the Kinks are a big rabbit hole not enough people go down. There's bands with a few hits and some deep cuts, but the kinks have like, 3 albums of deep cuts that are sick. just amazing.
The Kinks have a TON of hits. More than Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Doors, Pink Floyd... the list goes on and on. They key is that they managed to keep releasing relevant music for about a 20 year stretch.
half of the Kinks live album, "one for the road" was recorded at Providence, RI Civic Center, i was there, my screams are forever recorded for history, lol
Agreed. There is a huge list of worthy songs by the Kinks, but one of the live versions of "Celluloid Heroes" should be next. ... or maybe one of the great songs from Muswell Hillbillies.
What's interesting is that because they were banned from touring in the US after their first visit, they barely were part of the British Invasion. I think it helped their music remain the most "English" of the English bands, and they developed a style truly their own.
Pete Townshend was a big Kinks fan. He wrote I can't explain after hearing You Really got me and, yes, he called Waterloo Sunset "a masterpiece." Ray Davies wasn't knighted for nothing...
You two are bang on about Waterloo Sunset literally taking you there. It’s so atmospheric. I used to work near Waterloo Station and at lunchtime I used to grab my sad sandwich and go and sit in Embankment Gardens and people watch. This song reminds me so much of that 😊 Cheers guys! 🇬🇧🇺🇸
Never been to UK but everytime in the 80s the Kinks hit Boston Mass. my friends and I would crawl over glass to see themThe greatest British band whose ticket availabilty on East Coast was relatively ensible.
I'm not from London, but this song makes me homesick for London. It has wonderful detail, and I can easily imagine myself back at Waterloo Station at sunset. This is songwriting from the top shelf.
Great comment: "This song made me reminisce for a place I've never been to." I've seen them perform this song live, and the harmonies are just as lush and beautiful. The Kinks are a legendary, iconic, highly-influential and grossly under-appreciated band. BTW: they still exist (brothers Ray and Dave) and are reportedly working on a new album!
From the liner notes to Kinks Kronickles (a greatest hit set): ”I’ve never heard a Kinks song that I didn’t like. Of course, from their noisy and brash beginnings, the Kinks have come to stand for some of the most enduring and heart-clutching pop of all time. They are in the gut of every British song-writer who followed them and are indisputably a cornerstone of everything pop and rock. I love ‘em. The world loves ‘em.” - David Bowie
Siblings have the best harmonies in my opinion. That's younger brother Dave Davies in the background. Dave does not get enough credit for his contribution to rock and roll 💜
@@susanklasinski1805 That is definitely true Lola comes to mind. His background vocals make that song in my opinion. I agree totally about Dave's effect on the band. Btw so does Ray. In numerous interviews Ray has basically stated that he loved writing for The Kinks because the song got transformed once The Kinks got a hold of it and by Kinks he meant Dave and Mick Avory the drummer. Also there are live performances where Dave does indeed do the high note. I've seen them on RUclips but more importantly I've seen them live
My dad used to have a flat near Tower Bridge when I was little and I remember walking along embankment up to Waterloo in the evenings after work and I love the nostalgia of this song
i had a very good friend (rip) who had an english mother and an american father,and he said this song is "so british". it always reminded him of trips he took with his parents to england to visit relatives in the 60s.
I'm so happy that you guys have reacted to this one - Waterloo Sunset is one of my favourite songs , I never tire of it. Definitely Sunny Afternoon and Tired of Waiting are ones to hit. Love from the UK xx
Another nostalgic, wistful Kinks song is Village Green Preservation Society. Masterful lyrics and rhyming. A kind of overlooked great garage rocker is She's Got Everything. The song itself has everything: hand claps, tinkling piano, a freakout guitar solo that transitions into a repetitive groove with lot's of vocal "doo doos". I hope you guys eventually get to both of these.
I heard Ray Davies do Waterloo in a duet with David Bowie at the Lincoln Center in NYC at a Tibet House benefit concert in the early 2000s. It was outstanding.
Ray was attending Art College before the Kinks took off and took the Underground (subway) to Waterloo Station every day. Ray is a dedicated people watcher and from this he gets inspiration for his songwriting. Softer Kinks: "Village Green Preservation Society", "Sitting in My Hotel Room", "Celluloid Heroes", "Rock n Roll Fantasy", "20th Century Man", "Sunny Afternoon".
"Come Dancing" is an amazing song. Ray Davies wrote it. It was inspired by his memories of his older sister who died of a heart attack while dancing at a dance hall. Hopefully you will check it out!!! 👍😀
This song reminds me of Friday afternoon in London, finishing work staying back for drinks with friends in town the summer months, getting dark about 9-10 pm
I was 13, a warm sunny Sommer day 1967 and lay in a field and heard first time this song in my transistor radio and I was in paradise.🤗 p.s. the high harmony singer was the Girlfriend of Rad Davies.
