Well, gotta leave something for somebody to actually click on. (I’m going to read through it all again when I have some more time.)
Wow, Dave suddenly gets two songs on an album! Sadly, it's no Living on a Thin Line, but it's an OK album track - wouldn't make a playlist but wouldn't skip.
Too Hot. stereo mix, recorded Jun 1984 at Konk Studios, Hornsey, London Everybody's working out at the gymnasium, Pumping iron, getting fit, ready to compete. Everybody working on their own body heat. Everybody hustling out on the street. Julian is out there looking at locations, Arthur's on the picket line winding up the nation, Sara Jane's working on her way to a degree, But back in the gymnasium they're working out and body popping. It's gotta stop because it's getting too hot. Cool it down, 'cause it's getting too hot. It's getting crazy, going over the top. It's too hot, it's too hot, it's too hot, it's too hot. All the kids are working out, they're on their way to fame. Arthur's on the war path, here he comes again. The city's like a sauna bath, stinks like a drain. They're pumping up the nation but it's gonna bust a vein. Tourists everywhere, blocking up the streets. My ice cream cone just melted in the heat. And while I do my best to stop my raspberry from slopping, Back in the gymnasium they're working out and body popping. It's gotta stop because it's getting too hot. Cool it down, 'cause it's getting too hot. It's getting crazy, going over the top. It's too hot, it's too hot, it's too hot, it's too hot. It's too hot, gotta cool it down. It's too hot, turn the heating down. It's too hot, the temperature is up. It's too hot, it's too hot, it's too hot, it's too hot. The city lights start shining at the end of the day, Taking the place of the big red sun as it slowly sets. Meanwhile back in commuter city, another kid's packing her bags, And running away. To a city that is really too hot, It's Piccadilly and it's really too hot. Too hot, too hot, too hot. Arthur's working out, now he's really got the muscle, Julian's over budget, now he's really got to hustle, And Sara Jane's living on bag take-aways, And working as a stripper on the school holidays. Sleazy town, gets me down, want some peace and quiet. The police are everywhere like there's gonna be a riot. Back in the gymnasium they're training for a war. Think of all the fun we had in 1984. It's gotta stop because it's getting too hot. Cool it down, 'cause it's getting too hot. It's getting crazy, going over the top. It's too hot, it's too hot, it's too hot, it's too hot. It's too hot, gotta cool it down. It's too hot, turn the heating down. It's too hot, the temperature is up. It's too hot, it's too hot, it's too hot, it's too hot. (repeat) Written by: Ray Davies Published by: Davray Music, Ltd. This isn't probably a Kinks Klassic, but I love this, it's just good fun. We open with a Stones-ish set of guitars and then launch into a fun rock and roll that has some keys added giving it a sort of circus/fairground kind of sound/feel. The lyric is actually quite interesting, and seems to try to capture the feeling of the times and is injected with plenty of Ray sarcasm.... We kind of follow three characters, whether based on real people, or just generic people thrown in for reference points I'm not sure, but I think it works well. Julian is some kind of movie/doco maker or perhaps a news reporter. He's looking for locations and he is over budget. Arthur seems like some kind of activist, and by the end we find he's a gym junkie. Sara Jane is looking to get a degree, living on junk food, and working as a stripper to make extra bucks on the school holidays. We open in the first verse looking at the gym junkie craze of the eighties. It had started with the jogging of the seventies and then we moved into overdrive with workout videos and the explosion of gym's and workout clubs and all the rest of it. I guess to counterbalance the more sedentary lifestyle of all the white collar workers ... but things got a little silly... in my mind at least. There's nothing wrong with exercise, so don't get me wrong, but the whole idea of computer programmers pumped up like roid-boys is hilarious to me... and just another facade in society... "look at me, I'm pumped"... There seemed to be a whole bunch of guys that from the waste up looked like someone had put a bicycle pump up their butts, and it was somewhat like they were trying to look intimidating, but it was all weights and no speed work, and I can't help but think of Jake the Muss from Once Were Warriors knocking out this guy who was inflicting himself on the pub, and making a statement about "... not enough speed work". Ray manages to stick a couple to the idea of the city, that "stinks like a drain", and we have this overriding feeling that the city is hotter than it once was, politically, socially and the temperature itself. It's a very interesting lyric. We have subtle references to Big Black Smoke, Underneath The Neon Sign, and a few other bits and pieces. I love this line "Back in the gymnasium they're training for a war. Think of all the fun we had in 1984.".... and that seems to be the feeling that was being put forward... this obsession with