Ray Davies. Kinks

Levi501

Well-known member
Don’t worry he’s still with us. Just listening to Tom Robinson on 6music with Ray Davies in conversation, most enjoyable. Always thought he is probably my favourite songwriter, observer, of Englishness through his lyrics,could name more over the decades, but what about you guys? Whose yours.
 
If I'm sticking British then nick drake, Richard Thompson, Frank Turner and jarvis cocker are hard to beat.

And I do know nick drake was born outside of the UK!!
 
Difford and Tilbrook from an English point of view but the Finn Brothers (Neil and Tim) from my side of the World. Observational commentary supremists.
 
Donovan, Bob Dylan really, but the British Dylan. Nearly, not quite oh alright then nowhere near as good.😂
 
Phew had me going there Alan.
Great musician and singer songwriter and a gentleman.
Heard the story about a 15/16 year old girl who managed to climb into Ray Davies’s hotel room to offer her virginity to him.
50years later the grandmother (now) re calls the incident on Radio’s 4 Saturday am show.
She wanted to thank him for gently declining the offer.
 
Don’t worry he’s still with us. Just listening to Tom Robinson on 6music with Ray Davies in conversation, most enjoyable. Always thought he is probably my favourite songwriter, observer, of Englishness through his lyrics,could name more over the decades, but what about you guys? Whose yours.

Jeez, I was relieved to read the first 6 words of the o/p. I was worried for a moment!
Agree with the suggestions in the thread, but would also add Van the man, Dave Gilmour, Peter Green, Roger Daltrey, Bowie, Barry Gibb, Roger Hodgson)
But hard to disagree with o/p, just listen to Oasis and (for me at least), they sounded heavily influenced by The Beatles and The Kinks
Sunny Afternoon is one of my top ten of all time. Dave Davies's riff is simple but brilliant!
Edit - overlooked the fact Van the man is Irish - doh
 
Some canny replies there, but the thread is meant not just for English born songwriters, but for the lyrical content of English idiosyncrasies and reflections on English life.
 
I think he was probably 20ish (released October 78) but still a great track and fantastic lyrics for someone so young. Tony Blackburn once commented that "punk bands always seem to sing about violence. Why can't they sing about flowers and trees?". What a moron - it's an anti-racist song you fool!
 
Some canny replies there, but the thread is meant not just for English born songwriters, but for the lyrical content of English idiosyncrasies and reflections on English life.

Oh, in that case Levi, could I add Brian Wilson (God Only knows apparently one of McCartneys favourite/best written songs)
And of course Paul Simon? 😉
I think he was probably 20ish (released October 78) but still a great track and fantastic lyrics for someone so young. Tony Blackburn once commented that "punk bands always seem to sing about violence. Why can't they sing about flowers and trees?". What a moron - it's an anti-racist song you fool!

Bob - Tony Blackburn openly admitted he didn't like punk, but what he didn't say was that he was just a little ignorant as well !!
This extended (IMHO) to blues. When he played Fleetwood Mac's Oh Well Part 1 (1969) on Pick of The Pops a few years ago, he said it sounded like they didn't know what to do with the ending. It was in fact, the beginning of Oh Well Part 2 - a tiny bit of research would have told him that. It was, after all, on the B side of the single !!
 
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Was listening to pick of the pops the other week. 1966. The Kinks were years ahead of their time.
I saw them at the old ABC as back up to The Beatles. I really got you etc etc. Great band. Thank you for the days.... And RD will be very happy tonight. He's a big Gooner.
 
I saw them at the old ABC as back up to The Beatles. I really got you etc etc. Great band. Thank you for the days.... And RD will be very happy tonight. He's a big Gooner.
Jealous,moi! Some gig! Yeh,he’ll be happy tonight!
 
I think he was probably 20ish (released October 78) but still a great track and fantastic lyrics for someone so young. Tony Blackburn once commented that "punk bands always seem to sing about violence. Why can't they sing about flowers and trees?". What a moron - it's an anti-racist song you fool!
He was 20 when it was released but my understanding (I may be wrong though) is that he wrote the lyrics some years before.
 
I think he was probably 20ish (released October 78) but still a great track and fantastic lyrics for someone so young. Tony Blackburn once commented that "punk bands always seem to sing about violence. Why can't they sing about flowers and trees?". What a moron - it's an anti-racist song you fool!
I understood that Weller was 19 when he wrote it. The guy was an amazing songwriter for his age and of the time 👍
 
If you asked Britishness as apposed to Englishness, then Fish ( ex Marillion ) deserves to be included high on the list of lyricists.
Still going strong with a much anticipated new album in the wings.
 
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Another for Weller and Bragg.
Will also go for Roger Waters and Mark Chadwick (Levellers).
 
Paul Weller is an absolute legend as a songwriter but preferred his Jam work to Style Council.
Difford and Tilbrook from Squeeze, spot on, Difford as a lyricist is unbelievable.
Jagger and Richards quality.
And a mention for Elvis, the Costello variety.

You could listen to their songs for ever and never get bored 👍
 
Some canny replies there, but the thread is meant not just for English born songwriters, but for the lyrical content of English idiosyncrasies and reflections on English life.
Well with that remit I would still say jarvis cocker and from the same city Alex Turner.

The songs and lyrics from the first two Arctic monkeys albums are a study of many young people's lives. Can definitely relate to 'riot van', 'red light indicates doors are secure', 'fake tales of San framsisco' and 'ritz to the rubble'.

In fact that first album is the most relatable album I've heard.
 
Autumn Almanac.

"I like my football on a Saturday
Roast beef on Sundays, all right
I go
To Blackpool for my holidays
Sit in the open sunlight".

It doesn't get more English than that.
Damon Albarn, Jarvis Cocker and many others have acknowledged Ray Davies's influence.
 
Never really been a Weller fan even though I'm very much into lyrics and the meanings of songs.

Yep, as big as they were in the sixties, Davies sort of went under the radar compared to other great lyricists of that era. Don't know if there is a bad Kinks song but Waterloo Sunset is just a simply beautiful love song.
 
This thread makes me wonder what Ray/Paul/Joe (if the latter were alive GRHS) could write about today.....my reference points are not due to lockdown just modern life

Woken up by my Amazon order,
Posted some tik toks, perhaps more than I oughta,
Switched on the box for my fix of greed league
Tried to buy local but it’s all gone Chinese

Oooh ooooh rinse and repeat
Ooooh oooh rinse and repeat


Yup it doesn’t rhyme or scan properly so feel free to have a go
 
“Saturdays kids live in council houses, wear v neck shirts and baggy trousers”. Love it!!
Saturdays girls work in tescos and woolworths,
Wear cheap perfume cause its all they can afford,
Go to discos they drink baby cham talk to jan, in bingo👍
 
Ian Anderson wrote an estimated 300 songs some fantastic lyrics ie thick as a brick ,minstrel in the gallery and they started off in Blackpool
 
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