pilot tv show thing doesn't have them all smearing the icing on themselves from "head to toe", it's only pete and keith who get icing on themselves, AND it's only on their faces. Also when the policeman comes he doesn't chase them out of the room, they splat him with 'frosting' then run away. I like it tho, shame it isn't longer.
• Skip from Anytown, WyHey Tim, even today's pop stars sound like they have a tiny bit of talent when recorded from a studio. I'll bet you think Mel Gibson realy IS the son of God, and Spinal Tap IS a band from the early 60's. Oh ya, the Monkeys wrote all their own music. I could do this all day.
• Tim from Dalton, MaI don't get it, if Moon wasn't in the studio, who did the drumming?
• Helen from Oxford, Englandi can hear the "i saw yer" bit =D
• Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, Sci don't know norman what do you think/ Bonham or moon/ They both rocked!
• Norman from Detroit, Mithe question of the ages... bonham or moon?
• Eddie from Petaluma, Cagreat song. the drumming is awesome. keith is the best rock drummer ever.
• Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, Scbtw, I love the drums in that song, and the guitar and the singing! It creates such a raw , and it almost seems like somwthing thwy moght have created out of a jam session, or something you might hear live at a concert or a club.sound
• Maya from San Francisco-ish, CaI can never hear the "I saw yer!" part...
  Also, I always thought at the beginning it was "Happy Jack wasn't tall, but he wasn't fat."
  Hmm =S
  Anyway, this is one of my favorite Who songs. I love how the drums take such a big role in it, clackety-clacking like no other band ever thought of doing before Keith Moon, the untrained, took over drums for the Who.
  RIP Keith and John =)
• Andrew from Ny, Nywhata great song. the tempo, beat, structure...it all comes together to make a beautiful sound.
  why can't groups, today, make music like they did 40 years ago? forget the techno crap, nd using hi-tech machines...keep it simple and real...great music w/ great lyrics.
  

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