"Destroyer" When I first picked up this album and looked at the song titles, I imagined that "Destroyer" would be some kind of heavy metal anthem - imagine what a song with this title by, say, UFO or Saxon would sound like. Of course - thankfully - it is nothing like that! It's The Kinks ripping themselves off for a change, instead of other bands doing it. The "here we go again!", "and it goes like this!" and "gimme some paranoia!" asides are perhaps the apotheosis of "Shouty Ray", the very thing I was thinking of when I coined that phrase. It's difficult to take this one too seriously, although there could be some genuine autobiographical content in Ray's lyrics here. It's just a bit of kick-ass rock 'n' roll reusing one of the greatest riffs of all time. The band sound like they're having a blast and that translates to the listener, who can't help but be swept along in its exuberance.
Oddly I'm not sure I ever watched The Don Lane Show... It was certainly in my tv era as a youngster... but I think I was over at the park playing lol
This song has the distinction of being the only Kinks track to be referenced in 2010s Netflix women's prison comedy/drama series 'Orange Is The New Black' in the season 3 episode 'We Can Be Heroes', where it's quoted by the character Alex Vause: Alex: Pipes, I'm losing it. l am totally spinning out. Well... like the Kinks say, "Paranoia, the destroy-a." Well, "There is a red under my bed... ...and a little yellow man in my head."
Well, I'm enjoying more of his record than I thought I would. After the great one-two opening, I'm still not enthralled with "Killer's Eyes" but the folks pointing out the Big Star nick and the friendship between Ray and Alex made my day! I hadn't thought of "Predictable" since the old MTV days. It reminds me of some of the goofy Greg Kihn vids of that era. Good pop fun. "Add It Up" and "Destroyer" are two more excellent songs coming from completely different musical spectrums and these guys have the chops to pull it off with panache. I must say, I'm a music first guy, but I've really enjoyed the focus on the lyrics that we're getting on this thread.
"Destroyer" was a pretty big radio hit - I always liked the self referential aspect of this song. It namechecks "Lola" and includes some of the "All Day" melody worked into it - not many performers have done something like this - later, John Fogerty's "Old Man Down The Road" would reference CCR's "Run Through The Jungle" (but Fogerty did not own the copyright on the song and was sued for ripping off his own song!). Not a song to be taken very seriously but it is a lot of fun. I remember seeing the Kinks perform this on SNL. It was certainly a crowd pleaser in concert. Lightweight material but catchy as anything.
I can't even being to describe how much I loathe this track, it's an abomination. Strikes me that this whole era of the Kinks is a textbook example of You Had To Be There and I wasn't.
It's a shame that The Kinks second Saturday Night Live appearance for this song doesn't appear to be easily available online.. I'd love to see it: the Kinks 3 SNL appearances (1977, 1981 and 1984) were probably their biggest TV moments stateside and from the evidence of this thread seem to be well remembered by those who saw them go out but the only bit of any of them I've ever seen is the medley from the 1977 show.
I wonder if this type of thing is what started the Dave left the band rumour we talked about earlier. Because it seems appropriate
Destroyer It's not surprise that this song is instantly appealing because Ray recycles one of the Kinks Greatest Riffs. He could have read from the phone book as the lyrics and I'd still like it - riff, riff, lead guitar break, chorus and repeat. Probably my second favourite song on the album - this ranking may change as we go on. One thing I'd observe is that there was no coherent theme to the songs on side 1 of the original album but you could make a case that there is a theme for side 2 of relationships in their different forms.
You’ve described exactly how I feel. If this was something done live, a variation on the infamous Lola 1:42, I’d give it a pass (actually, I wouldn’t as I’d be reminded of the 1:42 and become enraged! ). But it’s not. Cutesy, cutesy, cutesy; so no, no, no. The first hard pass on the album making the count: 5/6.
Nicely argued. While I like the song, I will concede that the lyrics and the recycled riff sound a lot like Ray was trying to write a hit song - made to order for radio. In Australia this was at a time when a current Kinks studio song hadn’t been played on commercial radio since Lola was a hit. They just weren’t played. So I was very happy to finally hear a current Kinks song on normal commercial radio.
