The Smoke-My Friend Jack

 

THE SMOKE-My Friend Jack/We Can Take It U.K. Columbia DB 8115 1966

"My Friend Jack" by The Smoke is a legendary debut single by the unsung English 60's quartet The Smoke, previously known as The Shots. The track immediately skirted controversy upon it's release in February 1967 due to the line "my friend Jack eats sugar lumps, sugar man hasn't got a care" (interestingly the band had an alternate even more controversial line originally recorded "my friend Jack eats sugar lumps, oh what beautiful things he sees"). The track was issued in no less than seven countries (from as far off as India to even Canada) . Sadly it only reached #45 in Britain but went to #2 in Germany where the band were far more successful (like the Creation). And much like The Creation their sole LP of the 60's was released in Germany ("It's Smoke Time" Metronome MLP 15 279 1967).

Delivered among a shimmering vibrato of tremolo laced guitar, I can't think of a more powerful debut single! The track plods along with a nifty little chord progression later embellished by a catchy but subtle guitar lick and nonsensical lyrics. The sheer power and volume of the guitar parts set it lengths beyond anything else in the British scene in '66 (besides, maybe, The Creation). 

The flip, "We Can Take It" pales in comparison to the A-side in terms of power but still chugs along nicely thanks to their rocking yet simple guitar, bass and drums line up. The guitar chords are still powerful and the band thankfully did not make the mistake of re-using the guitar effect's from "My Friend Jack" on the flip. 

German 45 picture sleeve Metronome B 1662 1967

Both sides have been released on a multitude of Smoke compilations that are far too numerous to mention!

Hear the single version of "My Friend Jack":

https://youtu.be/spa4Vf7Bb44?si=6qHxFPcnjYYvETjF

Hear the alternate version of "My Friend Jack":

https://youtu.be/QNisqOcABso?si=lRYlTVih7shdbOgz

Here "We Can Take It":

https://youtu.be/7mf6RckH5Kg?si=TwEpK4QomNO4uoqc