There's a Change in the Weather Yes - really enjoyed your post! - it's interesting how There's a Change in the Weather is constructed to emphasize the drama - the opening section has an up-tempo but standard 4/4 beat, emphasizing that Working, Middle and Upper class man are in equilibrium and focused on moving forward with their busy lives. But in the background, four whole-bar notes are steadily ascending a scale, the brass instruments rendering them with intensity - warning us that behind all the bustle of this daily activity a pressure is steadily building ... The next "change in the weather" section makes an abrupt move to a rather delicate construction, a 3/4 waltz with one 5/4 measure gently inserted (at the first "It will brighten up my day ..."), while the piano is tapping out the 6 eighth notes across the three-beat bar and Ray sings the melody in a clipped and precious style. Of course, a waltz is the rhythm for a dance with pairs of participants closely linked together while simultaneously performing a series of complex but graceful and integrated steps and movements, which viewed from a distance creates a sort of human clockwork. All of this creates an elaborate musical metaphor for the fragile and complex interdependence that underpins human society, and in which Working, Middle and Upper class man are each performing a role. The third section, as Avid Smiler points out, reprises the ascending four-note scale that was in the background of the first- but now the ascending notes come to the fore, while being compressed into a slow and heavy 3/4 beat, further building up the pressure established in the first section (the rise in note now occurring every three beats instead of every four). Meanwhile the vocals ("See the holocaust risin' over the horizon gonna see a ...") wrap across and around the ends of the measures, creating a swirling effect around the building pressure of the ascending notes. So, this section creates another dramatic musical metaphor for the power behind the storm that's threatening to disrupt the fragile equilibrium that the lives of Working, Middle and Upper class man depend on. It's great fun, great art. I'm not familiar with musicals, I've only seen one and I was disappointed in the music - it was just a backdrop, simply setting a mood, like the painted screens behind the actors setting the scene. It seems like Ray takes a different approach here, the music being a vital component of the story, having a tighter integration with the drama.
I found a vintage We Try Harder badge on etsy recently. I love badges and so even though it's not a Kinks badge, it is related to them, so had to have it. The things us silly fans do...
I remember when I first found this on a bootleg DVD in a thrift shop. I was pleasantly surprised watching it. I felt fully satisfied watching it than some of the times I saw them live despite the relatively short time. It's now part of the DVD of the Kinks at the BBC set.
Ha ha. Get to it! I just got to it today! I finally put all the CDs on my computer for easier access. I am now trying to go through everything that may be new to me. CD 5 is excellent. I love some of the Ray Davies live with the symphony, clearly some heart felt performances.
Unless I missed it, I don't think anyone posted this video. This is my go-to video when I want to listen to Sweet Lady Genevieve. Great concert footage. Someone did a good job on the editing. And the bonus...the lyrics in Portuguese. What's not to like?
I'm listening to Disc 5 right now (it's a dark & stormy night here at the Witch City). I'm wondering if the 1973 VGPS versions were rehearsal versions for the Drury Lane concert. The reason why I think so is because the title track's lyrics have been changed to include "Drury Lane" & the "Music Hall". The "Village Green Overture" is the same as the closing song of the In Concert show. As for the "Picture Book/People Take Pictures of Each Other" medley, the weird speeded up ending reminded me of the Zombies' "Indication".
There’s A Change In the Weather When you meet a stranger and need to make small talk, you inevitably end up chatting about the weather. But here the weather is something more diabolical. I wonder what's going on here, one may ask? So stay tuned, this song is saying to me. But the song certainly can't stand on its own which is a little problematic for me. I do find it enjoyable. But there's a lot going on here. It's got this great groovin' start with soaring horns. And the ladies doing their lovely operetta part with Ray is pleasing. Song as scene-setter.
The BBC In Concert footage: Ray’s harmonica is kinda pointless. There’s a horn section! (Yes, I know he’s using it as a prop. Still makes me laugh.)
Great musical analysis! It made me go back and listen more carefully and appreciate everything that's going on in the arrangement. Thanks for posting. Thematically, the song also reminds me of Al Stewart's song on Past, Present and Future from the same year, "The Last Day of June 1934," about "sleeping Europeans" (Al's term) nonchalantly going about their business on the day that the last serious threat to Hitler's authority was eliminated. The Drury Lane concert was Jan. 14, 1973, and according to the 2018 VGPS liner notes, the recording for these three songs was afterward, on Feb 7th and 23rd. But it does seem odd that "Drury Lane" would have been left in. Hmm... On the subject of the early version of Preservation, I'll include this quote from Ray from the Oct. 20, 1973 issue of New Musical Express on the upcoming release of Preservation Act 1: "I'd made it once this year already. I finished it in March. But I didn't like it, so I threw it away and did it again. Even now it isn't finished. It's only like a rough sketch. It's not a complete masterpiece - the sort of thing you would expect from the amount of work I've put into it. ... I've spent a year - or more like five years - storing ideas for Preservation, and The Village Green Preservation Society was like a rough sketch. Even this isn't going to be finished. I'm very bad at finishing things." (from Uncut Ultimate Music Guide)
Very interesting - I wonder if anything other than the three VGPS re-makes still exists? Or were those three tracks simply removed for three new songs on the released version?
If he kept all these ideas and early versions the Preservation box set would be amazing! Maybe he thinks nobody would care about hearing it or he could have erased it all? This would be a great opportunity to put the entire idea and vision all together. Is there any word on them doing another box set? I would imagine they would do Muswell Hillbillies before Preservation. I should have bought the Arthur one when it was cheaper.
There's A Change In The Weather I can't really add anything but agree with several posters opinions such as operetta, Andrew Lloyd Webber territory and must be listened to as part of the whole and not in isolation. Ray's writing, arranging skills and development are on display and I find the part after the rock section to have some very sweet moments around the tuba where we have a change in tempi and Ray plays with time and elasticity with his deft and softer vocal refrains.
What makes me skeptical of a Deluxe or Legacy CD set for Preservation either or both Acts or any albums that followed is the fact that 1973 recordings from the era were released on the out-of-era (but thematic, yes) VGPS Super Deluxe set and perhaps more revealingly on the 2016 Showbiz Legacy release. Had plans been in place for an expanded Preservation set, surely these unknown same sessions era tracks would have been saved to entice sales on that potential release. We can hope and never say never and things like the weather surely change, but color me doubtful at this point.
The Kinks – The Kinks At The BBC - Radio & TV Sessions And Concerts: 1964-1994 (2012, CD) I don't have it, mind you, but I do have the 2-CD version.
Village Green Overture Pleasantly enjoyable for what it is and a sweet, succinct, stately overture it is.
Picture Book/People Takes Pictures Of Each Other I appreciate the live link offered as I got to hear this fantastic slowed down & rearranged version of the former, now underpinned not by Dave's guitar but by Gosling's fantastic piano part! Not much to add about the latter title except Ray makes sure the horns section are working hard to earn their keep.
Thanks i should have realised you were referring to that set and like yourself I just have the 2CD BBC set.