If you weren’t alive in 64, you can’t imagine the impact those chords blasting out of a car speaker tuned to AM radio. Mind blowing,music was never the same after that.
Every car radio I heard from that era was pretty lousy, and car stereos didn’t come along until ‘69. Was it really that great, or is that just wistful nostalgia talking?
I was listening to Luxembourg top 20 all those years ago when I heard this for the first time .couldnt believe how great it was . 62 years later havnt changed my mind .Wow thank you, Ray.
I vividly recall this song on our radiogram when it was released. I turned it up and my father marched into the living room and bawled "what the hell is that rubbish"!!!? 6s and 8d in my hand, straight off to buy it. There was nothing like it at the time. God Save The Kinks!!!
@@BuffaloC305 Check out Link Wray - Rumble (1958). Played through a speaker cone that was pierced with a pencil, if I remember correctly. There's always a pre-history :)
Thanks PLAP. I'm now 70 and as an Aussie that lived in London between 1964 - 68, the second Kinks album (with the red cover) was the first I ever bought. It was a major influence on me although All Day and all of the Night was the song that did it for me. The best memories. Many thanks.
Only recently discovered the true depth of The kinks catalogue and two weeks ago , quite by accident , bumped into Dave and shared a coffee and recited my poetry for him …..
I love this Video. I have always had a love for this song and the Kinks. I have always said that, "To me this was the first "Garage Band" sound." This is what happens when 4 kids in a neighborhood want to get together and start a band. It's raw, dirty, and loud - it sounds like rock n roll.
The Kinks!!!! to me the quintessential British rockband of the 60's. No one encapsulated the UK more than Ray Davies back then, his lyrics were pure genius and the raw raunchy sound epitomized the swinging times in London.
I think in those days there was always music around because of the little transistor radio that we had with us when not at school. We were lucky to have all those wonderful DJ's on the pirate boat stations feeding us day and night, what a blissful time.
I remember this coming out, I was six years old with a teenage brother and sister and it was played on the radio on record players on the TV, everywhere! It's was impossible not to move when this came out. It was fabulous.
@@michaelbillypec I agree. But I think it's classic where that cover's placed on the awesome Van Halen debut right after "Eruption" on the track order of the LP/Cassette/CD
I was ten year old here in Detroit when this came out and -- it really got me. I imagine there wouldn't have been an MC5 (so to speak) if it hadn't been for the Kinks. I think Detroit still embraces the gritty aesthetic of this song.
MC5! Wayne Kramer and Fred Smith, OMG! Plus Rob Tyner on vocals, and a great drummer, I think they called him Machine Gun Thompson, but I might be wrong about that. One of the greatest bands ever! Along with the Kinks, of course.
One of the greatest RNR SONGS EVER! I often wondered how Ray Davies wrote it on piano, seems pure guitar but here we are 60 years later still listening! Thanks.
"There's still something about that riff.." No shit. There isn't a guitar player worth his name that wouldn't give his left testicle to have come up with that one.
@@lamper2 Oh really? That's interesting. But doesn't surprise me. Writing music on one instrument....that you know will later be played/recorded on another instrument....is a technique I've found super useful in my own musical endeavors. It kinda forces your brain to think more creatively....not relying on cliches and tired overused patterns.
Another great one Warren! Correction: Storytellers 1996, not 1966. I remember watching it. Important note here: "You Really Got Me" was engineered by Shel Talmy's first engineer of choice: Glyn Johns. I've seen The Kinks live in New York 5 times since the Word of Mouth tour in the '80s. Ray would always sing a teaser for "You Really Got Me" in "cool jazz" or "lounge" style. As always, thank you!
Killer riff, prob the all time best. When the intro kicks in, it’s like kick starting a motorbike, that first crack of the snare drum is like the engine engaging and you’re off on a high speed ride, looking for that girl 😎
Absolutely imprescindible Song for a study of evolution of Rock. "You Really Got Me" was *the node from Hard Rock, Punk even Metal* was born! . *Another themes : 1) "LUCILLE" (1957)* by Little Richard (w rhythm based on a choo choo train, base for Twisting beat replied on Larry Williams "Bonnie Moronie" *2)"GET OUT MY LIFE WOMAN" (Dic 1965)* by Lee Dorsey written by Allen Toussaint , drummer June Gardner. Maybe a bluesy version of The "I'm Walkin" drum intro.. replied on "Papa Was Too" (Joe Tex), "Tramp" (Lowell Fulsom), "Viola Lee Blues" (Grateful Dead) and The Birth of Funky Beat that created The Hip Hop "Boom Bap" beat , played on Rock classic like "When The Levee Breaks", "Walk This Way" ir "Give It Away".