Ray Davies was laid up in hospital at St. Thomas’s right near Waterloo station on the 10th floor or something and gazed out of his window at the mass of people on the ground buzzing around the station (a London travel hub,one of them anyway) and wrote this in a night while the sun was going down.
"Where Have All the Good Times Gone" is def worth a listen. As is "Well Respected Man"; "Dead End Street"; "Dedicated Follower of Fashion", and "Apeman".
"Celluloid Heroes" really should be your next Kinks port-of-call, particularly the 1979* live version recorded at The Volkshaus in Zürich (* - released in 1980). The rock elements blend with the delicacy to make a breathtaking whole.
Graduated high school in London in '67 when this song came out and took the train in daily to Waterloo Station and then the tube from there. This song captures the feel of those days and that place that we loved.
Mine is the small faces. They should have been the biggest of them all. Marriot had the best soul voice ever, I don't mean white soul voice I mean soul voice period. Ogdens, all or nothing, I've got mine, song of a Baker. Just brilliant brilliant music. What they could have been with better management.
In some ways, Ray is UK's Brian Wilson. Brian's got 2 years on Ray, but both possess massive canons of the simple & catchy, as well as the longing and yearning. And, each express a deft touch for melody, harmonies, turns of phrases, creative chord changes, and a particular affection for the melancholy and nostalgic. Ray is music hall bawdy, while Brian's roots are at the sock hop by way of Gold Star. How each matured in their compositional output over time is matched by few, and fun to hear!
Waterloo is a train station in London, and was surrounded by a poor neighborhood. Terry and Julie cross over the river to their rich neighborhood; the singer stays in his slum by the train tracks -- but he sees the sunset and is happy there.
Andy, Alex, I’ve waited so long for this! In my all time top 10. A Londoner born and bred, this could be our theme tune and immediately takes you back to the 60’s. The reference to Terry and Julie concerns the actors Terrence Stamp (who attended my school 🥰) and Julie Christie, who were both beautiful, in a relationship at the time and epitomised ‘Swinging London’. Alex, you were spot on when you said it feels as if you grew up there. This song is particularly evocative, even down to ‘Terry and Julie cross over the river, where they feel safe and sound’. Waterloo is on the south side of the Water and Ray Davies - and me - come from the North side. It’s a well known quirk of Londoners that they feel more at home on their own side of the river. So, more nuanced than would first appear and an indication of Ray Davies genius and the Kinks influence on British music.🥂
@sharonkay8638 When you talked about Londoners feeling more at home on their own side of the river, it's strange isn't it, so many of us are like this. I was born close to the river, near Lambeth Bridge, on the South side, about a ten minute walk to Waterloo, and although i love this city, I do feel more comfortable South of the river.
I was awarded an mbe by the queen for service to search n rescue. We stayed in an hotel overlooking Waterloo Station first thing I did was sit my wife by the window as the sun set and played this. She is currently in hospital after a big stroke its my dream to one day do it again
The kinks hit their prime around this time, Ray Davies remains one of the best songwriters ever, the kinks could rock your ass off or break your heart with emotion, frequently on the same album! Younger bro Dave's guitar work can be ferocious, and he occasionally takes a turn on vocals. Dave's song "Strangers" from the Kinks Lola vs album (one of their best), was covered recently by Black Pumas recently. Kinks songs are still played constantly I movies a television series too.
The kinks are the village green preservation society is a whole album full of this kind of nostalgia vibe … essential!! Sitting by the riverside is a personal fav!
"The song made me reminisce for a place I have never been to" finally articulates my feelings about this song after repeated listening - 50+ years after first hearing the song. Thanks to you.
I think "Picturebook" or "Tired of Waiting" would bring back the banger -I also adore Wicked Annabella and Mr Bluebird. But if you want to get a feel for the love-hate relationship Ray Davies has with the UK, listen to the album "Village Green Preservation Society" in its entirety. The subtle cynicism layered on top of the nostalgic, post-war view of Britain is just SO of its time and fun to parse.
Waterloo Station is a busy, ugly metropolitan hub in London. The magic of this song is that amidst that backdrop, Terry and Julie have found love, beauty, and peace, while Ray Davies writes from the perspective of an onlooker who notices them amid the throng and, through them, sees the beauty of Waterloo Station, too. Great channel. Love y’all!
Wouldn't be surprised if Pete Townshend didn't say that about the song. He was a HUGE Ray Davies fan and even said Dave should be rock musics poet laureate. High praise indeed. For something completely different from the kinks try Destroyer. One of their hardest rocking songs from their 1980's arena rock period.
All day and all of the night + You really got me are more like outliers in their discography. They went on to make more mellow and British stuff like this, sunny afternoon, autumn almanac, Victoria, etc, all great songs.
The Kinks had a string of hits modeled on You Really Got Me, then Ray Davies felt he had proven himself and felt like moving on -- he had other things to say musically.
