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"My Name Is Jack" is a song written by American record producer John Simon[2] and released as a single by British group Manfred Mann in 1968.[3] Their version reached number 8 on the UK Singles Chart.[4] It became an international Top 10 hit, but only reached number 104 in the US.[5]
| "My Name Is Jack" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Manfred Mann | ||||
| B-side | "There Is a Man" | |||
| Released | 7 June 1968 | |||
| Recorded | March 1968 | |||
| Studio | Trident, London[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:50 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | John Simon | |||
| Producer(s) | ||||
| Manfred Mann singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The lyrics and music were written by John Simon, and his own version was included on the soundtrack of the 1968 film You Are What You Eat.[2] The song tells the story of a resident of the "Greta Garbo Home for Wayward Boys and Girls", which was the nickname of a real hostel, the Kirkland Hotel,[6] in San Francisco, where part of the movie was filmed.[7][8][9] Formerly Sakutaro Nakano's[10] Kashu Hotel,[11] 1701 Laguna Street, the building became dilapidated and was demolished, and the Christ United Presbyterian Church was opened on the site in 1975.[12] "Superspade", a real-life Haight Ashbury drug dealer, is also mentioned.
Early versions of the Manfred Mann cover also reference "Superspade", but as it is also a slur, the band later re-recorded the song with the more familiar "Superman" in its place, at the request of their US distributor, Mercury.[13]
The song was recorded at one of the first high-profile sessions at the newly constructed Trident Studios in London,[1] which would later become renowned for its use by such artists as the Beatles, David Bowie, Queen, and others.
- Mike d'Abo – vocals, piano
- Manfred Mann – keyboards
- Tom McGuinness – guitar
- Klaus Voormann – bass guitar
- Mike Hugg – drums[14]
| Chart (1968) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austria | 1 |
| Australia (Go-Set)[15] | 10 |
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 7 |
| Canada RPM Top Singles[16] | 27 |
| Finland (Suomen Virallinen)[17] | 33 |
| Germany | 7 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[18] | 13 |
| Netherlands | 16 |
| New Zealand (Listener)[19] | 10 |
| UK Singles Chart[4] | 8 |
| U.S. Billboard [5] | 104 |
- 1978 – Moonriders, Nouvelles Vagues
- 1994 – Pizzicato Five, Great White Wonder
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