A perfect single. Heard it in the UK when it came out, and was instantly blown away. It came out around the time as the Stones’ “It’s All Over Now”. Exciting times!!
Ooo I suggested The Kinks a few weeks ago - my wish is granted! Ray Davies wrote lots of fabulous songs, but I dare say that this is the one that you can hear in other music for decades to come. Fascinating video - interesting that Van Halen changed how the riff was played. Shel Tamy is also extraordinarily modest for a man with such accomplishments. Thanks so much for this one, David
Yep, this 'dangerous and bratty' rif was one of the foundation pillars of hard rock... and a few years later they went on to produce what has been described as the perfect pop song, Waterloo Sunset and Sir Ray Davies was knighted on the 50th anniversary of its release. A very versatile band.
The Kinks are great. I saw them live when I was in High School in 1981 or 1982. I can’t remember. It was on the “Give the People what they want”. Tour. It was the best concert I ever saw. They put on a great show in those days. It was fun. I also saw Ray’s Storyteller tour in the 90’s and Dave did a similar storyteller thing that I saw. Of course Ray’s was at a bigger venue. I have all their albums from early 80’s until they stopped recording. They could have been bigger if it weren’t for some dumb luck and dumb mistakes. But I still love their semi obscure ness.
In our front room in Hughbury sat a little Bush record player and splayed out on the floor were 3 pink labeled 45s, "You really got me","All day and all of the night" and "Tired of waiting", they were played morning noon and night.
Whenever this song comes on the volume goes up. It's a fantastic song that really gets my body moving. At my age anything that gets me moving is a good thing. LOL This song just shows that having imagination and talent makes up for having a fancy guitar and amp.
Sue and me at a fundraiser, tired and wanting our beds, then the group struck up the opening chords and the energy came back! Two 70 year olds reliving happy days. Thanks Kinks
An absolute classic!-from THAT opening guitar intro ,then the driving beat and direct straight to the point lyrics, it's one of the most familiar songs of the 60s
MAAAAAN i fucking LOVE the kinks. lola and the powerman, arthur, face to face, preservation society, etc are all amazing albums w fantastic songs on them. Beatles or Stones? Kinks -- they're my favorite band of all time, without question. both dave and sir ray davies deserve an immense amount of credit and recognition. thank you for making this video!!
Equally important to the song’s iconic sound was that big-ass backbeat only on the 4. I can’t think of any song at the time with such an innovative drum figure. I was only 9 when this song lit the radio on fire. I had my very first guitar, a $25 acoustic from the local department store, and could only wonder at the sound I was hearing in You Got Me. My older sisters didn’t like the Kinks, or maybe didn’t admit to it? Though I didn’t get it yet, the bold, ultra simplistic hook of guitar and drums was heavily sexual, with its starts and stops, its tension, its cliff-edge suspense. A truly groundbreaking piece of music that carved out a niche for the Stones and the Beatles to get tough in their recordings. I still have the 45.
Indeed the first couple of bars when the drums come in before the vocals Bobby Graham plays the snare only on the 4, which gives it some breath and helps build before the vocals come in and then the 2 and 4 drive it!
I went to see them a week before they got to number one in the UK. They were loud, even though they were "only" using 15 watt Vox AC15s. Fantastic Band.
This series is sooo good. It's a perfect combination of an insiders perspective and insight on the music biz and music creation, with actual quotes and stories from those involved, and with the key breakthroughs and pivotal moments framed brilliantly. It feels educational, but at the same time so much fun that watching it while having bowl of popcorn would not be out of place.
As child of the ‘70s, I can’t remember a time when my musical tastes and sensibilities weren’t being influenced by The Kinks (thanks for the reminder Warren). I think my first conscious memory of being aware of them was when I heard “Father Christmas, give us some money! Don’t mess around with those silly toys” on the radio, when I was about 4-5 years old. I’ve had no choice but to be a Kinks fan ever since…
Ray Davies and Co. gave us the birth of the heavy riff. What blows my mind is that Ray Davies then went on to right the beautiful "Waterloo Sunset", "Dedicated Follower of Fashion" and "Lola." The Kinks became the "most English" band around.
Adore the Kinks! So many hits to choose from. "Waterloo Sunset" is a wonderful tune. I'm also very fond of "No More Looking Back ". Should have been a huge hit...Ray and Dave are brilliant!
Love your description and breakdown of that nasty guitar tone that’s practically indescribable. These are the lovely imperfections that make the people’s music the best. Thanks for including this
I heard it for the first time on a cheap plastic transistor radio. I was 8 years old. That led me on a path of cheap whiskey and fast women. I think my school marks went down after that.