I really enjoy the mellow songs but, my favorite parts of their catalogue are the all out power chord rock 🎸 songs. I Need You, She’s Got Everything, Hard Way, Top of the Pops, Destroyer, Do It Again, Till the End of The Day, Working at The Factory, Starmaker, Wicked Annabella, King Kong, Live 20th Century Man, Come On Now, One for The Road, Dave Davies Live At the Bottom Line etc.
A compliment. You're reactions are evolving and getting more nuanced as time goes on. You're beginning to put things into more into the perspective of the times they were written in. I believe part of this is you've had to learn more about the history of those times in the decades before your lifetime. Carry on.
A very British song... true classic... Ray Davies says the lyrics are a fantasy setting of his sister and her boyfriend getting married, leaving England and immigrating to a new country, starting a new life... and yet remembering their youthful love and their home country... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterloo_Sunset
Best song ever about a train station. Love the song, hate the station. For 3 years my train was late or cancelled almost every night, not just “Friday night”.
90% of Americans have never heard Waterloo Sunset. I hadn't either until I spotted the Kink Kronicles double album on sale somewhere back in 1972. I was still in high school in California and had just converted to buying LP's rather than 45's because I had a part-time job and money in my pocket. I loved the Kinks and here were 3 of their best songs on one album, (Victoria, Lola and Sunny Afternoon), so I spent my $3.49 on it. That album was way more than those three songs and best of all was Waterloo Sunset. In the many years since, it is always on my playlists and nobody that has heard it from me had ever heard it before. This goes to my point, oft repeated here, that you really need to sample music from across the pond once in awhile. You need to hear Rory Gallhager, Status Quo, (not just the Matchstick Men single), Hawkwind, Budgie, Golden Earring, (not just the Radar Love single), Camel, Savoy Brown, Wishbone Ash, Marillion and the Canadian, Frank Mancini & Mahogany Rush.
One that oftemn gets overlooked is Dead End Street. Wonderful melody and one of the very few songs from that or any era that aptly depicts the lives of the very poor.
I grew up with all the music from the British Invasion & The Mersybeat. The Kinks were huge & had a lot of hits. I especially love their music from the 60's & 70's. "All Day and All of the Night", "You Really Got Me", "Death Of A Clown", "Set Me Free", "Tired of Waiting for You", "A Well Respected Man", "Dedicated Follower of Fashion", "Sunny Afternoon", "Dead End Street", "Waterloo Sunset", "Autumn Almanac", "Lola", "Come Dancing" etc.
All of the above but,where is YouReally Got Me? Imo,the first punk recording,10 years ahead of the Pistols. Fantastic British band.(The Kinks I meant!) The Sex Pistols were pretty damn good too.
As much Kinks as I've listened to these 60+ years, I've never heard this, but I really like it. My very first reaction was "very British" for some reason...
You guys need to check out their mid-70's period, lots of bangers: "Live Life", "Sleepwalker", and "Juke Box Music" are probably the best to start with. "Live Life" (off of the Misfits album) has several killer guitar solos.
Its one of 2 songs that are regarded as the most archetypal British sound the other is "All or nothing "by the Small Faces , definately worth a listen.
Some songs transport you to a time and place, you may never have been to! The Kinks started out by playing a form of garage rock, but from their 3rd album and on, their songs became more of a commentary on British life. One of my favorite songs of all time!!!
The Terry and Julie mentioned in the song Were the actors Terence Stamp (General Zod from superman II) and 60s icon Julie Christie Who were dating at the time and used to meet at Waterloo Station on a Friday evening
I'd also heard this for years and then found this: "Ray Davies denied this in his autobiography. He subsequently revealed that it was "a fantasy about my sister going off with her boyfriend to a new world and they were going to emigrate and go to another country."
This is one of my very favourite songs - and I've been around since it was released. Love Ray Davies' vocals and the tune is so pretty. It's truly timeless. Thanks so much for your reaction. 😊
Have no expectations about your next Kinks song. It won't be what you expect it to be. That's why I love them so much. Do ANY song you want. I'm good with it. I could listen to Ray Davies sing all day. AND all of the night. For me, The Kinks are right up there with the best of the best.
One comment on the Kinks catalog: the breadth of the material is amazing, from the proto-metal of "You Really Got Me" to so many diverse styles through the years. So many songs are just extraordinary. But compared to the Beatles, Pink Floyd, etc, many of the songs were not produced well - many sound like high-level demos compared to the production values of other bands. Ray Davies regretted in later years that he insisted on self-producing. Had a George Martin been in charge of the sessions, the catalog would rival even the Beatles (imagine a George Martin produced "See My Friends" for one example). Don't listen to the production values - listen to the songs.
Yes, but on the other hand, it's so impressive that Ray was able to almost singlehandedly (with some help from Dave) write, sing, and produce masterpiece albums like Something Else, Village Green, Arthur, and Lola, without the budget or the outside help that was available to the Beatles.
