The Kinks: 1963–1996 Ray Davies

1 kinks: 1963–1996

1.1 style (1964–65)
1.2 classic mid-period (1965–75)
1.3 later commercial sound (1976–84)

the kinks: 1963–1996

early style (1964–65)

the kinks recordings of 1964 ranged covers of r&b standards long tall sally , got love if want chiming, melodic beat music of ray davies earliest original compositions band, still want me , better beginning , more influential proto-metal, protopunk, power chord-based hard rock of band s first 2 hit singles, got me , day , of night .

however, 1965, raucous, hard-driving style had gradually given way softer , more introspective sound of tired of waiting , nothin in world can stop me worryin bout girl , set me free , go sleep , ring bells . eerie, droning see friends —inspired untimely death of davies brothers older sister rene in june 1957—the band began show signs of expanding musical palette further. rare foray psychedelic rock, see friends credited jonathan bellman first western pop song integrate indian raga sounds—released 6 months before beatles norwegian wood (this bird has flown) .

the classic mid-period (1965–75)

beginning respected man , have times gone (both recorded in summer of 1965), davies lyrics assumed new sociological character. began explore aspirations , frustrations of common working-class people, particular emphasis on psychological effects of british class system. face face (1966), first kinks album composed solely of original material, creative breakthrough. band began experiment theatrical sound effects , baroque musical arrangements (nicky hopkins played harpsichord on several tracks), davies songwriting acquired distinctive elements of narrative, observation , wry social commentary. topical songs took aim @ complacency , indolence of wealthy playboys , upper class ( house in country , sunny afternoon ), heedless ostentation of self-indulgent spendthrift nouveau riche ( exclusive residence sale ), , mercenary nature of music business ( session man ).

by late 1966, davies addressing bleakness of life @ lower end of social spectrum: released complementary a-b sides of single, dead end street , big black smoke powerful neo-dickensian sketches of urban poverty. other songs situation vacant (1967) , shangri-la (1969) hinted @ helpless sense of insecurity , emptiness underlying materialistic values adopted english working class. in similar vein, dedicated follower of fashion (1966) wittily satirized consumerism , celebrity worship of carnaby street , swinging london , while david watts (1967) humorously expressed wounded feelings of plain schoolboy envies grace , privileges enjoyed charismatic upper class student.

the kinks have been called adamantly british of brit invasion bands on account of ray davies abiding fascination england s imperial past , tender, bittersweet evocations of vanishing, romanticized world of village greens, pubs , public schools . during band s mid-period, wrote many cheerfully eccentric—and ironic—celebrations of traditional english culture , living: village green (1966), afternoon tea , autumn almanac (both 1967), last of steam-powered trains (1968), victoria (1969), have cuppa tea (1971) , cricket (1973). in other songs, davies revived style of british music hall, vaudeville , trad jazz: dedicated follower of fashion , sunny afternoon , dandy , little miss queen of darkness (all 1966); mister pleasant , end of season (both 1967); sitting riverside , of friends there (both 1968); s bought hat princess marina (1969); acute schizophrenia paranoia blues , alcohol (both 1971); little on sunny side (1972); , holiday romance (1975). occasionally, varied group s sound more disparate musical influences, such raga ( fancy , 1966), bossa nova ( no return , 1967) , calypso ( m on island , 1965; monica , 1968; apeman , 1970; supersonic rocket ship , 1972).

davies @ affecting when sings of giving worldly ambition simple rewards of love , domesticity ( belong , 1966; 2 sisters , 1967; way love used , 1971; sweet lady genevieve , 1973; make worthwhile , 1974), or when extols consolations of friendship , memory ( days , 1968; remember walter? , 1968; picture book , 1968; young , innocent days , 1969; moments , 1971; schooldays , 1975). yet perennial ray davies theme championing of individualistic personalities , lifestyles ( m not else , 1966; johnny thunder , 1968; monica , 1968; lola , 1970; celluloid heroes , 1972; now? , 1973; sitting in midday sun , 1973). on 1967 masterpiece waterloo sunset , singer finds fleeting sense of contentment in midst of urban drabness , solitude.

davies mid-period work kinks showed signs of emerging social conscience. example, holiday in waikiki (1966) deplored vulgar commercialization of once unspoiled indigenous culture. similarly, god s children , apeman (both 1970), , songs 20th century man , complicated life , here come people in grey muswell hillbillies (1971), passionately decried industrialization , bureaucracy in favour of simple pastoral living. perhaps significantly, band s acclaimed 1968 concept album kinks village green preservation society gave affectionate embrace merry england nostalgia , advocated preservation of traditional english country village , hamlet life.

a definitive testament davies reputation songwriter of insight, empathy , wit can heard on kinks landmark 1969 album arthur (or decline , fall of british empire). conceived soundtrack television play never produced, band s first rock opera affectionately chronicled trials , tribulations of working class everyman , family end of victorian era through world war , world war ii, postwar austerity years, , 1960s. overall theme of record partly inspired life of ray , dave davies brother-in-law, arthur anning, had married older sister, rose—herself subject of earlier kinks song, rosie won t please come home (1966)—and had emigrated australia after war. on course of dozen evocative songs, arthur fulfils ambitious subtitle davies embellishes intimate family chronicle satirical observations shifting mores of english working class in response declining fortunes of british empire.

later commercial sound (1976–84)

ray davies performing in toronto, 1977

when kinks changed record labels rca arista in 1976, davies abandoned then-recent propensity ambitious, theatrical concept albums , rock operas—the rca era (1971–75) had produced muswell hillbillies, s in show-biz, preservation act 1 , act 2, soap opera , schoolboys in disgrace—and returned writing more basic, straightforward songs. group employ newer production techniques achieve more refined studio sound on albums sleepwalker (1977) , misfits (1978), davies focus shifted wistful ballads of restless alienation ( life on road , misfits ), meditations on inner lives of obsessed pop fans ( juke box music , rock n roll fantasy ), , exhortations of carpe diem ( life goes on , live life , ). notable single late 1977 reflected contemporary influence of punk rock: father christmas (a-side) , prince of punks (b-side—inspired davies troubled collaboration tom robinson).

by 80s, kinks revived commercial fortunes considerably adopting more mainstream arena rock style; , band s 4 remaining studio albums arista—low budget (1979), give people want (1981), state of confusion (1983) , word of mouth (1984)—showcased decidedly canny , opportunistic approach. on (wish fly like) superman , davies vented existential angst 1979 energy crisis on thumping disco beat; on gallon of gas , addressed same concern on traditional acoustic twelve-bar blues shuffle. in contrast, better things (1981), come dancing (1982), don t forget dance (1983) , day (1984) sentimental songs of hope , nostalgia aging air raid generation. however, catch me m falling (1979), destroyer (1981), clichés of world (b movie) (1983) , again (1984), davies brothers cranked out strident, heavy-riffing hard rock conveyed attitude of bitter cynicism , world weary disillusionment.

i write songs because angry, , m @ stage s not enough brush off humour.