Mid-Week Songs

 

As we noted Sunday, The Kinks vocalist, rhythm guitarist and songwriter Ray Davies (Sir Ray as of 2017) turned 82. The legendary Kinks (Rock and Roll HOF 1990) were the forerunners of power chord rock and indie music, influencing a generation of musicians from The Ramones, to Peter Townshend, Van Halen and Oasis. We're featuring two of their early hits: the classic, raucous "You Really Got Me," their first hit in 1964, and the catchy satire of upper class Brits in "Sunny Afternoon," released in 1966. Enjoy. 

Weekend Autumn Music

 

Autumn arrives on Monday, so to mark the change in seasons, we're going with a fine classic by The Kinks, recorded in September 1967.  It's "Autumn Almanac," written by Ray Davies in the English music hall tradition.  It was a non- album single that didn't appear on an album until the 1972 compilation album "The Kink Kronicles."  Hope you enjoy.

Weekend Music -- Even More Back Pages

 

Indulge us again as we continue to visit the blog's music attic to relive some musical joys from years past -- some well known, others not -- that we liked then and now.  

We continue again today with an eclectic mix, but heavy on the group sound.  We're providing the date and the link to when the songs originally appeared in Hackwhackers.

R.E.M. (2011)

 

Love (2019)

 

Mt. Joy (2024)

 

Run River North (2020)

 

Volebeats (2014)

 

The Kinks (2020)

Weekend Birthday Music Twofer

 

It's hard to pass up any opportunity to feature a Kinks song or two, so a happy belated birthday to Kinks lead guitarist/ singer Dave Davies, who celebrated his 75th yesterday.  Brother Ray was the main songwriter for the group, but Dave became celebrated as one of the greatest, most innovative guitarists in rock 'n' roll history.  For his birthday, we've got two very different, early Kinks songs, one less- played, the other well- known:  1965's softer "Set Me Free" (that's him at 1:22) and 1964's iconic "You Really Got Me," their first #1 hit.  Dave's creativeness came out on the latter, when he popularized (if not invented) the distorted power chord by using a razor blade to slit the speaker cone before running it through a larger Vox amp.  It became the band's signature sound, and influenced decades of rock musicians ever since. Hope you enjoy.

Weekend Kink-y Music

Fellow blogger Infidel 753 stimulated our Kinks pleasure zone earlier this week with some songs from that highly influential British band, who sounded like no one before them or since. We found it hard to pick from their massive discography, but we decided to limit our selections to songs released in what might be thought of as their "primordial" days as a rock band (1964-67).  They're all songs we grew up on, listening to them on a dinky AM radio or a "record player."  The power and uniqueness came through anyway.  In chronological order: "Tired of Waiting for You" (1964), "Till the End  of the Day" (1965), "Dandy" (1966), and "Waterloo Sunset" (1967).  The songs demonstrate the range of Ray Davies' songwriting talent, from reflective, to exuberant, to sarcastic, to nostalgic.  Great musicianship from Ray, brother and lead guitarist Dave Davies, drummer Mick Avory, and bassist Peter Quaife (RIP). Great, great band.  Hope you enjoy.

Weekend Anniversary Music

Fifty years ago (!), The Kinks released their epic concept album "Arthur (Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire)", one of the most influential albums of its era.  While not as commercially successful as it was in critics' regard, "Arthur..." has been given new life in the form of a 50th anniversary box set edition released today.  In recognition, the Washington Post this morning has an article about how, through this album, The Kinks' "turned a British history lesson into a masterpiece that still resonates."  We're featuring two of the better known songs from the album written (as most of the songs) by Ray Davies:  "Victoria," and "Shangri-La." Hope you enjoy, and "God Save The Kinks!"

Weekend Superman Music

One of our favorite groups, The Kinks, released "Superman" from their "Low Budget" album in 1979. The Kinks were being pressured by overrated record mogul Clive Davis to do a "club friendly" song (this was the disco era, after all).  Ray Davies decided to respond with a humorous take on the wildly popular "Superman" movies, and the "club friendly" sound was subsequently sharpened up by brother Dave Davies' guitar work. And, voila - a great Kinks song that we hope you'll enjoy.

Weekend Timely Music Twofer

We start our weekend twofer with "This Time Tomorrow," a song by Ray Davies performed by The Kinks on their 1970 album, "Lola Versus Powerman and The Moneygoround, Part One." The album was a "concept album" about the music industry, and this song deals with life on the road. (Some of you might recognize this from the soundtrack to Wes Anderson's 2007 movie, "The Darjeeling Limited.") It's a song that is simultaneously wistful and up tempo.



Our second song is by the late Sandy Denny and her British folk- rock group Fairport Convention, "Who Knows Where The Time Goes." Many of you might be more familiar with the lovely Judy Collins version, released in 1968, but we thought we'd share the "original" version by this great artist who died tragically in 1978 at the age of 31.  Hope you enjoy and enjoy your weekend.

Weekend Something Better Beginning Song

In 1965, one of our favorite "comfort" bands, The Kinks, released their second album, "Kinda Kinks." It included such cuts as "Tired of Waiting for You," and this song written and sung by Ray Davies, with a light lead guitar line by brother Dave Davies on his Gibson Flying V. Here's "Something Better Beginning," which asks the age- old question that applies to more than just dancing and dating,

"Is this the start of another heartbreaker,  

Or something better beginning?"

Mid-Week Waiting Song

England's The Kinks were one of the most successful bands from the 1960's "British Invasion." They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, and are recognized as one of the most influential bands of their era.  We're featuring one of their hits from 1965, "Tired of Waiting for You." Enjoy.

Weekend Twofer

We must cap off "Weiner week" with this classic from The Kinks. (How disappointing when you find out that all is not what it appears to be in a public figure.) But, once again, we couldn't choose between two favorites, so we're offering up our second selection in recognition of the record-breaking heat we've been enduring (not the tongue-in-cheek "heat" in which The Kinks find themselves in snowy London!). Enjoy.

Some Kinks in the Equinox

It's just a few days into fall but it's hotter than the air coming out of Oklahoma Sen. Jungle Jim Inhofe's pie hole. Nevertheless, we're noting the passage of the season with this gem from The Kinks.

Happy Birthday

Happy 66th birthday to Ray Davies, founder with brother Dave of one of our favorite groups, The Kinks.