Early Kinks is great, but they hit a second wind during the period 1977-1983, when they had a great run of hits after 4-5 years of lackluster showing. Sleepwalker, A Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy, Catch Me Now I'm Falling, Pressure, (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman, Low Budget, Around the Dial, Destroyer, Better Things, State of Confusion, Do It Again, and Living on a Thin Line are all fantastic songs.
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the Kinks are a big rabbit hole not enough people go down. There's bands with a few hits and some deep cuts, but the kinks have like, 3 albums of deep cuts that are sick. just amazing.
The Kinks have a TON of hits. More than Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Doors, Pink Floyd... the list goes on and on. They key is that they managed to keep releasing relevant music for about a 20 year stretch.
half of the Kinks live album, "one for the road" was recorded at Providence, RI Civic Center, i was there, my screams are forever recorded for history, lol
Agree 100%.
Village Green Preservation Society
More like 7 albums...
Should try out their song "sunny afternoon", I'm sure many can relate to the lyrics
100%
The tax man’s taken all my dough 😌
Good suggestion! Wry lyrics and a wonderfully lazy song just like the summer day.
This is the Kinks Penny Lane. My favorite Kinks song.
My all time favorite Kinks song is "No More Looking Back".
"Celluloid Heroes" should be next.
The Kinks have a long history, littered with masterpieces.
Agreed. There is a huge list of worthy songs by the Kinks, but one of the live versions of "Celluloid Heroes" should be next. ... or maybe one of the great songs from Muswell Hillbillies.
From the One For The Road album.
Problem is the Kinks had an average producer, Shel Talmy, whereas the Beatles had George Martin. Kinks needed a better producer.
Yup. CELLULOID HEROS next please. It will have you guys hooked 5 seconds into the guitar intro.
Especially from their live album in the 80s.
One of the greatest British bands in music history.
The Kinks were such an important part of The British Invasion. Such an amazing band!
Yep. The Beatles and The Kinks are my two favs from the invasion.
What's interesting is that because they were banned from touring in the US after their first visit, they barely were part of the British Invasion. I think it helped their music remain the most "English" of the English bands, and they developed a style truly their own.
@@Grizazzle Agree, and I would add The Who!😎
Absolutely!
Pete Townshend was a big Kinks fan. He wrote I can't explain after hearing You Really got me and, yes, he called Waterloo Sunset "a masterpiece." Ray Davies wasn't knighted for nothing...
Correction: Ray Davies wasn't knighted for knothing. C'mon, it's Kinda Kinks!!!😉
@@bradsmack1 I stand korrected...
Alex: "This song made me reminisce for a place I've never been to." With that sentence, you hit upon what is the genius of Ray Davies in general.
Spot on. Couldn't have put it better myself.
Yes!!! That is why Ray Davies is such a brilliant composer.
Yeah that was so spot on he must of stole it.....🤣
Absolutely
You two are bang on about Waterloo Sunset literally taking you there. It’s so atmospheric.
I used to work near Waterloo Station and at lunchtime I used to grab my sad sandwich and go and sit in Embankment Gardens and people watch. This song reminds me so much of that 😊
Cheers guys! 🇬🇧🇺🇸
I hear you, I made a point of visiting Waterloo Station and area when I visited London.
Same here; I used to go and sit near the riverside/Oxo Building/BFI/RFH area
Never been to UK but everytime in the 80s the Kinks hit Boston Mass. my friends and I would crawl over glass to see themThe greatest British band whose ticket availabilty on East Coast was relatively ensible.
Another great song by The Kinks is "Well Respected Man", it's definitely worth a listen.
It was Pete Townshend that called this song divine and a masterpiece. Pete looked up to Ray Davies
morning Susan 🌻
Bowie as well.
@@Shadowrider1872 Morning John H! 🥰
And worth noting: Townshend hardly looked up to anybody. He's still a notorious grouch. So if he loves you that is really saying something.
@@David-iv6je he reiterated recently that Led Zeppelin were an average band and Black Sabbath got lucky and filled a gap !!
I'm not from London, but this song makes me homesick for London. It has wonderful detail, and I can easily imagine myself back at Waterloo Station at sunset. This is songwriting from the top shelf.
Masterful subtlety, that's how i'd describe this beautiful little song.
Great comment: "This song made me reminisce for a place I've never been to." I've seen them perform this song live, and the harmonies are just as lush and beautiful. The Kinks are a legendary, iconic, highly-influential and grossly under-appreciated band. BTW: they still exist (brothers Ray and Dave) and are reportedly working on a new album!
One of the most beautiful songs ever and probably their best work.
