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: lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Bob Mark: lead guitar
Henry S. Thaler (Henry Taylor): electric piano
Mike Woodroffe: bass
Rick Felstead: drums
Liner notes:
A real novelty is on tap this week, a fun thing called Clear The Track Here Comes Shack (Eddie Shack that is). It is a rip roaring number that shouts warning for all to get out of the way. The melody is good and can go on that merit alone, and with the appeal of Shack, we could have a runaway hit on our hands.
Warming The Bench is in the same vein, all about the poor guys waiting to get into the game. Great job by Douglas Rankine with the Secrets. Watch for special promotion on this. We are very enthusiastic for this disc as it describes Eddie to a T and will bring to mind his many antics.
Il y a du nouveau à l’affiche cette semaine. Un numéro endiablé et un avertissement à tous et à chacun de laisser le chemin libre, Clear The Track Here Comes Shack. La mélodie est très jolie et vaut à elle seule le prix d’admission en plus, avoir Shack comme attraction, là vraiment, c’est une montée fulgurante vers le succès que l’on prévoit.
Warming The Bench est dans la même ligne d’idée. Cela concerne encore les pauvres types qui attendent leur tour en réchauffant le banc des joueurs. Une présentation hors pair par Douglas Rankine et the Secrets. Surveillez la promotion spéciale qui sera mise en course très bientôt. Nous sommes des plus emballés par ces merveilleux 45 tours qui représentent fidèlement Eddie dans son passe temps favori.
Douglas Rankine with the Secrets, produced by Brian MacFarlane (of C.B.C.), released on RCA Victor Canada. "Quiet Jungle started life as The Secrets. Same band as Cryin' Over Her fame on ARC Records. First they recorded a novelty pop tune called "Clear The Track Here Comes Shack", a tune about a Toronto Maple Leaf hockey player from Sudbury, Ontario. The tune made it to number one on CHUM radio in Toronto for two weeks starting February 28, 1966. It charted for nine weeks."
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