Loved it thank you Warren! I like that guitar you’re playing. Dave Davies plays an Epiphone Casino in live clips & cops the sound so hollowbody combination with P90 pickups thru an amp just breaking up is good. The Kinks have so many wonderful songs, Waterloo Sunset to Picture Book, and funny songs like Plastic Man.
One thing that really makes this song, and the guitar work (disclaimer: I'm not at all musically educated so I'm talking as a layperson) is the space, and timing. Part of the 'bratiness' of the guitar is the way Dave takes a little pause after every repetition of the riff, and he gives it just the right amount of silence to really give it that edge. Any shorter, or longer, and it wouldn't work the way it works.
Timeless guitar tone. I love the song as much today as as a 12 tear old when it came out. One of my favorite solos also. Just RAW, straight outta the garage.
Warren... I remember "All Day and All Of The Night" being played on the radio first. It was a hit where I come from. Then, a few months later "You Really Got Me" came out as the follow up single.
One of the very iconic guitar riffs that is instantly recognisable. Also probably one of the first as well! A great song and the solo is just filthy! Love the kinks, they went on to be one of the very best bands the UK has produced.
I was 15, playing the drums badly & just started my first job at the Rising Sun Colliery (pit). This song & group changed everything in music that week ! It naturally went to #1 in England, quickly followed by The Troggs Wild Thing. The only two 45's I bought that fantastic summer both went to #1. Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end.
I loved this song. First time i heard it was on song track of the 60s. I thought it was so cool.i was born in 1965 i grew up listening to 6os 70s and 80s music.
Around 11:45 there's a passage about recordings erring on the sharp side "in the days before electronic tuners". Actually it was commonplace in early British rock to speed up the tape slightly at mixdown to add brightness. Everybody did it except George Martin, and all the artists who were actually playing live were doing it on the A440 standard.
Brilliant - as always. Gratitude. As you are on a Shel Tamy roll, time to address the ultimate 60's single Friday On My Mind .. and the whole Vanda/Young performance / production story. As a 13yo Aussie music tragic, we were so proud of the band ( who had dominated Aussie charts for a few years ) and really energised the Australian music scene. The ultimate musical offering came with Stevie Wright's Evie ( Vanda / Young ) in 1974 - Aussie Pub Rock's crowning glory. All 8 minutes !
Yes, Friday on My Mind...iconic! The magnificent Evie parts 1, 2 & 3 is actually 11 minutes 11 secs in length. Might be the longest single ever to reach No.1 anywhere in the world.
I remember seeing the video of this song on Shinding or Hullabaloo on TV with the band sitting on trash cans in an alley. Changed me at the moment. Bobby
I loved the single but it was Lola that I first heard on a juke box in a cafés juke box at Black Rock Sands near Port Madoc North Wales. I was 13 and was introduced to Beach Buggies and Motor bikes.🏴🌟🎸👍🎼🎧🏴😁
That opening riff has been my ringtone ever since technology allowed. I am a huge fan! Unfortunately, now I can’t hear the song without reaching for my phone 😂
Thank you - a fantastic (as always) exploration of the story behind a pivotal moment in music. Just as The Kinks redefined the sound of music with this track, I think Ray Davis re-defined modern song-writing with Waterloo Sunset...surely the most finely crafted 3 minutes of the era and, in my opinion, still unparalleled. Keep up the brilliant work....
Great video, really enjoyed this. This track, and REM's cover of Wire's 'Strange', were the first 2 songs I ever tried to learn as a teen. It's a rite of passage for everyone!
From a video editing perspective, your insertion of the 5-note riff as a transition to the next part(s) really was perfect. Bravo! I get to say that from Rome.
Don't forget Hank Williams had some rocking songs in the 1940's! And decades before that, the many blues artists that the Yardbirds, Cream and the Stones emulated.
I remember hearing" You really got me " for the first time in 1964 The dominance of The Beatles & the Stones was challenged by it along with Rosalyn & Don't bring me down by The Pretty Things it caused a " fork in the road " . Also listen to " When I get home by The Beatles and " Get a Buzz " by The Pretty Things to get an idea of the cross pollination of those 2 years 1964/5
How about Stevie Wonder - I Just Called To Say I Love You for a song that changed music? I think his studio is on Magnolia Blvd in Burbank - be cool to see you go there and sing the song with him Warren!
Such a fun and informative video. Thanks for the research, for the Shel Talmy interview and the studio details. The cumulative rawness and imperfection made that tune a harbinger for heavy metal which was only a few years later. The razor/speaker cone anecdote is priceless.
