Favorite lyrics

[weav]

Being very new to The Kinks katolog, I was very surprised to see the high lyrical content of Ray's songs. Pink Floyd is my favorite band and I guess I assumed good lyricists started and ended with Roger Waters. But The Kinks lyrics are a nice change of pace from the Floyd! I wouldn't be so bold as to compare Ray and Roger or try to ask 'who is better', but is fun to discuss favorite songs, solely based on lyrics.

Now my Kinks experience centers around the albums I am the most familiar with, which are VGPS, Arthur, Lola and Muswell. I really am floored by 20th Century Man, it hits home on so many levels about the evils of modern society and the way security destroys individuality.

I love Shangri-La and Mr. Churchill says (my four-year-old twins love Shangri-La and ask for it all the time). It gives a young buck like me an interesting perspective on what it was like in the UK at the time.

Off of VGSP...where do you start? VGSP itself is great, with so many different societies, affiliates. My favorite song on the album is Do You Remember Walter, which may not be the best song on the album lyrically, bt it is very good.

Some of my favorite lines:

I was born in a welfare state
Ruled by bureaucracy
Controlled by civil servants
And people dressed in grey
Got no privacy got no liberty
Cos the twentieth century people
Took it all away from me.


Somewhere someone is crying
Someone is trying to be so brave
But still the world keeps turning
Though all the children have gone away

And all the houses in the street have got a name
'Cos all the houses in the street they look the same
Same chimney pots, same little cars, same window panes
The neighbors call to tell you things that you should know
They say their lines, they drink their tea, and then they go
They tell your business in another Shangri-la
The gas bills and the water rates, and payments on the car
Too scared to think about how insecure you are
Life ain't so happy in your little Shangri-la

[HollyH]

WOW! Where do I begin...

[rose]

Count me out, weav! I'd have to list my fave lyrics from 50 different songs...Your choices (so far) are among them....

But WELCOME and enjoy the journey and.....FASTEN YOUR SEATBELT!

[Iñakink]

My bank went broke and my well ran dry.
It was almost enough to contemplate suicide.
I turned on the gas, but I soon realized
I hadn't settled my bill so they cut off my supply.


You're a misfit, afraid of yourself so you run away and hide
You've been a misfit all your life
Why don't you join the crowd
And come inside
You wander round this town like you've lost your way
You had your chance in your day
Yet you threw it all away
But you know what they say
Every dog has his day


If my friends could see me now, driving round just like a film star,
In a chauffeur driven jam jar, they would laugh.
They would all be saying that it's not really me,
They would all be asking who I'm trying to be.
If my friends could see me now,
Looking out my hotel window,
Dressed in satin strides and two-tone daisy roots,
If my friends could see me now I know they would smile.

[complicatedlife]

weav said:

I love Shangri-La (my four-year-old twins love Shangri-La and ask for it all the time).

[/i][/quote]

Here's something for the kiddies...

[Smiley]

hollyh said:

WOW! Where do I begin...

Here.. Here...

It's been a Rock and Roll Fantasy for sure

Dan is a fan and he lives for our music
It's the only thing that gets him by
He's watched us grow and he's seen all our shows
He's seen us low and he's seen us high
Oh, but you and me keep thinking
That the world's just passing us by

[Situation Vacant]

This famous one has fabulous lyrics. They evoke an image and show a darker side of people others may look up to. There's talk of bribery, adultery and covetousness. Besides, how can you not love a song that has the line "His own sweat smells the best?" Is this my favorite? Maybe, but there are so many. Note my screen name. That songs has lyrics I love, too.

Well Respected Man

Cause he gets up in the morning,
And he goes to work at nine,
And he comes back home at five-thirty,
Gets the same train every time.
'Cause his world is built 'round punctuality,
It never fails.

And he's oh, so good,
And he's oh, so fine,
And he's oh, so healthy,
In his body and his mind.
He's a well respected man about town,
Doing the best things so conservatively.

And his mother goes to meetings,
While his father pulls the maid,
And she stirs the tea with councilors,
While discussing foreign trade,
And she passes looks, as well as bills
At every suave young man

'Cause he's oh, so good,
And he's oh, so fine,
And he's oh, so healthy,
In his body and his mind.
He's a well respected man about town,
Doing the best things so conservatively.

And he likes his own backyard,
And he likes his f*gs the best,
'Cause he's better than the rest,
And his own sweat smells the best,
And he hopes to grab his father's loot,
When Pater passes on.

'Cause he's oh, so good,
And he's oh, so fine,
And he's oh, so healthy,
In his body and his mind.
He's a well respected man about town,
Doing the best things so conservatively.

