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A Quick One

1. "Happy Jack"
   Released: 2 December 1966
2. "Boris the Spider"
   Released: 1967

A Quick One is the second album by English rock band The Who, released in 1966. The American record company executives atDecca Records released the album under the title Happy Jack, the song "Happy Jack" being a top 40 hit in the US.

In 2003 the album was ranked #383 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

[edit]The Who's second album departs from the R&B emphasis of the first. Part of the marketing push for the album was a requirement that each band member should write at least two of the songs on it, though Roger Daltrey only wrote one, so this is the Who album least dominated by Pete Townshend's writing. It was recorded at IBC Studios, Pye Studios and Regent Sound, in London, England in 1966 with Kit Lambert as the record producer.Composition and production

"Boris the Spider" was written after John Entwistle had been out drinking with Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman. They were making up funny names for animals when Entwistle came up with the song. The chorus utilises vocals that influenced the vocal style of death metal singers.[citation needed]

"Heat Wave", the only cover-version and the only reversion to the group's soul influences, a song by Tamla's Holland-Dozier-Hollandteam, was replaced by "Happy Jack" on the original US release but included on the 1974 double album repackaging of A Quick Oneand The Who Sell Out.

"A Quick One, While He's Away", the title track of the LP, is a nine-minute suite of song snippets telling a story of infidelity and reconciliation, a first foray into extended form that led to the so-called "rock operas" Tommy and Quadrophenia.

"Boris the Spider" quickly became Entwistle's most popular song, still performed decades later: in later years he often wore a spider necklace. "Happy Jack", though quirky, remains a favourite.

Keith Moon's "I Need You", was originally titled "I Need You (Like I Need a Hole in the Head)". Moon thought The Beatles spoke in a secret language behind his back, and this song was his way of getting back at them. Although Moon denied that a vocal part in the song was a John Lennon imitation, Entwistle said that, in fact, it was.[1]

"Cobwebs and Strange" was originally called "Showbiz Sonata". Though Entwistle claimed the melody it came from the UK television series Man From Interpol.[1]

The mod/pop number "So Sad About Us", According to Allmusic, is "one of the Who's most covered songs".[2] The Merseys, Shaun Cassidy, Primal Scream, The Breeders and The Jam have recorded studio versions.

Each band member played a wind instrument on "Cobwebs and Strange": Townshend played the penny-whistle, Entwistle on the trumpet and Daltrey on the trombone.

[edit]Cover art

The album was intended to be pop music, a sonic participant in the pop art movement. The cover was designed by the pop art exponent Alan Aldridge,[3] with the front cover depicting the band playing their instruments. The back cover of the UK release is black, with the title and track listing across the top, and a colour head-shot photograph of each band member with the letters of "The W H O" superimposed individually over their faces.[4] The back cover of the US release is a black-and-white photo montage of the band members accompanied by a short personality sketch of each (infamous among Who fans for Keith Moon's humorous assertion that he was keen on "breeding chickens"). A track listing, a couple of paragraphs touting the band, an ad for their first album, and a technical blurb are also crowded onto the back cover of the US release.[5]

[edit]

Track listing

[edit]A Quick One

Record Collector Magazine's Grading Guide:

"MINT: The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality. The cover and any extra items such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition. Records advertised as Sealed or Unplayed should be Mint.

EXCELLENT: The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and / or creasing.

VERY GOOD: The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable.

GOOD: The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discolouration, etc.

FAIR: The record is still just playable but has not been cared for properly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even jump. The cover and contents will be torn, stained and / or defaced.

POOR: The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc. The cover and contents will be badly damaged or partly missing.

BAD: The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection filler."