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What do you think of The Kinks 'You Really Got Me'? Comment below other songs that you think changed music!
Greatest rock song ever.
@@chaipup7045 well said!
Since for once I'm so early in the comments, I'd love to see something about Klaus Nomi, or maybe about the earliest Santana.
Sly and the Family Stone, Thank You
Any led zepplin. Pls
If you weren’t alive in 64, you can’t imagine the impact those chords blasting out of a car speaker tuned to AM radio. Mind blowing,music was never the same after that.
I believe you. My father used to indicate it to me, which now I believe it now
Every car radio I heard from that era was pretty lousy, and car stereos didn’t come along until ‘69. Was it really that great, or is that just wistful nostalgia talking?
Thanks ever so much Bill!
I wasn’t alive yet but I believe you. I Love rock history so I am aware how this song was a breaking point. Sorry for my English.
I was listening to Luxembourg top 20 all those years ago when I heard this for the first time .couldnt believe how great it was . 62 years later havnt changed my mind .Wow thank you, Ray.
I vividly recall this song on our radiogram when it was released. I turned it up and my father marched into the living room and bawled "what the hell is that rubbish"!!!?
6s and 8d in my hand, straight off to buy it. There was nothing like it at the time.
God Save The Kinks!!!
Very well said! Thanks for sharing!
The solo was raw, barely-controlled chaos. One of the best solos in rock history.
Very well said
Still slaps every time I listen
Every punk, garage and grunge band owe the Kinks a debt of Gratitude
Agreed 100%!!
This is the birth of Metal. If this song hadn't been popular, no telling what would have happened to distortion.
@@BuffaloC305 yes, indeed
@@BuffaloC305 Check out Link Wray - Rumble (1958). Played through a speaker cone that was pierced with a pencil, if I remember correctly. There's always a pre-history :)
YES!!
The Kinks are easily one of the best bands of all time! So many great songs!
Agreed 100%!
The best in my book.
My 15 and 16 year old sons think this song is awesome.There must be something in this song that cause the younger generation appreciate it.
"You Really Got Me," "All Day and All of The Night," and "Til The End of The Day" -- those 3 tunes still click and throw sparks!
Yes, they do!
The immortal Kinks, a ground-breaking band 💜🤘🏾
Absolutely!
Most roadworkers use a Steamhammer to break ground. Dave Davies used his guitar. And then some.
Thanks PLAP. I'm now 70 and as an Aussie that lived in London between 1964 - 68, the second Kinks album (with the red cover) was the first I ever bought. It was a major influence on me although All Day and all of the Night was the song that did it for me. The best memories. Many thanks.
Ray and Dave are way under rated, both are genius
Agreed! Both absolutely incredible!!
Played this song a thousand times in a live band...always an audience favorite. Killer lead guitar.
Thanks Michael!
Its a master-stroke that the guitar repeats the killer catchphrase "You really got me". The older you get, the more you appreciate it.
Listening to Father Christmas by the Kinks in 2022 (Christmas). Great son from 1977.
Love The Kinks! Thanks ever so much!
Only recently discovered the true depth of The kinks catalogue and two weeks ago , quite by accident , bumped into Dave and shared a coffee and recited my poetry for him …..
You recited your poetry to Ray Davies? Where was this?
@@Producelikeapro His imagination
700 songs!
One of the best rock n roll songs ever!
Absolutely
This was one of the first song I was allowed to hear that wasn’t gospel as a child. I’ve always gotten chills when I hear that riff.
Thanks for sharing Luke!
@@Producelikeapro thanks for all the content! 🙏🏻 The Deluxe Reveb was my first tube amp! I will forever love those amps.
@@johnqpublic2718 thanks ever so much for sharing! Great amp!
Wow, that seems like quite an extreme jump - from gospel straight to hard rock with suggestive lyrics :D
Gotten is 17th Century English. I always get chills when...............
Dave is a woefully underrated riffmeister.
Raw. Gritty. Base. Powerful. Unapologetic. Iconic.
Agreed!
I love this Video. I have always had a love for this song and the Kinks. I have always said that, "To me this was the first "Garage Band" sound." This is what happens when 4 kids in a neighborhood want to get together and start a band. It's raw, dirty, and loud - it sounds like rock n roll.
The KINKS were/are a source of joy and entertainment. What fabulous songs were written after this classic in the 70s.
I grew up on punk, but I always felt at home listening to The Kinks.
The Kinks were the original punks
The Kinks!!!! to me the quintessential British rockband of the 60's. No one encapsulated the UK more than Ray Davies back then, his lyrics were pure genius and the raw raunchy sound epitomized the swinging times in London.
