Manchester Soul Jukebox
The Duck
by Jackie Lee
013
London American Recordings U.K. Mirwood USA 5502 Written by Smith – Nelson 1965 (re-released in 67’ & 73’) A lot of elements and cord changes in this dance song: It ain’t the Jerk no, Try your luck do the Duck! Many obscure recordings used similar musical elements and styles, often copying Motown beats. Such imitators abound in the stock of unearthed recordings in the Northern Soul genre, but here with Jackie Lee is clear originality. Jackie was the ‘Earl’ in Bob and Earl. One of the original and unique sounds that began the Soul music movement in the city of Manchester UK. Play it just a little bit louder! The Duck theme was followed with “The Shotgun and the Duck” and then Lee moved on to a chicken theme! Duck wars: “…working on the chain gang your bustin’ rocks.” At the Twisted Wheel in the mid sixties two ”Duck” 45’s were played Jackie Lee’s and Bobby Freeman’s: Bobby Freeman (Pye International -Pink -7N 25347U.K.) This event was supposedly caused, as the rumour went, that Jackie Lee had done some versions of Bobby’s songs, who reciprocated by doing the Duck. As the Wheelers were always keen to support the originators – it was Jackie’s that won out (as he wrote the song i.e. real name Nelson). The version by Bobby had its followers, mainly due to the fact that some of the Twisted Wheel DJ’s only had the version by him, causing lots of arguments between different sets of record collectors as to who had the best disc. Another Duck was done in the seventies by Willie Hutch (not the same as Jackie Lee’s, it is a song about dancing the ‘Duck’ and of course Taj Mahal did a Duck blues – “Diving Duck”.
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