From the liner notes to Kinks Kronickles (a greatest hit set): ”I’ve never heard a Kinks song that I didn’t like. Of course, from their noisy and brash beginnings, the Kinks have come to stand for some of the most enduring and heart-clutching pop of all time. They are in the gut of every British song-writer who followed them and are indisputably a cornerstone of everything pop and rock. I love ‘em. The world loves ‘em.” - David Bowie
Not enough for an A&A "S" apparently :(
Bowie said that!?😳👌
"Shangri La" by the Kinks. Absolute masterpiece
Siblings have the best harmonies in my opinion. That's younger brother Dave Davies in the background. Dave does not get enough credit for his contribution to rock and roll 💜
Yes but it is also Ray's wife at the time Rasa Davies who is hitting that beautiful high note in the song
@@harlanginsberg7269 True, but the Davies brothers have done some great harmonies on other songs as well
Yes it's true, Rasa did a lot of backing vocals as well. Thanks for pointing that out
@@susanklasinski1805 That is definitely true Lola comes to mind. His background vocals make that song in my opinion. I agree totally about Dave's effect on the band. Btw so does Ray. In numerous interviews Ray has basically stated that he loved writing for The Kinks because the song got transformed once The Kinks got a hold of it and by Kinks he meant Dave and Mick Avory the drummer. Also there are live performances where Dave does indeed do the high note. I've seen them on RUclips but more importantly I've seen them live
Interesting idea about sibling harmonies!
My dad used to have a flat near Tower Bridge when I was little and I remember walking along embankment up to Waterloo in the evenings after work and I love the nostalgia of this song
Plenty more but SUNNY AFTERNOON is so tight and catchy. Also this song seeps into your brain on repeat in the most glorious way.
i had a very good friend (rip) who had an english mother and an american father,and he said this song is "so british". it always reminded him of trips he took with his parents to england to visit relatives in the 60s.
The Kinks were huge. They deserve so much more recognition. :-)
I'm so happy that you guys have reacted to this one - Waterloo Sunset is one of my favourite songs , I never tire of it. Definitely Sunny Afternoon and Tired of Waiting are ones to hit.
Love from the UK xx
Another nostalgic, wistful Kinks song is Village Green Preservation Society. Masterful lyrics and rhyming. A kind of overlooked great garage rocker is She's Got Everything. The song itself has everything: hand claps, tinkling piano, a freakout guitar solo that transitions into a repetitive groove with lot's of vocal "doo doos". I hope you guys eventually get to both of these.
The Entire KATVGPS is amazing imo. My favorite track from it is probably Village Green. As someone who moved to the city I can relate to it a lot.
👍👍
I live in Waterloo (Canada), I always like hearing this oldie.
As a 17 year old remember walking up and down the river Tyne at Newcastle morning the loss of my first love as she left for America ..wonderful somg
I heard Ray Davies do Waterloo in a duet with David Bowie at the Lincoln Center in NYC at a Tibet House benefit concert in the early 2000s. It was outstanding.
Thanks for the tip to look for this. Unfortunately the live versions were not good quality. But found studio version. So nice.
Lucky you!!!
Ray was attending Art College before the Kinks took off and took the Underground (subway) to Waterloo Station every day. Ray is a dedicated people watcher and from this he gets inspiration for his songwriting.
Softer Kinks: "Village Green Preservation Society", "Sitting in My Hotel Room", "Celluloid Heroes", "Rock n Roll Fantasy", "20th Century Man", "Sunny Afternoon".
"Come Dancing" is an amazing song. Ray Davies wrote it. It was inspired by his memories of his older sister who died of a heart attack while dancing at a dance hall. Hopefully you will check it out!!! 👍😀
Never knew that about his sister. Interesting that he invented a future life for her she never got to experience.
Are TRYING to start fights in the comment section?
@@tristramcoffin926 what are you on about?
I’m just here to give a big shout out for Come Dancing. It’s one of my favorite songs by the Kinks, and I have a lot of favorites!
"Come Dancing" is a great song! Have always loved it.
This song reminds me of Friday afternoon in London, finishing work staying back for drinks with friends in town the summer months, getting dark about 9-10 pm
The opening words "Dirty Old River" coupled with the melody has never described The Thames in such a realistic and sentimental way at the same time
I was 13, a warm sunny Sommer day 1967 and lay in a field and heard first time this song in my transistor radio and I was in paradise.🤗
p.s. the high harmony singer was the Girlfriend of Rad Davies.
Ray Davies was laid up in hospital at St. Thomas’s right near Waterloo station on the 10th floor or something and gazed out of his window at the mass of people on the ground buzzing around the station (a London travel hub,one of them anyway) and wrote this in a night while the sun was going down.
Right next to the “dirty old river” too. Waterloo Sunset is one of the only songs that makes me miss London :)
Nearly 300,000 people use Waterloo Station daily.
Waterloo is still one of my favourite places on earth, even though I do not live in the UK anymore. I spent many beautiful afternoons there.
"Where Have All the Good Times Gone" is def worth a listen. As is "Well Respected Man"; "Dead End Street"; "Dedicated Follower of Fashion", and "Apeman".