And he plays at stocks and shares,
And he goes to the Regatta,
And he adores the girl next door,
'Cause he's dying to get at her,
But his mother knows the best about
The matrimonial stakes.

'Cause he's oh, so good,
And he's oh, so fine,
And he's oh, so healthy,
In his body and his mind.
He's a well respected man about town,
Doing the best things so conservatively.

[nicola6]

Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa

I am a dull and simple lad
Can not tell water from champagne
And I have never met the queen
And I wish I could have all that he has got
I wish I could be like david watts

Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa

And when I lie on my pillow at night
I dream I could fight like david watts
Lead the school team to victory
And take my exams and pass the lot

(wish I could be)
Wish I could be like david watts
(wish I could be)
Wish I could be like david watts
(wish I could be)
Conduct my life like david watts
(wish I could be)
I wish I could be like david watts

Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa

He is the head boy at the school
He is the captain of the team
He is so gay and fancy free
And I wish all his money belonged to me
I wish I could be like david watts

Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa

And all the girls in the neighborhood
Try to go out with david watts
They try their best but cant succeed
For he is of pure and noble breed

Wish I could be like
Wish I could be like
Wish I could be like

Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa
(repeat)

[HollyH]

This one doesn't get mentioned enough. But of course, you have to imagine it with all the campy voices...

Holiday Romance

I had a break for a week
So I booked my seat
And confirmed a reservation
At a quiet little seaside hotel.
I packed my bags
And I caught my train and
Reached my destination
Just in time for the dinner gong--ding dong.
Then I saw Lavinia
Standing at the bottom of the stairs.
And I fell for Lavinia
The moment that I saw her standing there.

Lavinia looked so divine
As she walked up to the table to dine
And then Lavinia's eyes met mine.

I thought can this be love,
Can this be lovey-dove
Or just a holiday romance?
Can this be long lost love at last
Or is it just a flash in the pan?

Then after cheese and liqueurs they struck up the band,
I plucked up my courage and I asked Lavinia to dance
That was the start of my holiday romance.
Just a holiday romance.

We did the foxtrot, samba and danced through the night
The last waltz came and we held each other so tight.
That was the start of my holiday romance.

Just a holiday romance
A simple holiday romance.
I wonder should I take a chance?

We walked on the beach,
And we paddled our feet,
And we watched all the swimmers,
And my holiday treat felt complete.
We drank lemonade,
And we sat in the shade,
I thought I must be on a winner
And I acted cool and discreet.
For I knew that Lavinia
Was the shyest lady that I'd ever met,
And I knew that Lavinia
Would only be my lady for the week.

It was just a holiday romance
A simple holiday romance.
I wonder should I take this chance?
Just a holiday romance.

Can this be love,
Can this be lovey-dove
Or just a holiday romance?

I tried to kiss her, she walked away,
She said "Better stop, my husband's
coming to collect me today".
That was the end of my holiday,
Sweet and innocent holiday,
End of my holiday romance.

[Smiley]

The lyrics, combined with the melancholy melody,
always chokes me up...

I know a place not far from here
It's not far away, love, but if you come
I know a place where we'll be alone
And we'll talk of life, the way love used to be

I know a place not far away
And we'll find a way through the city streets
We'll find a way through the mad rushing crowd
And we'll talk about the way love used to be

I know a place not far from here
It's not far away, love, but if you come
I know a place where we'll be alone
And we'll talk about the way love used to be

[complicatedlife]

"One More Time" may be Ray's most beautifully composed song since "Days"...

I was walking on the coast road
When the harbour came in view
It was there I saw the hilltop
That I used to walk with you

We'd sing of the old country
Now it's such a lonesome climb
Our world faded once
When you were mine

Why is true love so difficult to find
Wish you were here to see it with me
One more time
Lalalala lalalala lalalala lala
Wish you were here to sing it with me
One more time

Those economic vultures
Stole our dreams and told us tales
Then they towed away our culture
To their depot in south Wales

Corporations get the tax breaks
While the city gets the crime
The profit's going somewhere
But it isn't yours or mine

Still we blindly trust in the divine
Let's sing for the old country
Come on, one more time
Lalalala lalalala lalalala oh oh
Let's sing it loud with feeling
Come on, one more time

You know I must be leaving
And I know you've got to stay
But you know that I'll be grieving
When you're so far away

And if this should be the last time
I should ever see your face
Let's part with no hard feeling
And a positive embrace

And I will speak well of you
When they ask when you were mine
Till then the jet stream up above
Shows us the warning signs

Till we meet again bravely walk the line
Let's sing it loud with feeling
Come on, one more time
Lalalala lalalala lalalala oh oh
Let's sing for the old country
Come on, one more, one more time

[tourist]

Smile away all your sadness
Your your trust in me...........