Agreed, Ray Davies is the bees knees! Huge fan!!
The thing that always caught my ear on this song, and “All Day and All of the Night”, is the sound of the snare on these songs. Very distinctive.
Agreed, great drum sound! Especially for the period!
The snare and the guitar compliment each other perfectly, its the space that's important
Pretty sure it was a session drummer brought in for that song..
Even as a child, when I heard that song, I knew it was something unlike anything else.
That’s great! And agreed, first time I heard it I was blown away
Way ahead of their time
Agreed 100%!
I think in those days there was always music around because of the little transistor radio that we had with us when not at school. We were lucky to have all those wonderful DJ's on the pirate boat stations feeding us day and night, what a blissful time.
my parents had a pile of 45s from when they grew up and I listened to them all the time. This song was my favorite of the bunch.
Such a great song!!
I remember this coming out, I was six years old with a teenage brother and sister and it was played on the radio on record players on the TV, everywhere! It's was impossible not to move when this came out.
It was fabulous.
So much of what is taken for granted today was revolutionary at some point in history.
Still sounds edgy and dangerous all these years later. Thanks Warren.
Agreed! Masterpiece
Yes it does, and that’s why I’ll take it any day of the week over Van Halen’s cover
@@michaelbillypec I agree. But I think it's classic where that cover's placed on the awesome Van Halen debut right after "Eruption" on the track order of the LP/Cassette/CD
@@AZDC99 I usually skip it when listening to VHI
I was ten year old here in Detroit when this came out and -- it really got me. I imagine there wouldn't have been an MC5 (so to speak) if it hadn't been for the Kinks. I think Detroit still embraces the gritty aesthetic of this song.
The Grande Ballroom... I saw The Kinks at Cobo Hall.
MC5! Wayne Kramer and Fred Smith, OMG! Plus Rob Tyner on vocals, and a great drummer, I think they called him Machine Gun Thompson, but I might be wrong about that. One of the greatest bands ever! Along with the Kinks, of course.
One of the greatest RNR SONGS EVER! I often wondered how Ray Davies wrote it on piano, seems pure guitar but here we are 60 years later still listening! Thanks.
Thanks ever so much
"There's still something about that riff.."
No shit. There isn't a guitar player worth his name that wouldn't give his left testicle to have come up with that one.
Hahahaha exactly!!
Ironically written on piano
@@lamper2 Oh really? That's interesting. But doesn't surprise me.
Writing music on one instrument....that you know will later be played/recorded on another instrument....is a technique I've found super useful in my own musical endeavors.
It kinda forces your brain to think more creatively....not relying on cliches and tired overused patterns.
Oh, my God! How i love Kinks, "You Really Got Me" and this channel.
Thanks ever so much
@FMF Veteran Really cool band.
My first album I ever bought. MONO. I’ve still got it. Happy to have seen them live in my home town in the Netherlands. 1966. Never forget it.
The guitars on this song deserve all of the attention you give them. Ray's amazing vocals probably deserver they're own video!
Another great one Warren!
Correction: Storytellers 1996, not 1966. I remember watching it.
Important note here: "You Really Got Me" was engineered by Shel Talmy's first engineer of choice: Glyn Johns.
I've seen The Kinks live in New York 5 times since the Word of Mouth tour in the '80s. Ray would always sing a teaser for "You Really Got Me" in "cool jazz" or "lounge" style.
As always, thank you!
Gotta love the finger noise on the slides, too. That's human playing right there.
Yes, it is!!
that's my favorite part of the entire riff
thanks for a great video, very good production with nice nterview with Shel Talmy, big Thnx !! Johan
Thanks ever so much!!
I joined my first band in 1991, and "You Really Got Me" was one of the very few covers we did. Lots of fun to play on drums!
I agree! I played it very badly in my first band!!
This song is so good, it made the Kinks and Van Halen famous.
In those days, there tended to be 2 camps.
You either liked the Beatles, or you liked the Stones.
But EVERYBODY liked the Kinks.
Well said!
Anyone who didn't like all of them wasn't welcome at my house!
It was also do you like Donavan or do you like Dylon
I liked all of them!