Destroyer Twelve year old me loved this song. Twelve year old me also loved Dukes of Hazzard. Enough to write in asking for the autograph of James Best, who portrayed Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane, my favorite. Number One ranked network CBS responded by sending back a letter claiming Mr. Best does not grant autograph requests. How’s that for a kick in the head? I wish I could find that letter today. Anyway, it’s time to set aside childish things. I have no quarrel with Destroyer in its live incarnation where the tempo and energy level gets pushed into the red. Live, it’s a great vehicle for Showman (Shaman?) Ray. In fact, this song was consistently on their set lists for the rest of their career. Only on the first leg of the Word of Mouth tour was it played sparingly, but by summer ‘85 it was back as a regular (and in semi stripped-down form, too). For me, this song, through the decades, and paraphrasing Orson Wells, ‘started at the top and worked it’s way down.’ And special thanks to @DISKOJOE, a kind soul, for stepping into the breach while I was shirking my duties. My poker night ended just before midnight. With my chips dwindling I knew I had to take the next decent hand dealt me and go all in. Ace-King off-suit came my way and the chips were pushed in. The flop was Queen-Ten-Five, of which my opponent had a Queen and Ten in the hole. A Jack on the turn or river and I complete my straight. Not on this night. I finished 50/148; you need to be top-ten to be in the money.
I hate having to play catch up on the weekend as I really wanted to engage in GTPWTW but unanticipated detours with work as consumed much of my time recently… Anyway, picking up where I left off after “Around the Dial…” Give the People What They Want - The shouty, repetitive, virtually melody-less chorus is evocative of my least favorite characteristics of “Low Budget” tracks (and no surprise it was conceived during those session) and yet I like it nonetheless. Maybe it’s the verses that won me over—arguably Ray finally getting his history lesson into a song where it doesn’t feel labored, e.g. “History,” “Nobody Gives,” “Education.” It rocks whereas those three don't, though as Kinks rockers go I rank it mid-pack among very strong competition. Perhaps it succeeds for me simply because it’s among a collection of strong tracks, elevating it somewhat in a sort of high-tide-lifts-all-boats kind of way. Killer Eyes — Musically it’s almost like a demo, fleshed out with a bed of synthesizer under it to make it feel more polished. I don’t mind the demo-sounding part. Not so crazy about the synth. No knock on Mr. Gibbon’s talents, but I wonder how different—and possibly better?—the music would be if the synth was replaced with Pye-era harmonies or RCA-era horns. Anyway…minor quibbles because subject-wise… …welcome back, Ray. Don’t let the surface topic of a killer distract you from the power of this song. This is a layered lyric, the depth of it being not about the killer, but about the parents of one. The heartbreak of having a child who grew up to turn into this. Note how Ray doesn’t need to overly say ‘I’m the parent.’ He reveals it in the details: the insight into the killer’s childhood that only a parent would have (“you cried the way other children cried.”) The little sister still in the household. These are the kinds of detail writing the past few albums have largely lacked, so welcome back subtle Ray the lyricist of 1966-71 where detailed touches conveyed empathy in such winners as Rosie Won’t You Please Come Home. Big Black Smoke. Two Sisters. Some Mother’s Son. Oklahoma USA. Killer Eyes doesn’t have that kind of poetry, of course—the wording is pretty stark—but it comes closer to my favorite version of the Kinks than anything else on this record. Predictable - For all Clive Davis’s radio-friendly marketing savvy, how does he determine this offbeat number is a single? After trying to steer the band into syrupy ballads like “Brother,’ or encouraging the aping of existing formulas on Low Budget, maybe…just maybe…now Clive is starting to ‘get’ the Kinks, opening the door to releasing things like “Come Dancing’ that don’t hew to rock radio expectations. “Predictable” is different—that chugging, plodding pace. There’s nothing else on the record quite like this one and God Bless the Kinks for it. It teases like it is going to go ska at a few places but never commits, which makes its address that special Kinks-ian place. It’s a great track that I didn’t appreciate at first. It has grown on me over the years. Another winner. Add It Up — One of those rare Kinks tracks I have zero strong thoughts one way or another. It’s just sort of ‘there’ without leaving an impression. I suppose if I had to ID a weak link on side one, I’d say this is it. But it’s not a weak song…which simply points to what a great first half GTPWTW is. Destroyer — It’s gimmicky in its employment of a classic riff, but beyond that my take on this is pretty much identical to my take on another classic riff appropriation, “Catch Me Now I’m Falling”: a number that highlights the band members going through their paces—which they do well—but not much substance beyond that. This one hasn’t aged well for me. Probably my least favorite on the disc. Combined with the next song—coming Monday—side two’s beginning is the least interesting section of GTPWTW for me.
