FWIW, this is the one KINKS Reprise where you might want to consider the possibility that they actually nailed one sound quality wise, incredible.
I’m always puzzled that the artist manages to seamlessly sign to a new label (after these attack-the-industry/manager) albums or songs. I’d think the next manager or label would ask, “are you going to go after me/us next?” !!
If I didn't know it was the Kinks and someone put on the start of "The Contenders" (before the electric guitar comes in) and asked me to guess I would've thought maybe the Rolling Stones with Keith Richards unusually vocally prominent. Good track. Really sounds nothing like any prior Kinks track (to me), though.
The Contenders As said, a Ronnie Lane feel to the teasing intro before they amp it up in Kinks style. A fun start to the album.
On my CD copy, the folk-country beginning is a separate track called “Introduction.” On my copy, “The Contenders” starts with Dave’s lead electric guitar riff.
The folk-country beginning is the last track at the end, giving the album a circular feel. An echo of Joyce's Finnegans Wake, where the opening line is the second half of the last sentence of the book. Roger Waters also did it with the Wall. The opening before the In the Flesh kicks in is the Outside the Wall melody.
The Contenders A nice little country style opening leading into some good old rock is a nice way to start this album. Not a great song on its own. I like the opening more than the rock part, but it is still OK.
The Contenders can be evaluated separately as 1) a track and 2) a song. As a track it’s got that punch-in-the-chest greatest one hopes for from any ensemble that calls itself a rock and roll band. The band is cooking, and one can almost feel the joy of a group of musicians who know when they are in the right groove. It’s like they took one of the roughly contemporary jams that comprise the “Percy” soundtrack and added words to it. As pointed out elsewhere, it sounds different from other Kinks songs, and the mic’ing, mixing, and overall recording is top shelf. It’s a nice uptempo lead off sound for the whole album. As a song it’s slight and fairly forgettable. I appreciate its expository purpose to set up the concept, but unlike similar expository Ray songs during the upcoming RCA era, this one barely has a melody. I rank it on the low end in the hierarchy of Kinks songs. In the sequence of previous LP lead-ins (going backwards) Victoria, VGPS, and David Watts, it’s about as underwhelming as they come. Ray unquestionably brought his personal obsessions into his art. If you really think about it, Ray’s thematic focus as a rock album arteur from Village Green up until the Arista era explores only two central ideas: A) The desirability of the past vs. an unwelcome present (VGPS, Arthur, Muswell, Preservations 1 & 2 and Schoolboys) and B) the struggle to fulfill artistic ambitions against real world realities (this album, plus Showbiz and Soap Opera.) During these years 1968-1975 he’s musically all over the place (in a good way), but never loses touch with these two central obsessions.
The Reprise 8 track and cassette versions, photos of which you posted up thread, list Introduction as the first track.
This album is also a concept album and tells a story. I always imagined that the beginning was the person (the would be rock star) leaving his mother to "see what it's like on the world outside" and find success. It's like a prelude to the story. He (I'm assuming he's male because it's Ray singing) sets off for the city. At the end, that theme comes back, but this time he's singing to his baby (either a child or a woman) about how he wants to get away from the music industry, having found success and being taken advantage of by...everybody in the biz. So the "Introduction" is a scene setter. "The Contenders" is the protagonist explaining his ethos and motivation. He has to become a rock star because all other options are unacceptable. He doesn't want to do manual labor, but doesn't feel he has the fortitude to do anything else that is viable, so he has to succeed as a musician.
I don't have the issues that others have with this song. It's short and sweet. Great guitar playing from Dave (what a fantastic lead lick). Lovely rock n' roll/blues style piano from The Baptist. It's a fun little rock n' roll number. Yeah, I agree...Ray's vocals are a little bit of a monotone shout more than singing, but they don't bother me too much. I also love how Mick's drumming come in at 1:46 (on the 2014 version). Really cool. I mentioned already in this comment and in the comment previously where I think this song fits in the album's story (if there even is one--I always thought there was, which was at least somewhat autobiographical). There's an interesting line in this song: "We're not the greatest when we're separated but when we're together, I think we're gonna make it." This (in my mind) is referring to the band expressing their drive and excitement. They realize they want to be musicians and achieve a level of success.
My copy splits them. It's the 1988 Reprise CD version. I actually didn't realize they were usually co-joined into one track till fairly recently.
Great thread. I wish I could participate, but I'm no good writer and I don't know how to make insightful and detailed comments about songs.
Also, hope it hasn't been mentioned yet and I have missed it, but there are quite a few sound effects on this album. Rats, Apeman, Denmark Street, This Time Tomorrow and a drum roll in Top Of The Pops.
A professional industry man will always selflessly value his clients right to self expression over his own ego. Like this guy:
We are back! I missed yesterday as I thought today was the day to check back in. I would usually say this album is on par with the last album, but our discussion of Arthur made me appreciate that album even more. I guess I will have to see where this one ends up in 2 weeks. This possibly has a few lesser tunes, but the top tier tunes make up for any slight dips in quality. I am looking forward to going through some of these lesser songs. Looking at the track list I will say this has at least three songs that are among their best and I am not even including the excellent and most popular song. "The Contenders" We are off to the races! There have been several first tunes that kick the door down and start with some high energy. We just had "Victoria" and "David Watts" was another. I think this song could be a "Contender"! I love the sweet intro before it kicks into the powerful riff and drums. Ray also plays some mean harmonica and he is in fine vocal form. A fantastic start to the album! Thanks for the info on the National guitar! I always think of the Paul Simon lyric whenever I see one of those. "The Mississippi delta was shining like a National guitar." Happy to have the song discussion back!