I thought that was just a Boston thing...Beatles or Stones...and yes, always the Kinks..p.s., Beatles❤
Killer riff, prob the all time best. When the intro kicks in, it’s like kick starting a motorbike, that first crack of the snare drum is like the engine engaging and you’re off on a high speed ride, looking for that girl 😎
Absolutely imprescindible Song for a study of evolution of Rock. "You Really Got Me" was *the node from Hard Rock, Punk even Metal* was born! . *Another themes : 1) "LUCILLE" (1957)* by Little Richard (w rhythm based on a choo choo train, base for Twisting beat replied on Larry Williams "Bonnie Moronie" *2)"GET OUT MY LIFE WOMAN" (Dic 1965)* by Lee Dorsey written by Allen Toussaint , drummer June Gardner. Maybe a bluesy version of The "I'm Walkin" drum intro.. replied on "Papa Was Too" (Joe Tex), "Tramp" (Lowell Fulsom), "Viola Lee Blues" (Grateful Dead) and The Birth of Funky Beat that created The Hip Hop "Boom Bap" beat , played on Rock classic like "When The Levee Breaks", "Walk This Way" ir "Give It Away".
A perfect single. Heard it in the UK when it came out, and was instantly blown away. It came out around the time as the Stones’ “It’s All Over Now”. Exciting times!!
Ooo I suggested The Kinks a few weeks ago - my wish is granted! Ray Davies wrote lots of fabulous songs, but I dare say that this is the one that you can hear in other music for decades to come.
Fascinating video - interesting that Van Halen changed how the riff was played.
Shel Tamy is also extraordinarily modest for a man with such accomplishments.
Thanks so much for this one, David
Thanks ever so much
Yep, this 'dangerous and bratty' rif was one of the foundation pillars of hard rock... and a few years later they went on to produce what has been described as the perfect pop song, Waterloo Sunset and Sir Ray Davies was knighted on the 50th anniversary of its release. A very versatile band.
@@Dave_Sisson agreed 100%! I'm such a huge fan of Ray Davies and The Kinks!!
Hope you see my comment about the Van Halen version.
The Kinks are great. I saw them live when I was in High School in 1981 or 1982. I can’t remember. It was on the “Give the People what they want”. Tour. It was the best concert I ever saw. They put on a great show in those days. It was fun.
I also saw Ray’s Storyteller tour in the 90’s and Dave did a similar storyteller thing that I saw.
Of course Ray’s was at a bigger venue. I have all their albums from early 80’s until they stopped recording.
They could have been bigger if it weren’t for some dumb luck and dumb mistakes. But I still love their semi obscure ness.
In our front room in Hughbury sat a little Bush record player and splayed out on the floor were 3 pink labeled 45s, "You really got me","All day and all of the night" and "Tired of waiting", they were played morning noon and night.
So amazing! Thanks for sharing that!
Whenever this song comes on the volume goes up. It's a fantastic song that really gets my body moving. At my age anything that gets me moving is a good thing. LOL This song just shows that having imagination and talent makes up for having a fancy guitar and amp.
Sue and me at a fundraiser, tired and wanting our beds, then the group struck up the opening chords and the energy came back! Two 70 year olds reliving happy days. Thanks Kinks
An absolute classic!-from THAT opening guitar intro ,then the driving beat and direct straight to the point lyrics, it's one of the most familiar songs of the 60s
Thanks ever so much Bryan!
MAAAAAN i fucking LOVE the kinks. lola and the powerman, arthur, face to face, preservation society, etc are all amazing albums w fantastic songs on them. Beatles or Stones? Kinks -- they're my favorite band of all time, without question. both dave and sir ray davies deserve an immense amount of credit and recognition. thank you for making this video!!
Equally important to the song’s iconic sound was that big-ass backbeat only on the 4. I can’t think of any song at the time with such an innovative drum figure. I was only 9 when this song lit the radio on fire. I had my very first guitar, a $25 acoustic from the local department store, and could only wonder at the sound I was hearing in You Got Me. My older sisters didn’t like the Kinks, or maybe didn’t admit to it? Though I didn’t get it yet, the bold, ultra simplistic hook of guitar and drums was heavily sexual, with its starts and stops, its tension, its cliff-edge suspense. A truly groundbreaking piece of music that carved out a niche for the Stones and the Beatles to get tough in their recordings. I still have the 45.
Indeed the first couple of bars when the drums come in before the vocals Bobby Graham plays the snare only on the 4, which gives it some breath and helps build before the vocals come in and then the 2 and 4 drive it!
One of the great songs and openings ever.
I went to see them a week before they got to number one in the UK. They were loud, even though they were "only" using 15 watt Vox AC15s. Fantastic Band.
Wow! Thanks ever so much for sharing
Bobby Graham...on drums. And, it was not Jimmy Page. THAT made my day! Dave Davis was the prize winner!
When I had my first band in high school this was one iof the first songs we learned. A true classic!
My older sisters got me into The Kinks! Thanks sisters!
