A Quick One (Happy Jack in US)
	Produced by Kit Lambert
	Released on December 3, 1966
	UK CHART POSITION #4 . . . US CHART POSITION #51
	Find it at GEMM
MCAD-11267 cover [high resolution scan]

T he least essential of The Who’s early albums is still awfully good… and awfully loud. The arrangements are so striking and unusual they often overshadow the songs themselves. The Who push the drums past all levels of decency on the Keith Moon-penned “I Need You,” John Entwistle’s low bass and lower vocals rumble with sinister intent through “Boris the Spider,” Townshend crams six songs into the fascinating collision of “A Quick One, While He’s Away” (an early, abortive amalgam of storytelling and rock). Unlike its American counterpart, titled Happy Jack to cash in on that single’s success, the UK release didn’t include a bonafide hit (“Boris the Spider” is the record’s most recognizable track). What it does include are tracks you seldom here anymore. “Run, Run, Run,” “So Sad About Us” and “Whiskey Man” are worth rediscovery for fans, but would fall outside any discussion of The Who’s most enduring work. A Quick One finds the band looking to push the boundaries of popular music while still confined by rock’s conventions (e.g., a warmed-over cover of “Heatwave”). The remastered 1995 version is wonderfully annotated and spotlights the saturated noisiness of the original tracks, adding most of the Ready Steady Who EP released soon after. In addition to a swell cover of Jan and Dean’s “Bucket T,” the bonus tracks include forgotten gems like “Disguises” and “Doctor, Doctor.” For most listeners, hearing A Quick One will feel like opening up an old toy chest. Some items are ripe for reclamation, others we’ve outgrown, but there’s still fun to be had here.

MCAD-11267 gatefold sleeve	MCAD-11267 back sleeve

TRACK LISTING

1. RUN RUN RUN    (Pete Townshend)    2:42
2. BORIS THE SPIDER    (John Entwistle)    2:28
3. I NEED YOU    (Keith Moon)    2:24
4. WHISKEY MAN    (John Entwistle)    2:57
5. HEATWAVE    (Edward Holland Jr./Lamont Dozier/Brian Holland)    1:54
6. COBWEBS AND STRANGE    (Keith Moon)    2:29
7. DON'T LOOK AWAY    (Pete Townshend)    2:51
8. SEE MY WAY    (Roger Daltrey)    1:52
9. SO SAD ABOUT US    (Pete Townshend)    3:01
10. A QUICK ONE, WHILE HE'S AWAY    (Pete Townshend)    9:10
    
    CD reissue bonus tracks
    
11. BATMAN    (Neal Hefti)    1:34
12. BUCKET T    (Atfield/Christian/Torrence)    2:07
13. BARBARA ANN    (Freddy Fassert)    1:59
14. DISGUISES    (Pete Townshend)    3:10
15. DOCTOR, DOCTOR    (John Entwistle)    2:59
16. I'VE BEEN AWAY    (John Entwistle)    2:07
17. IN THE CITY    (Keith Moon/John Entwistle)    2:21
18. HAPPY JACK (ACOUSTIC VERSION)    (Pete Townshend)    2:51
19. MAN WITH THE MONEY    (Don & Phil Everly)    2:45
20. MY GENERATION/LAND OF HOPE AND GLORY    (Pete Townshend/Edward Elgar)    2:03
    
    HAPPY JACK original track listing
    
    
1. RUN RUN RUN
2. BORIS THE SPIDER
3. I NEED YOU
4. WHISKEY MAN
5. COBWEBS AND STRANGE
6. HAPPY JACK
7. DON'T LOOK AWAY
8. SEE MY WAY
9. SO SAD ABOUT US
10. A QUICK ONE, WHILE HE'S AWAY

CREDITS

ROGER DALTREY -- vocals
JOHN ENTWISTLE -- bass guitar & vocals, trumpet
KEITH MOON -- drums
PETE TOWNSHEND -- guitar & vocals
Jon Astley -- 1995 reissue producer, 1995 remixing
Andy Macpherson -- 1995 remixing
Bill Curbishley, Robert Rosenberg, Chris Charlesworth -- 1995 reissue executive producers
Alan Aldridge -- original vinyl sleeve design
Richard Evans -- design and art direction
Chris Stamp -- liner notes

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Did you know...

...that DigitalDreamDoor ranked Keith Moon's performance on "Cobwebs And Strange" as the #7 greatest studio rock drum performance? No, you probably didn't. (Source: DigitalDreamDoor's 100 Greatest Rock Drum Performances.)

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