These reaction videos make me cry - I listen to this music all the time. 👍❤
Alex you were straight on point when you said "melancholy reflection ". That was perfect!
Finally reactions to The Kinks! "Apeman" "(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman" ect ect ect and "Gallon of Gas" a very timely tune for 2022.
"Celluloid Heroes" really should be your next Kinks port-of-call, particularly the 1979* live version recorded at The Volkshaus in Zürich (* - released in 1980). The rock elements blend with the delicacy to make a breathtaking whole.
Gotta be the live version...
Definitely!!!
Graduated high school in London in '67 when this song came out and took the train in daily to Waterloo Station and then the tube from there. This song captures the feel of those days and that place that we loved.
People say "The Beatles or Rolling Stones?" my answer The Kinks. They might not be better, but I'm just drawn to them.
Mine are The Kinks and THE YARDBIRDS. I love them both, but I've yet to hear a reaction to the Yardbirds at all, and they definitely deserve it.
They were NEVER full o' shit!🎼🎹🎸👌
Mine is the small faces. They should have been the biggest of them all. Marriot had the best soul voice ever, I don't mean white soul voice I mean soul voice period. Ogdens, all or nothing, I've got mine, song of a Baker. Just brilliant brilliant music. What they could have been with better management.
Patti Smith used to answer with, "the Animals"
The Kinks , were superior , to the Stones , second only to the Beatles , Ray Davies , is an genius storyteller .
In some ways, Ray is UK's Brian Wilson. Brian's got 2 years on Ray, but both possess massive canons of the simple & catchy, as well as the longing and yearning. And, each express a deft touch for melody, harmonies, turns of phrases, creative chord changes, and a particular affection for the melancholy and nostalgic.
Ray is music hall bawdy, while Brian's roots are at the sock hop by way of Gold Star. How each matured in their compositional output over time is matched by few, and fun to hear!
Love this song! There are loads of other great Kinks songs; one that I've been singing to myself today is "Tired of Waiting for You."
Waterloo is a train station in London, and was surrounded by a poor neighborhood. Terry and Julie cross over the river to their rich neighborhood; the singer stays in his slum by the train tracks -- but he sees the sunset and is happy there.
Andy, Alex, I’ve waited so long for this!
In my all time top 10. A Londoner born and bred, this could be our theme tune and immediately takes you back to the 60’s. The reference to Terry and Julie concerns the actors Terrence Stamp (who attended my school 🥰) and Julie Christie, who were both beautiful, in a relationship at the time and epitomised ‘Swinging London’.
Alex, you were spot on when you said it feels as if you grew up there. This song is particularly evocative, even down to ‘Terry and Julie cross over the river, where they feel safe and sound’. Waterloo is on the south side of the Water and Ray Davies - and me - come from the North side. It’s a well known quirk of Londoners that they feel more at home on their own side of the river.
So, more nuanced than would first appear and an indication of Ray Davies genius and the Kinks influence on British music.🥂
@sharonkay8638
When you talked about Londoners feeling more at home on their own side of the river, it's strange isn't it, so many of us are like this.
I was born close to the river, near Lambeth Bridge, on the South side, about a ten minute walk to Waterloo, and although i love this city, I do feel more comfortable South of the river.
I was awarded an mbe by the queen for service to search n rescue. We stayed in an hotel overlooking Waterloo Station first thing I did was sit my wife by the window as the sun set and played this.
She is currently in hospital after a big stroke its my dream to one day do it again
The kinks hit their prime around this time, Ray Davies remains one of the best songwriters ever, the kinks could rock your ass off or break your heart with emotion, frequently on the same album! Younger bro Dave's guitar work can be ferocious, and he occasionally takes a turn on vocals. Dave's song "Strangers" from the Kinks Lola vs album (one of their best), was covered recently by Black Pumas recently. Kinks songs are still played constantly I movies a television series too.
The kinks are the village green preservation society is a whole album full of this kind of nostalgia vibe … essential!!
Sitting by the riverside is a personal fav!
Takes me back to a place I’ve never been.
Nice.
"The song made me reminisce for a place I have never been to" finally articulates my feelings about this song after repeated listening - 50+ years after first hearing the song. Thanks to you.
I think "Picturebook" or "Tired of Waiting" would bring back the banger -I also adore Wicked Annabella and Mr Bluebird. But if you want to get a feel for the love-hate relationship Ray Davies has with the UK, listen to the album "Village Green Preservation Society" in its entirety. The subtle cynicism layered on top of the nostalgic, post-war view of Britain is just SO of its time and fun to parse.
Everything stated above ^
Wicked Annabella - did the Kinks invent Glam in 1968?
Mr Songbird.
Picture book is so catchy,and the lyrics paint a wistful nostalgic picture
And I think Do You Remember Walter gets overlooked as a banger with a great story.
Every time I walk down South Bank by Waterloo Bridge this plays in my head.
