The House That Jack Built

Brilliant, brilliant song, possibly Aretha's best. Aretha laments a love she's neglected/betrayed and lost leaving her alone with her regrets in the house that was to be their home.

I submitted a lyric correction. The entire meaning of the song as Aretha sings it is that she "toyed with love" and now she's sorry. I hear the lyrics this way:

This is a house that Jack built, y'all Remember this house! This was the land that he worked by hand It was the dream of an upright man There was a room that was filled with love It was a love that I was proud of This is a life and a love that he planned Of a love, the same old love Of the house that Jack built. Remember this house! There was a fence that held our love, There was a gate that he walked out of This is the heart it is turned to stone This is a house, but it ain't no home This is the love that I destroyed On the day that I toyed with love, In 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 Until I lost my upright man Up on the hill Everything stands still In the house that Jack built I’m 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 that you built It’s the same one that that you built You oughtha come on back I didn't understand until I lost an upright man Come on back Jack

It's such a great song, a real perfect track!

The song was first recorded by Thelma Jones. There are some minor differences between her version and Aretha's. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHknvtAvds