Tag Archives: the kinks

#876: The Kinks – Mr. Songbird

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In a parallel universe, ‘Mr. Songbird’ made it onto the final tracklist of The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. It would have been the seventh song on there out of 12, and it would have been loved and appreciated by all as the album was commercially successful and went straight to number one in many countries. It didn’t happen that way over here though. In fact, the complete opposite happened. The track was actually to be on a 12-track version of the album that planned for release in Europe, but main songwriter Ray Davies persisted that more work had to be done. In the end, the album came out on the same day as The Beatles’ White Album, with 15 tracks and no sign of ‘Songbird’ on there. It didn’t do very well commercially too.

So ‘Songbird’ was something of a rarity for years before it was released as a bonus track on a release of Village Green in 2004. Bit of a shame as, like the 15 tracks that made it on the original release, it contains just as great a melody in the vocals and instrumental elements. Its subject matter also aligns with the overall theme of the album. Nature and nostalgia. Ray Davies tells the listener about a bird that provides him the comfort and enthusiasm to wake up and start a new day with its singing. The mellotron plays the role of the bird here, answering Davies’ “Sing Mr. Songbird” plea with a little trill.

Apart from the mellotron and Davies’ vocals which are clearly meant to be the main focus in the track judging by how predominant in the mix, Pete Quaife also plays his role on the melodic side of it all with his bass. I particularly like that walk down he performs about a minute and a half in. Vilagge Green was the last album he played on as a member of The Kinks, and Davies himself admits that things weren’t the same once he departed. The overall swing feel to the track is another plus in my eyes. And I swear there are these female ‘ooh’ backing vocals at some points too, but they’re really really quiet in the mix. There’s quite a bit to look out for when listening to this one, so I’ll leave it in your hands. Or ears. Whichever one makes more sense.

#852: The Kinks – Monica

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On an album that displays themes of nostalgia, sentimentality – basically the ‘good old days’, I think it’s fair to say that ‘Monica’ stick out on the tracklisting of The Kinks’ Village Green Preservation Society. New listeners will ask why. Then they’ll see the lyrics and realise. This is a track about the local prostitute. The term isn’t explicitly stated during the track itself, but when you hear phrases like “Monica stands at midnight” and “Money can’t buy sweet love from Monica”, you start to put two and two together.

The song’s delivered in this kind of offbeat calypso style, with what sounds like layers of acoustic guitars in the background and I guess bongos in the mix, and Ray Davies plays up the vocals a bit by putting an exaggerated inflection in his voice. Davies’ performance is probably the best thing about the whole track. The way he sings “I-I shall die, I-I shall die” in time with the crashing drums, and then backs that up with a wailing “Oh Monicaaaa, my love”. It’s good stuff. There’s something quite dramatic about his singing, but not so much that they sound too forced or over the top. There’s a subtlety in the drama, which works best a lot of the time.

Yeah, it’s a nice and short one. That’s also another thing about Village Green. All of its songs, bar one, are under three minutes and yet there’s just hook after hook and melodies abound in each packet. Coming nears its end, ‘Monica’ may seem like a bit of an inconsequential offering. But hell, this has always been one of my favourites on there. Even if the narrator’s in love with a lady of the night.

#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.