Ray Davies is one of the greatest lyricists of all time. So many wonderful songs; he doesn't ever disappoint
Waterloo Station is a busy, ugly metropolitan hub in London. The magic of this song is that amidst that backdrop, Terry and Julie have found love, beauty, and peace, while Ray Davies writes from the perspective of an onlooker who notices them amid the throng and, through them, sees the beauty of Waterloo Station, too.
Great channel. Love y’all!
Soo many great songs. "Days" is another masterpiece. Just beautiful.
Yep. Days is such a sweet one.
Yes! Days, and See My Friends, both hit that wistful, semi-mystical spot for me...
Exquisite!
@@gameswithoutfrontears416 "Days I remember all my life. Days when you can't tell wrong from right".
Wouldn't be surprised if Pete Townshend didn't say that about the song. He was a HUGE Ray Davies fan and even said Dave should be rock musics poet laureate. High praise indeed. For something completely different from the kinks try Destroyer. One of their hardest rocking songs from their 1980's arena rock period.
Ray Davies wrote this song after seeing Far From The Madding Crowd starring Terrence Stamp and Julie Christie.
All day and all of the night + You really got me are more like outliers in their discography. They went on to make more mellow and British stuff like this, sunny afternoon, autumn almanac, Victoria, etc, all great songs.
All their songs are great!!!!
The Kinks had a string of hits modeled on You Really Got Me, then Ray Davies felt he had proven himself and felt like moving on -- he had other things to say musically.
I really enjoy the mellow songs but, my favorite parts of their catalogue are the all out power chord rock 🎸 songs. I Need You, She’s Got Everything, Hard Way, Top of the Pops, Destroyer, Do It Again, Till the End of The Day, Working at The Factory, Starmaker, Wicked Annabella, King Kong, Live 20th Century Man, Come On Now, One for The Road, Dave Davies Live At the Bottom Line etc.
A compliment.
You're reactions are evolving and getting more nuanced as time goes on.
You're beginning to put things into more into the perspective of the times they were written in.
I believe part of this is you've had to learn more about the history of those times in the decades
before your lifetime. Carry on.
Probably my favorite Kinks song, thanks for reacting to it!
A very British song... true classic... Ray Davies says the lyrics are a fantasy setting of his sister and her boyfriend getting married, leaving England and immigrating to a new country, starting a new life... and yet remembering their youthful love and their home country... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterloo_Sunset
The Kinks Dead End Street music video! It is considered by many historians to be the first music video. It's also a staple in their setlist.
Ray Davies ia one of the greatest songwriters of the modern era. The breadth of his writing over his career is outstanding.
The sun sets naturally on the bend of the river Thames at Waterloo bridge… waterloo bridge has the best view of London
Some Mother’s Son is a beautiful heartbreaker concerning the effects of war on the parents back home who “stand and wait…”
Try "I'm not like everybody else". The Kinks crank out yet another dose of great Guitar and great lyrics.
And "Shangri-La" off of Arthur is epic with lyrics that so still apply. Top 5 Kinks song.
I adore this song! Definitely 'Sunny Afternoon' would be a great follow up if you haven't done that one yet.
Great! This was voted the Number One track about London by Londoners on BBC Radio London recently.
Definitely check out their song Well Respected Man
It paints a picture of time and place.
A&A, their "Tired of Waiting for You", "Better Things" and "Sunny Afternoon" are next for you!!
I love “Better Things”. It’s so optimistic and meaningful to me.
Best song ever about a train station. Love the song, hate the station. For 3 years my train was late or cancelled almost every night, not just “Friday night”.
GOOOOOOOD MORNING A&A FAMILY!
☮️💟♾️
Happy Wednesday, @John H! 🤩
@@allisonreed7682 Happy hump day Allison! Leaving for a B'n'B for 2 night's. See y'all Friday!
@@Shadowrider1872 that's awesome! Hope y'all have a wonderful time! ☺
90% of Americans have never heard Waterloo Sunset. I hadn't either until I spotted the Kink Kronicles double album on sale somewhere back in 1972. I was still in high school in California and had just converted to buying LP's rather than 45's because I had a part-time job and money in my pocket. I loved the Kinks and here were 3 of their best songs on one album, (Victoria, Lola and Sunny Afternoon), so I spent my $3.49 on it. That album was way more than those three songs and best of all was Waterloo Sunset. In the many years since, it is always on my playlists and nobody that has heard it from me had ever heard it before. This goes to my point, oft repeated here, that you really need to sample music from across the pond once in awhile. You need to hear Rory Gallhager, Status Quo, (not just the Matchstick Men single), Hawkwind, Budgie, Golden Earring, (not just the Radar Love single), Camel, Savoy Brown, Wishbone Ash, Marillion and the Canadian, Frank Mancini & Mahogany Rush.
This is an S-tier song, for sure. It’s a perfect song. I recommend “Days” highly. It’s my second fave Kinks song behind this one.
