House That Jack Built

Aretha Franklin

About House That Jack Built

"The House That Jack Built" is a song written by Bobby Lance and Fran Robbins and performed by Aretha Franklin. The song reached #2 on the U. S. R&B chart and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968. The song's B-side, "I Say a Little Prayer", reached #3 on the U. S. R&B chart, #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #4 in the U. K. in 1968."The House that Jack Built" was originally recorded by Thelma Jones and released on the Barry label earlier in 1968. That version did not make the U. S. charts. 


Year:
2002
47 
#1

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This is the house that Jack built, y'all
Remember this house!

This was the land that he worked by hand
The was the dream of an upright man
This was the room that was filled with love
This was a love that I was proud of
This was a life of a love I planned
Of a love and a life we loved
Of the house that Jack built.
Remember this house!

There was the fence that held our love,
There was the gate that he walked out of
This is the heart that is turned to stone
This was the house, but it ain't no home
This is the love that I once had
In a dream that I thought was love,
This is the house that Jack built, 
I'm gonn' remember this house!

Oh oh what's the use of crying?
You know I brought it on myself
There's no denying
But it seems awful funny
That I didn't understand
Was it a house of an upright man

Up on the hill
There's a big stand still
In the house that Jack built
Gonn' remember this house

Listen!
I got the house
I got the car
I got the rug
And I got the rack
But I ain't got Jack
And I want my Jack back!

I turned my back on Jack
He said he wasn't coming back
I turned my back on Jack
He said he wasn't coming back
Oh, Jack
You oughta come on back
Oh Jack
You oughtha come on back
To the one where you live
Back to the thing that you built
You oughtha come on back
I didn't understand until
I lost an upright man

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Aretha Franklin

Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and pianist. In a recording career that has spanned over half a century, Franklin's repertoire has included gospel, jazz, blues, R&B, pop, rock and funk. more »

15 fans

Written by: Bobby Lance, Fran Robins

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


15 facts about this song

Song Release
"The House that Jack Built" by Aretha Franklin was released in 1968.
Chart Performance
The song was a hit, reaching number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 2 on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart.
Song Creation
The song was written by Bobby Lance and Fran Robbins.
B-Side
The B-side of "The House that Jack Built" was a cover of the song "Operator" by Gladys Knight & The Pips.
Album Inclusion
The song appears on Franklin's 1968 album "Lady Soul", which is regarded as one of her best albums.
Cover Versions
Artists who have covered "The House that Jack Built" include English musician Alan Price and English band The Fleur de Lys.
Song Arrangement
Tom Dowd is credited for the arrangements of the song.
Sales Figures
As of 2002, "The House that Jack Built" had sold over a million copies.
UK Chart Performance
The song also performed well in the United Kingdom, reaching number 14 on the UK Singles Chart.
Pop Culture Reference
The song has had significant cultural impact, appearing in the 1993 movie "True Romance" directed by Tony Scott.
Franklin's Prime
The release of "The House that Jack Built" was a part of a fruitful period in Franklin's career, as she enjoyed a string of Top Ten hits from 1967 to 1972.
Official Music Videos
Although the song was released in the era before music videos became ubiquitous, an official lyric video for "The House that Jack Built" is available on Aretha Franklin’s official YouTube channel.
Lyrics Theme
The lyrics of the song suggest a woman's disillusionment with a man who built a life around her, but ultimately did nothing to sustain it.
Recording Location
Like many of Franklin's hits from this period, "The House that Jack Built" was recorded at the Atlantic Records studios in New York City.
Song Duration
The duration of "The House That Jack Built" is 2 minutes and 22 seconds.

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