Jake Thackray 'Molly Metcalfe'

[TheRingoDave]

Purely written by Jake himself (including the intro...as Jake once said, "No, it's all bollocks - I made it up!")

[undergodot]

absolutely brilliant! can anyone tell me if he actually wrote this song and, if so, does the melody derive from some earlier folk melody? Thank you.

[tonybiscuits]

he was on That's Life a lot. A forgotten genius.

[russellbar01]

What was the show he used to be on every week.?

I reckon sister josephine is his funniest number.

[SkewerLad]

Thank god for Jake Thackray

[kidwoofwoof]

Doomed. Wonderful and doomed.

[jondy2]

An extraordinary talent - utterly unique, and quite without peer.

[Pbxxncx7]

I just heard the man on radio 6 music and the memories came flooding back, so here I am looking him up on youtube. I feel a resurgence coming on, the guy was a one off talent

[TEDtheKEY]

Never the like seen again. Been a fan of Jake for many years. Thee should be a statude to him in the middle of York!

[neilxt]

I read, probably courtesy of Terry Pratchett, that "Yan, tan, tethra, methra, pip" was actually 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in an old Celtic language of which only that counting survives.

See Wiki Yan tan tethera

[gutplucker]

That's bloody wonderful!

[guidnav]

Very moving.

[labyonnette]

I too remember Jake being on every evening on a news programme. If I remember correctly it was always a topical song that put things into perspective

[TroutMaskReplicaa]

He should have been a main character in a clockwork orange.

twud be a perfect fit.

[ironmaidyn]

I remember my mum playing his records when i was a kid, so sad to learn that he has gone.

Beautiful song, thankyou for sharing. :D

[bethbs1]

He may not have had a Great Aunt Molly but he is clearly moved. This isn't cynicism.

[MrFelim]

Good old Jake Thackray, one of the last of the true English folk singers. I have very good memories of my parents playing his records in the sixties and in fact I played 'The Last Will and Testement" at my mothers funeral compliant with her wishes. I have lived in western Canada for 14 years and rediscovering Jake has brought many happy memories of home.

[MrFelim]

Good old Jake Thackray, one of the last of the true English folk singers. I have very good memories of my parents playing his records in the sixties and in fact I played 'The Last Will and Testement" at my mothers funeral compliant with her wishes.

[Digdigs2]

I have always liked his songs - this is new to me and perhaps the most powerful... and that's saying alot.

[fat88andy]

I remember this being shown on T.V. originally chiefly cos my dad was a shepherd and taught me to count in the way Jake did. It was not until rediscovering it on here I became aware of the emotion and sentiment contained in the song, as ever, amazing.R.I.P. Jake.

[SeadogErk]

Classic Jake. RIP.

[indeedydeed]

Quite simply, one of the most extraordinary musical performances in the entire BBCTV archive.

[CinnAlla]

Jake at (perhaps) his most cynical - he never had an aunt Molly Metcalfe. But a great song and a matchless songwriter, the like of whom we will never see again.

[Leonmitch]

Beautiful Jake! R.I.P Lee Mitchell xxx

[madcapwhitehall]

This chap was so talented - very clever with words. He put an awful lot of heart into this performance.

[66gadus]

RIP Jake - great songs - my folks loved all his music & i was fortunate to hear it from a young age - good memories.......

[ellenslater]

Beautiful

[hatsandthat]

utterly astounding in every single way possible

[piedpiperpianos]

Totally agree - I don't think he was appreciated for what he really was

[GeorgePAlgar]

This guy is an overlooked genius. It conjours up all the wild mystique of Wuthering Heights but with a lot more empathy.

[Stratocastermagic]

Fantastic!

[RatherLargeAllan]

Now that is what is meant by 'stage presence'. I have the vinyl version but this tops it. Actually I wonder if the vinyl recording is an edited version of this.

[normalil]

I never heard this one before. It's spine chilling, thankyou for posting.

[piedpiperpianos]

Totally genuine - not an affected bone in his body!

[markiliff]

Wow. I know Jake T's work mainly from records, and hadn't realised how much his presence adds.

Thanks for sharing,

µ

[TheLimski666]

Greatest musical poet of the 20th century Ooooo

[baileysisters]

Stunning song, and one the Bailey Sisters want to add to their repertoire!

[tachyon12]

I remembered Jake from the 70's ("that's life" was one) and came back to his music a couple of years ago only to find that he had passed away.

Thanks for posting this video, it's one of my favourite Jake songs.

[1melianthus]

Thank you for posting this. It is exquisite. If you have more please post.

[peterinfrankfurt]

I can't believe there are no comments on this video. I still remember this on UK TV in the 70's or maybe earlier. I watched this with my parents and brother. I searched for this song remembering nothing but "Yan Tan Tether Mether Pip". Then I was distraught to read in Wikipedia about his financial troubles in 2000 and his death in2002. He will live on in my memory.

[TallPiler]

You are the first poster on this vid, but to be fair, I only posted it last week!

But the absence of Jake Thackray from UK TV for the last 20 years was an absolute disgrace. I am a musician in my thirties with a pretty good knowledge of music, but I heard my first Jake Thackray songs in 2003 when a friend played me 'Ulysses' and 'Family Tree' on his ipod!

Since that day I have been an avid fan! Have a look at 'The Hair of the Widow of Bridlington' on my 'MORE FROM' list - it's a cracker!!!

[thecafeowner]

@TallPiler "Yan Tan Tether Mether Pip" is the title of The Bad Shepherds album featuring none less than Ade Edmondson

[quasarsphere]

@TallPiler

I discovered him by accident a year or two ago when I found some episodes of The Innes Book Of Records online.