Looking for Jack
Encyclopedia
Looking for Jack is the 1st solo album
by former Men at Work
lead singer Colin Hay
, released in 1987. (See 1987 in music
).
At an acoustic performance at Melbourne
's Prince of Wales Hotel on 13 June 2007, Hay described the genesis of the title track. Watching a gig, he saw Jack Nicholson
standing by the mixing desk. he walked over and told Jack what a big fan he was of his work. Jack replied "I can't hear you!" Later in the green room
, Jack walked in while Colin was talking to a few pretty girls and said "I'm a big fan of yours, too," and walked out. Colin spent the next moments looking over the girls' shoulders. One of them asked "What are you looking for?" He replied "I'm looking for Jack." She responded with "Everyone's always looking for Jack." With this statement, Colin realized that that was to be the title of the unfinished song he was writing.
This song is the track #6 for the editions of “Looking for Jack” album released outside USA.
It’s also a B-side for the “Can I Hold You?” single.
Singles
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by former Men at Work
Men at Work
Men at Work are an Australian rock band who achieved international success in the 1980s. They are the only Australian artists to have a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United States . They achieved the same distinction of a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United Kingdom...
lead singer Colin Hay
Colin Hay
Colin James Hay is a Scottish-Australian musician, who made his mark during the 1980s as lead vocalist of the Australian band Men at Work, and later as a solo artist.- Early life and Men at Work :...
, released in 1987. (See 1987 in music
1987 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1987.See also:Record labels established in 1987-January-February:*January 3 – Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
).
At an acoustic performance at Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
's Prince of Wales Hotel on 13 June 2007, Hay described the genesis of the title track. Watching a gig, he saw Jack Nicholson
Jack Nicholson
John Joseph "Jack" Nicholson is an American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is renowned for his often dark portrayals of neurotic characters. Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award twelve times, and has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice: for One Flew Over the...
standing by the mixing desk. he walked over and told Jack what a big fan he was of his work. Jack replied "I can't hear you!" Later in the green room
Green room
In British English and American English show business lexicon, the green room is that space in a theatre, a studio, or a similar venue, which accommodates performers or speakers not yet required on stage...
, Jack walked in while Colin was talking to a few pretty girls and said "I'm a big fan of yours, too," and walked out. Colin spent the next moments looking over the girls' shoulders. One of them asked "What are you looking for?" He replied "I'm looking for Jack." She responded with "Everyone's always looking for Jack." With this statement, Colin realized that that was to be the title of the unfinished song he was writing.
Track listing
- "Hold Me" (Hay) – 4:09
- "Can I Hold You?" (Hay) – 3:35
- "Looking for Jack" (Alsop, Hay) – 4:10
- "Master of Crime" (Hay) – 4:57
- "These Are Our Finest Days" (Hay) – 4:07
- "Puerto Rico" (Hay) – 4:28
- "Ways of the World" (Hay) – 4:05
- "I Don't Need You Anymore" (Hay) – 3:04
- "Circles Erratica" (Hay) – 4:02
- "Fisherman's Friend" (Hay) – 5:31
- "Nature of the Beast (Alsop, Hay) - 4:50
This song is the track #6 for the editions of “Looking for Jack” album released outside USA.
It’s also a B-side for the “Can I Hold You?” single.
Personnel
- Colin HayColin HayColin James Hay is a Scottish-Australian musician, who made his mark during the 1980s as lead vocalist of the Australian band Men at Work, and later as a solo artist.- Early life and Men at Work :...
- acoustic guitar, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, 12 string guitar, SynclavierSynclavierThe Synclavier System was an early digital synthesizer, polyphonic digital sampling system, and music workstation, manufactured by New England Digital Corporation, Norwich, VT. The original design and development of the Synclavier prototype occurred at Dartmouth College with the collaboration of... - Jeremy Alsop - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboards, synthesizer guitar - David Bitelli - baritone saxophoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
, tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble... - Mike Brittain - double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
- Raul d'Oliveira - trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Herbie HancockHerbie HancockHerbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
- pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Ginya Joseph - vocals
- Chris LaurenceChris LaurenceChris Laurence is an English jazz double bassist born in London, perhaps most noteworthy for his 1980s work in various trios with Tony Oxley ....
- double bass - Joe Legwabe - vocals
- Dee Lewis - vocals
- Linda LewisLinda LewisLinda Lewis is an English vocalist, songwriter and Guitarist. Lewis is the oldest of six children two of whom also had singing careers...
- vocals - Helen LiebmannHelen LiebmannHelen Liebmann was a founding member of the avant garde music group Penguin Café Orchestra in 1973. A cellist, she studied at the Royal Academy of Music. In addition to playing cello with a number of different ensembles, she is also a practising music therapist.-References:...
- celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is... - Martin Loveday - cello
- Ashley MaherAshley MaherAshley Maher is a singer and songwriter who has meshedthe rhythmic impulses of West Africa and Latin America withWestern song structures.-Biography:Ashley Maher was born to British parents in Montreal, Canada, and moved to...
- vocals - Noel McCallaNoel McCallaNoel McCalla is a British rock singer. He was the lead vocalist for the rock group Manfred Mann's Earth Band from 1991 until September 2009, when his mutually accepted departure was announced...
- vocals - Robbie McIntoshRobbie McIntoshRobbie McIntosh is an English guitarist. McIntosh is well known as a session guitarist and member of The Pretenders from 1982 until 1987. In 1988 he began doing session guitar work for Paul McCartney joining his band full time until early 1994...
- guitar, electric guitar - Morris Michael - vocals
- Robin MillarRobin MillarRobin John Christian Millar CBE is an English musician, songwriter and record producer.-Early life:...
- keyboards - Nicky Payne - tenor saxophone
- Nick Pentelow - tenor saxophone
- Rufus Sefothoma - vocals
- Steve SidwellSteve Sidwell (musician)Steve Sidwell is a conductor, composer, and instrumentalist specialising in swing music. Renowned as an arranger and composer, Steve, has featured on numerous albums, television shows, advertising campaigns and films with his distinctive and innovative orchestrations and compositions.He is also a...
- trumpet - Richard TaylorRichard TaylorRichard Taylor may refer to:*Richard Taylor , father of U.S. president Zachary Taylor*Richard Taylor , British general*Richard Taylor , son of U.S...
- tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate... - Rick Taylor - trombone
- Chad WackermanChad WackermanChad Wackerman is a jazz, jazz fusion and rock drummer; arguably best known in the United States for his work as a drummer and percussionist in Frank Zappa's band...
- percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Paul "Wix" Wickens - organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, Hammond organHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
Production
- Producer: Robin MillarRobin MillarRobin John Christian Millar CBE is an English musician, songwriter and record producer.-Early life:...
- Engineer: Tim Kramer
- Assistant engineers: Dave Anderson (engineer), Phil Legg, Nick Sykes
- Arranger: Robin MillarRobin MillarRobin John Christian Millar CBE is an English musician, songwriter and record producer.-Early life:...
- Photography: David P. Bailey
- Studio artwork: Bill Smith
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | The Billboard 200 | 126 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | "Hold Me" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 99 |