Tag Archives: the kinks are the village green preservation society

#672: The Kinks – Johnny Thunder

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The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society was released on the same day as the White Album, if you didn’t know. In comparison to that, Village Green barely sold any numbers and fell on deaf ears. Apart from those of critics who loved it. Apparently songs about nostalgia for younger days and British pasttimes weren’t hip in the political times of ’68. Maybe if it was released in ’67 things could have been different. More than fifty years on it’s recognised as The Kinks’ arguable magnum opus. I can’t say I like any Kinks album better than it.

‘Johnny Thunder’ is the fourth song on Village Green and, in Ray Davies’ words, is a song about rebellion and a lad Davies idolised when he was a child. The lyrics paint a pretty good picture of what Johnny’s about. He’s just a guy who gets by, going his own path in life no matter how badly the people of the town look upon it. Obviously, this person made a great impression in Ray Davies’ eyes. He writes a very uplifting song in tribute to Johnny, one that’s optimistic in tone and strident in its rhythm. It’s also packed with fantastic melodies from the verses to the chorus to its bassline and little guitar fills throughout.

So there you go. Make of it what you will. It’s worth your while listening to the whole album. You can’t go wrong.

My iPod #284: The Kinks – Do You Remember Walter?

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This is the second track from The Kinks’ 1968 album “The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society“, a collection of fifteen songs about living in the country, nostalgia, and general English culture. Without listening to the albums that came before it, I have come to the conclusion that the album was the group’s last best one. I’ve heard “Arthur” and “Muswell Hillbillies” but they were such a drag to listen to. The only song on “Village Green” that I can’t really listen to casually is “Last of the Steam-Powered Trains”, but the rest are light-hearted, carefree, sometimes tragic but still upbeat. “Walter” fits in with those last two adjectives.

Did you have a friend in primary school who you felt was like a brother to you? Were you inseparable? You thought you could take on the world together when you were grown ups? (Or at least keep in touch with each other every day at the start of Year Seven?) That’s nice. I had one of those friends…. We haven’t kept in touch so much. I actually haven’t spoken to him in about three years. He’s got new friends; I have mine. But the memories of our times in school stay strong.

That’s essentially what “Walter” is all about. I’m sure a lot of you will be able to relate to it.

There are more songs to talk about from this album. Their time will come. Have fun with this one for the time being.