muscling up is based in some kind of ridiculous notion that these folks are getting ready for the big one.... because of course if you're all muscled up, the nukes won't get ya lol... and the hugely sarcastic "Think of all the fun we had in 1984" I'm not completely sure what Ray's overall point was here to be honest, but it tickles my funny bone and being the first time I have seen any of these lyrics, I like them. Musically it is solid, like a sort of rockabilly/pop kind of thing, it just races along in it's own world taking no prisoners. There are some interestingly spaced snare hits, and we get that mid-eighties organ sound that works well and in context here. The transitions between sections are really very smooth and we have some nice subtle key modulations and it's just a really well written song. I reckon this is a really catchy song, and it bounces along really nicely. A solid album track in my world
"Too Hot" I once had an idea of starting a thread on "songs which mention their title the most number of times", inspired by Morrissey's "Dagenham Dave", in which I counted 37 repeats of its title. However, "Too Hot" leaves that one in the dust, as by my counting the title appears 48 times! I don't know whether Mark types out the lyrics or copies and pastes them, but if it's the former he would have been in danger of RSI today! Anyway, this is another one which I think falls into the category of "60s Kinks reinvented for the 80s". It sounds like the starting point of an album built to capitalise on the success of "Come Dancing". The lyric is instantly dated by its references, but there are some classic Ray touches in here - I particularly like "while I do my best to stop my raspberry ripple slopping". As a song I don't think it's particularly a klassic, but I think it would have been a good shout as a single. N.B. "Julien" is Julien Temple, working on the Absolute Beginners movie, and "Arthur" is Arthur Scargill, the leader of the National Union of Mineworkers during the 1984 Miners Strike - I don't think he was particularly known for visiting the gym!
For the record I copy and paste them lol I have to go with what they have, transcribing lyrics just takes too long
Star Star from Goats Head Soup might give your threads best a good run if you allow repetition of its real title that is!
Too Hot Not a very interesting tune, but I like the mood it sets. Musically it reminds me of "When work is over" and that organ from Come Dancing is back which is nice, combined with the return of some brass, it all sounds like a good time. Actually the music does get across the point of a city getting too hot in the summer, being loose and thriving. As far as the lyrics go, I thought it's all about the fitness craze in the 80'es. Rocky III was a big hit around that time and Stallone's newly chiselled physique was surely a factor and probably inspired many to hit the gym. And the whole aerobics thing was also happening. But Ray's take on it is that all the bodies in the gym are getting too hot for him, a bit like "Angst in my pants" by Sparks. That's my take anyway.
‘Meanwhile back in commuter city, another kid's packing her bags, And running away.’ This line seems to have been inserted to foreshadow the next song. Neat little bit of cinematic connectivity: in ‘Too Hot’ it’s just another story in the city observed in passing in this breezy, surface level panorama: then ‘Missing Persons’ zooms in on the private human worry and turmoil behind the headline. Note also ‘Sleazy Town’ getting its first mention in advance of the next album.
I used to put Too Hot in the “light fun vibe” category which I typically associate with the Word of Mouth record. When I look at the track listing, it’s one title I’m smiling at, like “oh, yeah, I think I like that one, Come Dancing's lesser little sister”, melodic, upbeat and a lot of fun. But listening “seriously” (high brows and all…) this morning, it felt a bit flat and generik, perhaps the first time since day one where I can actually picture Ray writing to (his own) order a “Kinks-like” song and not being particularly inspired by the prospect. The lyrics are witty and satirical, I enjoy the "too hot" double entendre : the city heat and the obsession for "being hot" and having "great bodies". But it seems to lack the usual pointed observations, clever situations and instant images imprinted in the listener’s brain (except for the remarkable excerpt @ajsmith's just noted). Musically, it’s not super exciting either. The intro is very Stones, maybe an attempt to mock Jagger’s working out habits? We get the usual multi sections structure (two different choruses back to back), with only the lightly strummed bridge displaying a bit of the old magik. It probably was an attempt at writing another single, as were all five new songs Ray brought to these sessions: Do It Again, Word of Mouth, Good Day, Summer’s Gone, Too Hot. It’s turned out to be my least favorite (last time I checked, I loooved Summer’s Gone). This is a very rare case, maybe the first one since April 2021: a song that has become less appealing after listening more closely for Thread duties. Julien, I figured, but thanks for Arthur. And who's Sara Jane, then ?
