The Quiet Jungle
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Defunct | 1968 |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario , Canada |
| Products | Garage rock and psychedelic rock music |
The Quiet Jungle was a garage rock ensemble originating from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, established in 1965. Initially, the group gained recognition through pop and novelty tunes, producing cover records for Arc Records. They subsequently embraced early psychedelic rock influences, most notably with their 1967 single "Ship of Dreams." That same year, the band issued one additional single before dissolving; it is believed that further unreleased tracks may exist.
History
Formed late in 1965, the band started as the resident performers at the Pressmen's Club under the name the Secrets. The lineup consisted of Doug Rankine (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Bob Mark (lead guitar), Henry S. Thaler (electric piano), Mike Woodroffe (bass guitar), and Rick Felstead (drums). In early 1966, Brian McFarlane, known as the announcer for Hockey Night in Canada, invited them to record a novelty tune he had written for Toronto Maple Leafs star Eddie Shack. The resulting single, "Clear the Track, Here Comes Shack," achieved commercial success on Toronto's CHUM Chart, holding the number one position for two weeks and peaking at number 56 nationally on RPM magazine’s charts. Rankine mentioned that they had not anticipated such extensive distribution or popularity.
Although "Clear the Track, Here Comes Shack" was commercially successful, it was considered an artistic compromise by the Secrets, who preferred to cultivate a trendy image within the club scene. Their next release, "Cryin' Over Here," issued by Arc Records, did not reach similar sales figures but is regarded as one of their more accomplished songs. Bob Mark took over as principal songwriter for later compositions. To dissociate from their novelty hit, the group adopted the name Quiet Jungle in early 1967. Toward the end of their tenure with Arc Records, they anonymously recorded a cover album featuring Monkees songs along with a children's music album.
In February 1967, under Yorkville Records, Quiet Jungle released "Ship of Dreams," which displayed rudimentary psychedelic elements highlighted by a haunting introduction reminiscent of Fever Tree’s "San Francisco Girls (Return of the Native)." The track climbed to number 31 on CHUM Charts and number 43 on RPM charts and was included on the compilation album Yorkville Evolution. Despite this new direction, live bookings continued to emphasize their previous identity as the Secrets and their novelty hit rather than their current material.
The band's last single, "Too Much in Love," attained number 13 on RPM’s Canadian Hits chart and is considered their rarest recording. Disintegration began in 1968 as members departed—Woodroffe left first followed by Rankine, who questioned his role as vocalist. While additional recordings were reportedly made during this period, only "Four in the Morning" is verified to exist within Arc Records' archives. The B-side of "Ship of Dreams," titled "Everything," has become their most frequently reissued track and appears on multiple psychedelic rock collections including The Midwest Vs. Canada, Volume 2, Psychedelic Disaster Whirl, and An Overdose of Heavy Psych.
External links
- Discography for "The Secrets"
- Discography for The Quiet Jungle