Destroyer captures my attention from start to finish, every single listen, due to the narrative (and Ray’s dynamic performance of it) which puts you on the edge of your seat; the protagonist is a ticking time bomb and we are waiting for him to explode. The band is locked in perfectly, and the sound recording is one of their best imo, clean but somehow claustrophobic. I’m always impressed with how the piano comes through so clearly among all of the heavier elements in the mix, and it’s a nice accent to keep things rolling along, undercutting the heaviness just a touch to prevent the song from getting too dire. I look at the return of ‘the riff’ and Lola as the aging of the protagonist. When he was young, life was simple, he just wanted to be with his girl; things get a bit more complicated when he moves out into the wider world and meets Lola; finally his childhood is over, he has a job and responsibilities, aging and modern life is taking its toll, and he’s starting to suffer from anxiety, stress and paranoia: in short, things are not like they used to be!
Destroyer Now we're getting to the good stuff I remember from this album! I think I must have listened to side two more than side one. This is a cool song that gives homage to the Kinks past both musically and lyrically. It was fun to see live too as when Ray sang, "Stop..." the whole band kind of froze in place for a bit. This certainly got a lot of radio play in my area-more than what its #80 chart position indicated for the entire USA.
Destroyer: For better or worse, this song served as the template for their 80s success, sounding new/of its time while demonstrating a strong self awareness of the band's legacy. I was going to make the same reference that stewedandkeefed made with John Fogerty and "The Old Man Down the Road" on Centerfield, and the strange fallout that ensued. As I noted earlier, with the doofuses partying in the parking lot of Stabler Arena back in early 1982, this seemed like the only Kinks song they knew. FM radio was playing this to death 1981-82, and it surely wore out its welcome. But I can still listen to it now! This whole era - this, the next two albums and Return to Waterloo - really sits well with me now. Ray seemed invigorated by the band's success, the advent of video and a strong desire to tour continuously. While I was deep diving punk/new wave and soon falling in with the American indie scene, The Kinks were one of the few older bands who seemed to move in time with this era.
The Kinks 1981/82 Touring. Give The People What They Want was recorded between May and June 1981, and released in August in the US, and January 1982 In Europe... as we already spoke about, due to wanting to do a full video album... which of course never happened. The 1981 shows started on the last two days of April 1981, in Ireland. Over the course of May the band were touring around the UK. They also did 4 UK shows in June, and their first US gig of 1981 was August 5th in New Orleans. August was a fairly intense US focus with 14 US shows and The Reading Festival in the UK on Aug 3oth. Aug 14 - The Forum, California Around the Dial The Hard Way Bird Dog Catch Me Now I'm Falling Yo-Yo Tired of Waiting Killer's Eyes Lola (tease) / Blues Lola Back to Front Too Serious You Really Got Me Misfits Cabaret You Really Got Me Gallon Of Gas Celluloid Heroes 20th Century Man All Day And All Of The Night encore Give The People What They Want Pressure Twist And Shout 2nd encore Low Budget Stop Your Sobbing Batman Superman Aug 19 - Hollywood Palladium Around the Dial The Hard Way Where Have All The Good Times Gone Bird Dog Catch Me Now I'm Falling Yo-Yo Lola Too Serious Back to Front Misfits You Really Got Me A Gallon of Gas Celluloid Heroes All Day And All Of The Night Give The People What They Want Come On Now Low Budget Twist And Shout Destroyer Pressure Aug 21 - Greek Theater, Berkeley Around the Dial The Hard Way Bird Dog Catch Me Now I'm Falling Yo-Yo Lola Where Have All the Good Times Gone Tired of Waiting for You Too Serious Back to Front Misfits You Really Got Me Gallon Of Gas Celluloid Heroes 20th Century Man All Day And All Of The Night Give The People What They Want Twist And Shout Waterloo Sunset David Watts Better Things Pressure Low Budget Superman Aug 30 - Reading Festival Till the End of the Day Victoria All Day and All of the Night Plastic Man You Really Got Me Waterloo Sunset (the only songs listed) In September it was back to the USA, and also quite a few gigs in Canada. October had a few more gigs in the US, and then they seem to have had a short break. The guys end up in Ireland