Sunday, 21 February 2010
Sunday night is... Jake Thackray
Jake Thackray's face always reminded me of Buster Keaton, but his model was Georges Brassens. And the song below, which shows him performing, brings that home as it is a version of Brassens' own.
'Sister Josephine' was his greatest hit, but all the songs are witty, sad, stoical and a little bruising. Or just downright hilarious. We were talking about him last week before a reading. He was a Leeds boy. A words man but with some subtle tunes and his own idiosyncratic phrasing.
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3 comments:
Hi George,
Sunday night is singsong night at Bard on the Run (you have the link)
- click on Dominic Rivron's reply highlight on top post: 'colour'.
You might appreciate it.
Best as always,
Gwilym
ps- your new Fortinbras book made top 5 place on PiR's Bloodaxe List! He can pick 'em.
Always glad to hear praise of Jake. We had an LP at home when I was young, Bantam Cock, and I would play it over and over and learn the words: not just funny songs, but very pretty, moving songs. And his voice and enunciation were unique and, I thought, rather beautiful.
He had a slot on a TV comedy show when I was a kid, I can't remember what show it was but I remember him. I think I rather fancied him! Perhaps because there was that thread of touching intensity under the fun.
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