86. The Kinks

 

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/pic200/drP100/P146/P14608U1P32.jpg

 

The fourth most important British band of the 1960s, largely thanks to Ray Davies' peerless ability to tell a story in a song. Quite simply the Godfathers of Britpop.

 

ALL MUSIC GUIDE BIOGRAPHY

 

Key Studio Albums: The Village Green Preservation Society (1968)

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/drf500/f556/f55620panv0.jpg

(However, you can't go far wrong with any of their six studio album run from 1966 Face To Face to 1971 Muswell Hillbillies)

 

Key Compilation: The Singles Collection (2004)

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov75/drm100/m129/m12907icfkw.jpg

(But if you want to go much deeper try out the 6 CD boxset 2008's Picture Book)

 

Career Defining Song:

Waterloo Sunset (1967 UK#2)

Some Other Key Songs (impossible to pin down just four but here goes):

 

You Really Got Me (1964 UK#1 USA#7)

 

Sunny Afternoon (1966 UK#1 USA#14)

 

Lola (1970 UK#2 USA#6)

 

Celluloid Heroes (1972)

 

Are you fans of Ray Davies' songwriting or do you think they were inferior to The Beatles, 'Stones & The Who?

My favourite -

 

 

In answer to your question - with regard to songwriting - everyone to me is inferior to the Beatles. However Ray Davies (IMO) is way better than The Stones or The Who. And on a couple of songs - lyrically and musically - he can hold his own against Lennon & McCartney. In fact - the words to this particular song are actually better than anything Lennon & McCartney did.

 

Norma

 

I like 'Days' too - although I think I prefer the Kirsty McColl cover.

Edited June 20, 200916 yr by Norma_Snockers

My favourite -

 

 

In answer to your question - with regard to songwriting - everyone to me is inferior to the Beatles. However Ray Davies (IMO) is way better than The Stones or The Who. And on a couple of songs - lyrically and musically - he can hold his own against Lennon & McCartney. In fact - the words to this particular song are actually better than anything Lennon & McCartney did.

 

Norma

 

I like 'Days' too - although I think I prefer the Kirsty McColl cover.

 

Personally I regard Ray Davies as the greatest British lyricist of the 1960s. In fact I'd rate him second behind Morrissey as the greatest British lyricist of all time.

 

However, musically they were let down by having a relatively poor producer Shel Talmy (who also held back The Who, but to a lesser degree because their music was better suited to the more muscular production; until they switched to Kit Lambert), compared to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones; and later by Ray Davies himself producing the band.

 

 

...... Having said all of that my favourite Kinks song is almost McCartneyesque in its incredibly beautiful melodic song structure and relatively simplistic lyrics:

 

The Kinks - The way love used to be (1971)

My "Ultimate Collection" is never far from the CD player, I just love putting it on when I am in a retro mood. So many favourites to choose, but here goes... You really got me, Tired of waiting for you, All day and all of the night, Waterloo Sunset, Autumn Almanac, Dedicated follower of fashion, Sunny afternoon, Death of a clown, Lola, Days ...and loads more.

 

I would definately list them in my top 5 acts from the 1960's on a par with the Stones and the Who.

 

Ray Davies had a great singing voice and was a brilliant songwriter.

And then there was that great Kinks tribute album called Parklife. One of the highlights of Channel 4's White Room was when Ray Davies and Damon Albarn played Waterloo Sunset and Parklife together.

 

Ray Davies doesn't get the credit he deserves.

I love The Kinks! 'Lola' is seriously one of my all favourites of all time..

4th?.... well yes, but NOT behind the who... id suggest the yardbirds (behind the 'big 2' , beatles, stones) for 3rd place, kinks 4th, small faces 5th... the who were too patchy and evolved into stadium rock losing their roots...unlike the kinks who stayed true to their roots.

 

agreed about ray davies, very underrated as a songwriter and is one of our very best.

 

kinks = class, godfathers of 'britpop' and a main ingrediant into what became punk and indie.

I love The Kinks! 'Lola' is seriously one of my all favourites of all time..

 

Yes, me too!

I like "Lola" so much, great song - then as now!