Four Jacks and a Jill
| Four Jacks and a Jill | |
|---|---|
| Origin | South Africa |
| Years active | 1964 to |
| Website | http://www.4jacksandajill.co.za |
Four Jacks and a Jill is a South African folk rock ensemble. They originally formed in 1964 without a "Jill" under the name "The Nevadas". Subsequently they became the first group in South Africa to wear their hair long and they changed their name to "The Zombies" (different from the well-known British group). Later they added lead singer Glenys Lynne and changed the group's name to "Four Jacks and A Jill". The group included Clive Harding (bass guitar), Till Hanamann (rhythm guitar, trumpet and organ), Bruce Bark (lead guitar, harmonica and saxophone), Tony Hughes (drums) and Glenys Lynne (lead vocal and organ). In South Africa, they had a hit song, "Timothy". In 1968 they cracked the American charts with the song "Master Jack", hitting the Billboard Hot 100 at no. 18 and reaching no. 3 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[1] The song also reached no. 5 on Cashbox and went to no. 1 in South Africa, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). The follow-up single, "Mr. Nico", peaked at no. 98 in the United States. That was their last hit in the U.S., but the group continued to score hits in their native country.[2]
They have recorded and produced albums for a range of sing-along educational story books for various South African charities.
Four Jacks and a Jill also get a brief mention in the cult 'rockumentary' film This Is Spinal Tap, when Spinal Tap arrive to do a gig at a U.S. Air Force base. The base commander, Lt. Bob Hookstratten (Fred Willard) asks Tap if they've ever heard of Four Jacks and a Jill, and then suggests to them that if they are ever in Kansas City and want to hear some good music, then visit the Ramada Inn where the band were supposed to be resident.
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | Billboard 200 | Record Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Jimmy Come Lately | – | RCA Victor |
| 1966 | Listen! Listen! | – | |
| 1967 | The House with the White Washed Gables | – | |
| Timothy and Other Hits | – | ||
| 1968 | Master Jack | 155 | |
| Fables | – | ||
| 1976 | Sell a Million | – | Gallo Record Company |
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Record Label | B-side | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AC | SA | AUS | |||||
| 1965 | "Jimmy Come Lately" | – | – | 2 | – | RCA Victor | "Can't Help Lovin' You" | Jimmy Come Lately |
| 1967 | "The House with the White Washed Gables" | – | – | 20 | – | "Walk the World" | The House with the White Washed Gables | |
| "Timothy" | – | – | 1 | – | "Leaves Are Falling" | Master Jack | ||
| "Master Jack" | 18 | 3 | 1 | 18 | "I Looked Back" | |||
| 1968 | "Mister Nico" | 98 | 25 | 12 | 81 | "Sunny Side of Somewhere" | ||
| "Hey Mister" | 130 | 34 | – | – | "Sad Little Pidgeon" | Fables | ||
| 1969 | "Grandfather Dugan" | – | – | – | – | "Stone in My Shoe" | ||
| "Pretty Belinda" | – | – | – | – | "Makin' Music" | |||
| 1971 | "Ketchup on My Ice Cream" | – | – | – | – | "Old Soul" | ||
| 1973 | "Universal Feeling" | – | – | 11 | – | Epidemic Records | "If All the World Were Apple Pie" | |
| "Jack-A-Dandy" | – | – | – | – | Ariola Records | "Love" | ||
| 1975 | "Sell a Million" | – | – | – | – | Delta Records | "Sweet Sweet Lovin'" | Sell a Million |
Special Releases
Gospel Albums
- A Time For Giving Volume 1 (Jill Music Publishers, 2004)
- A Time For Giving Volume 2 (Jill Music Publishers, 2004)
- A Time Of Faith Volume 1 (Jill Music Publishers)
- A Time Of Faith Volume 2 (Jill Music Publishers)
Supporting Animal Anti-Cruelty League
- The Adventures of Tony and Friends - Volume 1 (Jill Music Publishers, 2004)
- The Adventures of Tony and Friends - Volume 2 (Jill Music Publishers, 2004)
- The Adventures of Tony and Friends - Volume 3 (Jill Music Publishers, 2004)
- The Adventures of Tony and Friends - Volume 4 (Jill Music Publishers, 2009)
- The Adventures of Tony and Friends - Volume 5 (Jill Music Publishers, 2011)
Supporting Institute for the Blind
- The Adventures of Angel and Friends - Volume 1 (Jill Music Publishers, 2004)
- The Adventures of Angel and Friends - Volume 2 (Jill Music Publishers, 2006)
Supporting National St Giles Association
- The Adventures of Peter and Friends - Volume 1 (Jill Music Publishers, 2004)
- The Adventures of Peter and Friends - Volume 2 (Jill Music Publishers, 2009)
Supporting National Council for Persons with Disabilities
- On Tour with The New Jeans - Volume 1 (2011)
- On Tour with The New Jeans - Volume 2 (2012)
Instrumental Albums
- An African Tapestry (2007)
- Music to Drive By (2008)
- Ornaments of the Sky (2008)
- Escape to Africa (2009)
- Birds in Song (2010)
- An African Farm (2011)
- An African Safari (2011)
- Seasons (2013)
- Oceans (2013)
Members
- Glenys Lynne — vocals
- Clive Harding — bass
- Till Hanneman — guitar (later replaced by Keith Andrews)
- Bruce Bark — guitar
- Tony Hughes — drums (aka Tony (John) Rouse)