Sara Jane is probably just Ray's fictional invention, unless anyone has a better guess? BTW, Mr Temple spells his name with an "e" Julien Temple - Wikipedia
"Too Hot" - a nice Calypso-flavoured song which seems to have quite a bit or word play going on in it. It is lighthearted fun to me. I particularly like the intro which sounds quite different from other fare on the album. Yes, Ray repeats that title quite a few times! I kind of like it though. My favourite lines "Back in the gymnasium they're training for a war. Think of all the fun we had in 1984" (Lou Reed used the line "It's rooted in the fifties but it's heart's in 1984" on a Calypso-flavoured song called "High In The City" {Edit - it is actually "Down At The Arcade" and not Calypso} on 1984's New Sensations). "Too Hot" is a minor song but a fun listen in my book.
Too Hot Dave’s processed cheesy guitar blasts, the way he yelps ‘Hot’ over his brother, the belches of sax, these are a few of my favorite things. As a young’un, I found this song too hot, indeed! I rewound the cassette so many times I knew how many seconds to press that button to get me back to the intro, so I could do it again. Something in its production values seemed au courant to me. Uh Needless to say things have changed. Now I notice the half-baked message that never adds up to much. The shameless musical pun in the ‘Come Dancing’-ish organ riff. And the lines about his melting ice cream. Think of all the fun we had in 1984 must surely be one of Ray’s worst throwaway lyric crimes to date, even as a placeholder it’s no scrambled eggs. The bridge to ‘commuter city’ is neat, though. So, the verdict is...I dunno, there was a kid, in his little suburban bedroom, receiving great joy from this song once...
Too Hot This is more fun than the last few songs as Ray and or Dave aren't pushing themselves and straining vocally and this has a cute summery hook that would melt any ice cream. The hook is from the Archies Sugar Sugar and not a bad one to reappropriate for a light and breezy single. Elsewhere we have kids on their way to fame and I note that from 1980 onwards the show Fame was enormously popular and some body's were popping! The second verses briefly hints at Dylan in a Subbteranian way and later Ray mentions Sleazy Town which he thinks to makes a note of visually. After the "1984" fun we get a bit of a musical build (or muscle) up not too dissimilar from Toni Basel's in Hey Mickey and speaking of over muscling can we blame the old Conan himself Arnold Schwarzenegger? Disclaimer: I apportion no blame to either Jamie Lee Curtis or Jane Fonda for promoting serious workouts even if they appeared to render viewers Too Hot!
Too Hot: I hear the Archies ‘Sugar, Sugar’ that @All Down The Line mentions, sped up to warp speed. I put this in the fun category though, like @Fortuleo , the more I hear the less interest I have. And in my case, that’s just been within the last month! 6 for 8 in the album count (or maybe 5-2-1 with today’s track treading water).
"Too Hot" was first issued on the B-Side of the UK single "Good Day" on both the 7" and 12" singles in August 1984, three months before the Word Of Mouth album was issued in November 1984. Both of these tracks were recorded in June 1984 (the remainder of the new tracks for the album were recorded later in August and September 1984. The three Return To Waterloo tracks that were also released on Word Of Mouth were mostly recorded a year earlier in June-July 1983). The mix of "Too Hot" on these UK singles is a different mix from the later album mix. Ray decided to re-record the vocal and remix the track for the album, so this single mix has a different vocal take. This single mix is drier, lacking the gloss, sheen, added reverb, and some sound effects of the album mix. For one, that slap back effect on the upbeats on the album mix is thankfully absent here. The horns and percussion particularly towards the end are better heard in this mix (nice baritone sax). Oh, and there are a few less “too hots” repeated in the vocals but I’ve never counted them. This mix has never been issued in the US and never on CD anywhere. There is an employee at Konk Studios named Sarah Lockwood Murray who we’ve mentioned before as providing the female vocals on “Yo Yo”. She's listed on all the Velvel CDs in the liner notes Thanks section. No way of knowing if Ray is playing an inside joke here or not. As with "Good Day", Ray's daughter Louisa appears on "Too Hot" doing the spoken word vocals. A couple of the horn players on this track are also the same horn players that were part of The Kinks a decade earlier during the RCA years including that baritone sax. Too Hot (Single Mix)
Ray sneaks in a nice bridge in here - does he really sing “commuter city”? I think I hear Birmingham, or Farmington?