This series is sooo good. It's a perfect combination of an insiders perspective and insight on the music biz and music creation, with actual quotes and stories from those involved, and with the key breakthroughs and pivotal moments framed brilliantly. It feels educational, but at the same time so much fun that watching it while having bowl of popcorn would not be out of place.
As child of the ‘70s, I can’t remember a time when my musical tastes and sensibilities weren’t being influenced by The Kinks (thanks for the reminder Warren). I think my first conscious memory of being aware of them was when I heard “Father Christmas, give us some money! Don’t mess around with those silly toys” on the radio, when I was about 4-5 years old. I’ve had no choice but to be a Kinks fan ever since…
Thanks ever so much for sharing James!
That's one of my favourite Xmas songs
You beat a song that has kids threatening to beat up Santa Claus. 😉
Best xmas song ever !....haha ....love it and play it all year
Timeless riff. Classic.
Agreed 100%!!
Ray Davies and Co. gave us the birth of the heavy riff. What blows my mind is that Ray Davies then went on to right the beautiful "Waterloo Sunset", "Dedicated Follower of Fashion" and "Lola." The Kinks became the "most English" band around.
Incredible songwriter and amazing band!
Adore the Kinks! So many hits to choose from. "Waterloo Sunset" is a wonderful tune. I'm also very fond of "No More Looking Back ". Should have been a huge hit...Ray and Dave are brilliant!
Thing about this is that in 1964 Beatle mania was peaking and this song went going off in another direction.
Indeed! Thanks ever so much
The Kinks stayed always themselves. They did not concede anything and created a very rich englishness work. I think they are the best band
What other direction was that?
@@obbor4 my
My dear fellow. If you need an explanation for that observation, you won’t understand what I’m talking about.
@@nickdryad I guess not. Seems to me that The Beatles were just as hard a rocking band as anyone out there. What have you got to suggest otherwise?
Love your description and breakdown of that nasty guitar tone that’s practically indescribable. These are the lovely imperfections that make the people’s music the best. Thanks for including this
Thanks ever so much Scott!!
I heard it for the first time on a cheap plastic transistor radio. I was 8 years old. That led me on a path of cheap whiskey and fast women. I think my school marks went down after that.
Amazing
Loved it thank you Warren! I like that guitar you’re playing. Dave Davies plays an Epiphone Casino in live clips & cops the sound so hollowbody combination with P90 pickups thru an amp just breaking up is good. The Kinks have so many wonderful songs, Waterloo Sunset to Picture Book, and funny songs like Plastic Man.
One thing that really makes this song, and the guitar work (disclaimer: I'm not at all musically educated so I'm talking as a layperson) is the space, and timing. Part of the 'bratiness' of the guitar is the way Dave takes a little pause after every repetition of the riff, and he gives it just the right amount of silence to really give it that edge. Any shorter, or longer, and it wouldn't work the way it works.
Indeed, Dave has incredible feel! Plus he was so young! Only 17! Wonderful
Exactly!! The rhythm of this song is so original. Unprecedented in rock n roll.
Timeless guitar tone. I love the song as much today as as a 12 tear old when it came out. One of my favorite solos also. Just RAW, straight outta the garage.
Believe me... this was definitely a new sound...we heard and felt the Blues, the Stones, Louie Louie..."You really got me " sounded NEW...sexy , etc.
Agreed 100%!
Awesome choice to add to songs that changed music, one of my favourite all time songs
Amazing
Warren... I remember "All Day and All Of The Night" being played on the radio first. It was a hit where I come from. Then, a few months later "You Really Got Me" came out as the follow up single.
One of the very iconic guitar riffs that is instantly recognisable. Also probably one of the first as well! A great song and the solo is just filthy! Love the kinks, they went on to be one of the very best bands the UK has produced.
They also pioneered the whole garage band sound!
I was 15, playing the drums badly & just started my first job at the Rising Sun Colliery (pit). This song & group changed everything in music that week ! It naturally went to #1 in England, quickly followed by The Troggs Wild Thing. The only two 45's I bought that fantastic summer both went to #1. Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end.
Thanks ever so much for sharing! That’s very cool
@@Producelikeapro Wild Thing was released in 1966.
I loved this song. First time i heard it was on song track of the 60s. I thought it was so cool.i was born in 1965 i grew up listening to 6os 70s and 80s music.
Thanks for sharing!
Around 11:45 there's a passage about recordings erring on the sharp side "in the days before electronic tuners". Actually it was commonplace in early British rock to speed up the tape slightly at mixdown to add brightness. Everybody did it except George Martin, and all the artists who were actually playing live were doing it on the A440 standard.
