Quiet Jungle - A Little Bit Me (plus 9 other 'Tail-Hanger' favorites)

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Monkees Theme	02:11
	2	A Little Bit Me	02:13
	3	Stepping Stone	02:18
	4	I Wanna be Free	01:59
	5	When Love Comes Knockin'	01:35
	6	Mary, Mary	02:12

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	She Hangs Out	02:29
	2	I'm a Believer	02:28
	3	She	02:28
	4	Last Train to Clarksville	02:16
	5	Look Out Here Comes Tomorrow	02:17
	6	Gonna Buy Me a Dog	03:05

Photos

Videos

No Video

Information/Write-up

The Quiet Jungle were a Toronto, Ontario group who evolved out of Doug Rankine and the Secrets, one of the sharper beat bands on the mid 1960s Yorkville scene. The original line up featured Doug Rankine on vocals and rhythm guitar, Bob Mark on lead guitar, Henry S. Thaler (later credited as Henry Taylor) on keyboards, Mike Woodroffe on bass, and Rick Felstead on drums. Working first as the Secrets, they held a residency at the Pressmen’s Club and quickly became a popular draw around southern Ontario.

In early 1966 Hockey Night in Canada announcer Brian McFarlane asked the Secrets to record a novelty song he had written for Toronto Maple Leafs fan favourite Eddie Shack. Issued on Canada International as Clear The Track, Here Comes Shack, backed with Warming The Bench, the record shot to number one on Toronto’s 1050 CHUM chart and stayed there for two weeks, remaining on the list for nine weeks in total. The song gave the band national exposure, but it also branded them as a novelty act at a time when they were aiming for something tougher and more contemporary.

Away from the hockey anthem, the Secrets showed a much deeper side on their Arc Records single Cryin’ Over Her backed with He Treats You Bad, both written by Bob Mark. Driven by sharp guitar work and Rankine’s urgent vocal, Cryin’ Over Her became a favourite on the local scene and confirmed Mark as the group’s principal songwriter. Even so, the shadow of Clear The Track, Here Comes Shack was hard to shake, and by early 1967 the band and their new label Yorkville decided to relaunch the group under a new name, the Quiet Jungle.

As the Quiet Jungle they moved decisively into garage and early psychedelic territory. Their debut Yorkville single Ship Of Dreams backed with Everything appeared in early 1967 and reached number 31 on the CHUM chart and number 43 nationally on RPM. Ship Of Dreams opened with an eerie guitar figure and featured swirling organ and tight harmonies, while the flip side Everything, written by Bob Mark and Henry Taylor, pushed the fuzz guitar and rhythm section to the front and has since become a cult favourite on international garage compilations.

The follow up single Too Much In Love backed with Make Up Your Mind, again written by Bob Mark and produced by Brian Ahern, appeared later in 1967. Although it did not match the chart action of Ship Of Dreams, it is now one of the most sought after Canadian 45s of the era and shows the band refining their mix of melodic pop writing and tougher garage attack.

At the same time, the Quiet Jungle found steady work as session players for Toronto budget imprint Arc Sound. Under various guises they cut an entire LP of Monkees covers, A Little Bit Me, I’m A Believer, She Hangs Out plus 9 other Tail Hanger Favorites, and the Christmas album The Story Of Snoopy’s Christmas And Other Favourite Children’s Songs, the latter finally crediting the Quiet Jungle by name and listing Rankine, Mark, Felstead and Henry Taylor among the performers. They also appeared on the CTV teen show After Four, contributing the song Four In The Morning to the associated Yorkville compilation under the name Scarlet Ribbon. A Rolling Stones tribute LP on Arc, Let’s Spend The Night Together, famously used a photo of Rankine on the cover, although he later clarified that the Quiet Jungle did not play on that particular session.

Constant touring across Canada and the ongoing expectation that they would still perform Clear The Track, Here Comes Shack eventually took its toll. Bassist Mike Woodroffe left first, and by 1968 Doug Rankine had also stepped away, feeling he could not compete with the powerful voices he was hearing on the road, including a young Burton Cummings. Bob Mark, Henry Taylor and Rick Felstead kept the band going for a short period with a new singer and additional guitarist Ron Canning from the Rising Sons before quietly folding.

Although their recording career was brief, the Quiet Jungle have come to be regarded as one of the most interesting Toronto bands of the 1960s, bridging Merseybeat pop, garage punk and early psychedelia. Ship Of Dreams, Everything and Too Much In Love remain staples of Canadian garage rock reissues, while their Monkees and Snoopy albums, once anonymous budget releases, have become beloved cult items for listeners who grew up with those records on family turntables every Christmas and after school.
-Robert Williston

Doug Rankine: vocals, guitar
Bob Mark: guitar
Henry Taylor (Henry S. Thaler): keyboards
Rick Felstead: drums

Liner notes:
In the old days, monkeys were apparently great fun. They were especially jolly if you rounded up a whole bunch and put them in a barrel.

Now this may be so, but, to say nothing of barrels, you don't see too many monkeys walking around on their own these days. As a result, the whole "more fun than a barrel full of monkeys" scene has to be accepted on faith.

This being the case, it's a good thing that there are four guys knocking about today who are more fun than any barrel of originals could hope to be. We mean, of course, THE MONKES - David Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith - Who are not featured in barrels, but on T.V. and records.

This album is a salute to THE MONKEES, to the four kids who answered the ad in the Daily Variety - "MADNESS!! Auditions, Folk and Roll Musicians - Singers - running parts for 4 insane boys, ages 17 to 21" - and went on to captivate millions.

THE MONKEES were chosen after 437 aspirants had been interviewed and rejected. All four are in their twenties but despite this are always referred to as kids: - they act like kids and seem to think of themselves that way.

Following selection, THE MONKEES were given an intense six-week course in improvisation. Anyone who has seen their television show, a combination of techniques taken from Beatle movies and T.V. commercials, will appreciate just how much spontaneity and improvisation is required of them.

With two hit singles and a hit album behind them, plus a top-rated T.V. show playing weekly, THE MONKEES are now making a cross-country personal appearance tour. We re sure you will be watching for them to arrive in your town. In the meantime, we know you will find this salute to the fabulous four right out of sight.

CATALYST PRODUCTIONS - Brian Ahern.

A PRODUCT OF ARC SOUND LTD., TORONTO, ONT.

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