One that oftemn gets overlooked is Dead End Street. Wonderful melody and one of the very few songs from that or any era that aptly depicts the lives of the very poor.
Forgot how great a tune this is. "Superman" also a great tune by the Kinks.
one of the most beautiful songs in the English language
I grew up with all the music from the British Invasion & The Mersybeat. The Kinks were huge & had a lot of hits. I especially love their music from the 60's & 70's. "All Day and All of the Night", "You Really Got Me", "Death Of A Clown", "Set Me Free", "Tired of Waiting for You", "A Well Respected Man", "Dedicated Follower of Fashion", "Sunny Afternoon", "Dead End Street", "Waterloo Sunset", "Autumn Almanac", "Lola", "Come Dancing" etc.
Add "Misfits" to that and we've got a list!
I also like their song Destroyer, which has references to Lola.
All of the above but,where is YouReally Got Me?
Imo,the first punk recording,10 years ahead of the Pistols.
Fantastic British band.(The Kinks I meant!)
The Sex Pistols were pretty damn good too.
@@TheCornishCockney They already did that one. ruclips.net/video/hb3vycm-FPQ/видео.html
Quintessential English classic, opposite of California Dreamin’ as someone from London the cold weather etc it’s just perfect
As much Kinks as I've listened to these 60+ years, I've never heard this, but I really like it. My very first reaction was "very British" for some reason...
I'm gobsmacked. Never heard it?
Yes, it's indeed "very British" :)
Waterloo Railway/Underground Station is a really busy Station named after the Battle of Waterloo (1815) which took place in Belgium.
One of the best songs ever written and an Iconic riff. Covered by loads of artists and bands
You're gonna love "Sunny Afternoon"
You guys need to check out their mid-70's period, lots of bangers: "Live Life", "Sleepwalker", and "Juke Box Music" are probably the best to start with. "Live Life" (off of the Misfits album) has several killer guitar solos.
WATERLOO SUNSET... One of The BEST Things EVER 😇💎⚡️🦅
“Celluloid Heroes” would be a great next choice from the Kinks. This was nice. 🌺✌️
Its one of 2 songs that are regarded as the most archetypal British sound the other is "All or nothing "by the Small Faces , definately worth a listen.
Some songs transport you to a time and place, you may never have been to! The Kinks started out by playing a form of garage rock, but from their 3rd album and on, their songs became more of a commentary on British life. One of my favorite songs of all time!!!
The Terry and Julie mentioned in the song
Were the actors
Terence Stamp (General Zod from superman II)
and
60s icon Julie Christie
Who were dating at the time and used to meet at Waterloo Station on a Friday evening
I'd also heard this for years and then found this: "Ray Davies denied this in his autobiography. He subsequently revealed that it was "a fantasy about my sister going off with her boyfriend to a new world and they were going to emigrate and go to another country."
Perfect pop tune and tone.
This is one of my very favourite songs - and I've been around since it was released. Love Ray Davies' vocals and the tune is so pretty. It's truly timeless. Thanks so much for your reaction. 😊
Guys, you should try "Dead End Street", It's beautiful!
Have no expectations about your next Kinks song. It won't be what you expect it to be. That's why I love them so much.
Do ANY song you want. I'm good with it.
I could listen to Ray Davies sing all day. AND all of the night.
For me, The Kinks are right up there with the best of the best.
I love most of the stuff others have been mentioning. But “Low Budget”, “Superman”, and “Sleepwalker” are favorites of mine. Late 70s stuff. 💜💜💜
"Sunny Afternoon" is where I would go next with The Kinks.
One comment on the Kinks catalog: the breadth of the material is amazing, from the proto-metal of "You Really Got Me" to so many diverse styles through the years. So many songs are just extraordinary. But compared to the Beatles, Pink Floyd, etc, many of the songs were not produced well - many sound like high-level demos compared to the production values of other bands. Ray Davies regretted in later years that he insisted on self-producing. Had a George Martin been in charge of the sessions, the catalog would rival even the Beatles (imagine a George Martin produced "See My Friends" for one example). Don't listen to the production values - listen to the songs.
Yes, but on the other hand, it's so impressive that Ray was able to almost singlehandedly (with some help from Dave) write, sing, and produce masterpiece albums like Something Else, Village Green, Arthur, and Lola, without the budget or the outside help that was available to the Beatles.
Early Kinks is great, but they hit a second wind during the period 1977-1983, when they had a great run of hits after 4-5 years of lackluster showing. Sleepwalker, A Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy, Catch Me Now I'm Falling, Pressure, (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman, Low Budget, Around the Dial, Destroyer, Better Things, State of Confusion, Do It Again, and Living on a Thin Line are all fantastic songs.
Hello everyone! It's reaction time with A&A!! 😺
☺️
@@Shadowrider1872 Hey you! 😺
One of the greatest songs written in the English language , the unofficial London anthem ✌️❤️