Brilliant - as always. Gratitude. As you are on a Shel Tamy roll, time to address the ultimate 60's single Friday On My Mind .. and the whole Vanda/Young performance / production story. As a 13yo Aussie music tragic, we were so proud of the band ( who had dominated Aussie charts for a few years ) and really energised the Australian music scene. The ultimate musical offering came with Stevie Wright's Evie ( Vanda / Young ) in 1974 - Aussie Pub Rock's crowning glory. All 8 minutes !
Yes, Friday on My Mind...iconic! The magnificent Evie parts 1, 2 & 3 is actually 11 minutes 11 secs in length. Might be the longest single ever to reach No.1 anywhere in the world.
I remember seeing the video of this song on Shinding or Hullabaloo on TV with the band sitting on trash cans in an alley. Changed me at the moment. Bobby
I loved the single but it was Lola that I first heard on a juke box in a cafés juke box at Black Rock Sands near Port Madoc North Wales. I was 13 and was introduced to Beach Buggies and Motor bikes.🏴🌟🎸👍🎼🎧🏴😁
Always loved the song and the underrated KINKS!
HUGE fan of the Kinks!
Fascinating to hear Shel Talmy talking about one of the 60's greatest anthems that was part of the soundtrack of my youth, many thanks Warren.
That opening riff has been my ringtone ever since technology allowed. I am a huge fan! Unfortunately, now I can’t hear the song without reaching for my phone 😂
Haha thanks for sharing Michael!
Same for me when I hear ZZ's TUSH! It's been my ringtone for donkey's years! (Well since I bought last ph which must be about 6 years now!)
😅
One of my all time favorite bands. Another great video Warren.
You're very welcome!
This was my first single I bought in '64. It really influenced me. Thanks Warren! :-)
Thanks ever so much for sharing!
Mine was AC/DC's 'Hell's Bells', in 1980 😀 My big brother gave a me a 'Best of The Kinks' cassette tape around the same time 🙂
Great tune. I discovered this in the 80s when their was another mod revival.
Thanks ever so much!
Loved it the moment i heard it.....and still sends chills up the spine. i dig that little piano part tinkling in the background.
Agreed! Masterpiece
Thank you - a fantastic (as always) exploration of the story behind a pivotal moment in music. Just as The Kinks redefined the sound of music with this track, I think Ray Davis re-defined modern song-writing with Waterloo Sunset...surely the most finely crafted 3 minutes of the era and, in my opinion, still unparalleled.
Keep up the brilliant work....
Thanks ever so much Andy! Agreed, Waterloo Sunset is such a masterpiece!
Great video, really enjoyed this. This track, and REM's cover of Wire's 'Strange', were the first 2 songs I ever tried to learn as a teen. It's a rite of passage for everyone!
One of the best bands ever created and they really were dedicated followers of fashion.
From a video editing perspective, your insertion of the 5-note riff as a transition to the next part(s) really was perfect. Bravo! I get to say that from Rome.
Don't forget Hank Williams had some rocking songs in the 1940's! And decades before that, the many blues artists that the Yardbirds, Cream and the Stones emulated.
Indeed, have you seen our Robert Johnson video? We’ve covered him, Django Reinhardt and Segovia, we go back to the roots and more to come!
Nice that they had the support of their family.
I remember hearing" You really got me " for the first time in 1964 The dominance of The Beatles & the Stones was challenged by it along with Rosalyn & Don't bring me down by The Pretty Things it caused a " fork in the road " . Also listen to " When I get home by The Beatles and " Get a Buzz " by The Pretty Things to get an idea of the cross pollination of those 2 years 1964/5
Thanks, Warren. Love the Kinks!
Me too! Thanks ever so much
This song was a badass punk anthem!
Once again great insight into an iconic band up the road from my place ….!
Thanks bro ..!!
Marvellous! Thanks for sharing
Shel Talmy is to the early Kinks what George Martin was to The Beatles. Serious gravitas points for having him on this video.
Thanks ever so much for sharing!
Perhaps my favorite song! I used to sing it in my head around 4th grade.
How about Stevie Wonder - I Just Called To Say I Love You for a song that changed music? I think his studio is on Magnolia Blvd in Burbank - be cool to see you go there and sing the song with him Warren!
Such a fun and informative video. Thanks for the research, for the Shel Talmy interview and the studio details. The cumulative rawness and imperfection made that tune a harbinger for heavy metal which was only a few years later. The razor/speaker cone anecdote is priceless.
Thanks ever so much! Yes, Shel was wonderful to talk to
Thanks for the time travel.
Our pleasure!