again Nov 20th for their only November gig. Then in December they played eight shows in Germany between Dec 1 and Dec 10. It's interesting that most of the shows seem to have Too Serious from Dave's glamour album. Sep 21 - Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Columbus Ohio Catch Me Now I'm Falling Lola You Really Got Me All Day and All of the Night Give the People What They Want Yo-Yo Too Serious Destroyer Art Lover (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman A Gallon of Gas (The only songs listed) Sep 25 - Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto Around the Dial The Hard Way Catch Me Now I'm Falling Destroyer Yo-Yo Lola / Toronto Blues Too Serious Art Lover You Really Got Me Back to Front A Gallon of Gas Till the End of the Day Celluloid Heroes 20th Century Man All Day And All Of The Night Give The People What They Want Misfits Low Budget Batman/Superman/Shakin' All Over Little Queenie Twist And Shout Oct 3 - Madison Square Garden Opening / Around the Dial The Hard Way Destroyer Yo-Yo Catch Me Now I'm Falling Better Things Lola / NYC Blues Too Serious Art Lover Waterloo Sunset You Really Got Me Back to Front / Get Back Gallon Of Gas Till The End Of The Day Celluloid Heroes 20th Century Man Killers Eyes All Day And All Of The Night Give The People What They Want Misfits Low Budget Add It Up Superman/Shakin' All Over Pressure Village Green Preservation Society Twist And Shout I'm assuming the MSG gig was a pretty big thing for them, and they seem to have really thought about the set list. January 1982 and the band was back in the USA In February it's nice to see the lads went to Australia playing in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth .... I scratch my head and wonder how I could have missed them, but I was 13, so I probably couldn't afford it or something. They played 10 Aussie gigs all up. Feb 19 - Hordern Pavillion, Sydney (final Aussie gig) Around the Dial The Hard Way Where Have All the Good Times Gone / Tired of Waiting for You Come On Now Destroyer Yo-Yo Lola Dead End Street A Gallon of Gas Low Budget Add It Up Art Lover Celluloid Heroes Till The End Of The Day Bernadette All Day And All Of The Night encore Give the People What They Want Pressure Twist And Shout Stop Your Sobbing David Watts You Really Got Me February rounded off with 4 shows in Japan. In April we have the Essen show that would be the Rockpalast gig. April 4 - Grugahalle, Essen Around the Dial The Hard Way Where Have All the Good Times Gone Catch Me Now I'm Falling Come On Now Destroyer Yo-Yo Lola Dead End Street Add It Up Low Budget Art Lover Back To Front Gallon Of Gas Celluloid Heroes Till The End Of The Day Bernadette All Day And All Of The Night Give The People What They Want Pressure You Really Got Me Stop Your Sobbing David Watts The next set of gigs are in June and it's back to the USA. 2 gigs in August Then the US Festival in September Sept 4 - US Festival Around the Dial The Hard Way Where Have All the Good Times Gone Catch Me Now I'm Falling Destroyer Yo-Yo Lola Entertainment Low Budget Back to Front Art Lover Celluloid Heroes Come On Now Gallon Of Gas Till The End Of The Day Bernadette All Day And All Of The Night You Really Got Me The last shows in 1982 were in December with one show in Scotland and the rest around England. It's here that Come Dancing enters the set, and they were probably trying it out, perhaps refining it for the album they were recording over this period.... perhaps testing if it was a single.... which we know it was. One of the interesting things about the sets I see, is that Destroyer and All Day And All Of The Night were generally both in the sets... Which is pretty interesting in itself... Definitely different songs, but obviously very similar, but the spacing in the set probably made it work ok.
Against the odds, Destroyer transcends its derivative origins and becomes a worthy entity in its own right, for me anyway. The whole 'keep calm' section rings painfully true.
I mentioned this weird setlist when we covered 'Plastic Man' as it's the only instance I could find of the song being played live: but I'm highly doubtful of the veracity of this set: would they really do only 60s songs, even at a British festival? I really doubt it. I'd also really like to know if there's anything to this suggestion that they whipped out 'Plastic Man' out of nowhere 12 years after it's release as a flop single, and if there's not where that idea came from. Surely someone somewhere taped this show (being a big festival appearance) so what they actually played can be verified? We live in hope.