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"My Name Is Jack" is a song written by American record producer John Simon and released as a single by British group Manfred Mann in 1968. Their version reached number 8 on the UK Singles Chart. It became an international Top 10 hit, but only reached number 104 in the US.

Background

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. 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, in San Francisco, where part of the movie was filmed. Formerly Sakutaro Nakano's Kashu Hotel, 1701 Laguna Street, the building became dilapidated and was demolished, and the Christ United Presbyterian Church was opened on the site in 1975. "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.

The song was recorded at one of the first high-profile sessions at the newly constructed Trident Studios in London, which would later become renowned for its use by such artists as the Beatles, David Bowie, Queen, and others.

Personnel

Mike d'Abo – vocals, piano

Manfred Mann – keyboards

Tom McGuinness – guitar

Klaus Voormann – bass guitar

Mike Hugg – drums

Chart history

Cover versions

• 1978 – Moonriders, Nouvelles Vagues
• 1994 – Pizzicato Five, Great White Wonder

References

1. ^ "BI's Chart Fax" (PDF). Beat Instrumental (8): 17. August 1968. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
2. ^ "AFI Catalog of Feature Films – You Are What You Eat". American Film Institute. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
3. Shinner, Merrill (13 April 1977). "Manfred Mann rewrites the past". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
4. ^ Betts, Graham (2004). Complete UK Hit Singles 1952–2004 (1st ed.). London: Collins. p. 488. ISBN 0-00-717931-6.
5. ^ Joel Whitburn's Bubbling Under the Billboard Hot 100 1959-2004
6. https://web.archive.org/web/20040922032050/https://www.west.asu.edu/Koptiuch/SBS301_archive/PMEwebF02/Bray.html
7. GarboForever.com. Retrieved 17 July 2014
8. Mark Christensen, Acid Christ: Ken Kesey, LSD, and the Politics of Ecstasy, IPG, 2010, p.203, Retrieved 17 July 2014
9. Greta Garbo Home for Wayward Boys and Girls, discussion at HipForums.com. Retrieved 17 July 2014
10. The Kashu Hotel by Jerry F. Schimmel
11. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2021650556/
12. Christ United Presbyterian Church nichibei.org
13. Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (first ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 185. CN 5585.
14. My Name Is Jack (Mono Version) on YouTube
15. Go-Set National Top 40, 28 August 1968
16. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1968-08-03. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
17. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. p. 201. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
18. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – My Name Is Jack". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
19. Flavour of New Zealand, 6 September 1968

• 1968 singles
• 1968 songs
• Manfred Mann songs
• Fontana Records singles
• British pop rock songs
• Psychedelic pop songs
• Songs written by John Simon (record producer)