The Kinks - Album by Album (song by song)

Looking back, I wonder what made some of those early first day posters drop off. For example, is @Safeway 2 who has all the albums, including solo still about?

For my part, despite reading everything, I didn't post until April 7th, so a few days late. I didn't feel qualified to comment on most of the '60s material, not being there at the time. So, if we go around again, I can do the '60s for the first time.

 

Thank you! “Moments” is one of my favorites so I will report back once I get the set!

 

It's often the way with these threads.
First couple of days some folks will say they are really keen, but they don't get back into it... or they don't see it again... or whatever... not sure why it goes like that

 

Yeah, I was looking back at the start of this thread and surprised at how many people we never heard from again. I imagine it's hard to keep up and many that fall too far behind just give up. There have been a few threads were that happened to me. The Kinks are in an entirely different league though, so I have had no trouble following along for almost two years!

 

I understand folks finding it hard to lock in and follow along.
I appreciate folks joining in for however long. It can get a bit lonely when you're essentially just logging info for someone to perhaps look at it down the track sometime lol

 

I hate when I notice a spelling error 3 minutes after the 30 minute edit time! This is why I should always read what I wrote right after I post it. I think they should give us 60 minutes to edit.

 

I'm not completely sure why there's a time limit to be honest

 

let me know as i was thinking of ordering that set

 

Other People’s Lives

I’ve liked this one too from when I first got the album. But I wonder if this should have been more like a track 3 or 4. Anyway, I like how Ray lengthens the first letter of “Excuse me, I just vvvom-it-ed”. That line is delivered in a similar sort of dry way to his “Excuse me, is this your tooth?” from A Little Bit of Abuse.

The piano that comes in on the “They put it on the internet…” bridge (?) is very 80s/90s Kinky to me. Actually with the use of “internet” here and “la vida loca” on The Tourist, are we sure he didn’t write these lyrics in 1999?

Suave and slinky. I like that. At times, I think his vocal is too laid back. But I do enjoy it… sometimes a verse melody will be 5 or 6 words, but other times it will just be one word broken up by syllable (“au-to-bi-o-graph-ic-al”). But oh so trivial…

Last thing… those female backing vocals (noises?) almost sound X-Rayted!

PS: I just ordered that Lola set!

 

Other People's Lives

The great tracks just keep on coming on this album. The Latin flavour of the music is a real surprise and works a treat. It's a very catchy and immediate track, with great lead vocals by Ray and the backing vocals fit in very well.
Lyrically it is very strong too. Ray has written several songs on this theme (reporters spreading gossip and lies in tabloid papers), but to me this is the best of them, getting the point across with real bite.
An excellent song in every way.

 

Other People's Lives

A catchy song with Latin flavor, full of Ray humor and biting lyrics. Obviously Ray has touched on the subject of the media before. Out of the ones I can think of with related themes, Mr. Reporter, Entertainment, and maybe Word of Mouth, I think the lyrics on this one are the most polished. The rhymes seem almost effortless. Ray’s performance and phrasing is always great, from titillation to autobiographical. I sure wish I knew what the background singer was singing in Spanish. The other song that came to mind with a woman singing a mysterious few lines in Spanish in the background is Spill the Wine. I like the build to a furious instrumental crescendo at the end, my only complaint is that I wish it had continued for another couple of bars.

 

Other People's lives

I like this one too. On the last couple of tracks (too lazy to check), Ray seems to have found his versification skills back. Cool groove.

Of course it is! And it works great for me. The girl's interventions symbolize the tabloid's cheap teasing. I love it, it makes me feel like reading Voici (a French tabloid). My first job was making press reviews, by reading newspapers in search for keywords attached to my employer's customers (we cut the articles, glued them on a piece of paper and faxed or scanned them). Voici was a very sought-after reward after the early morning session.

And Give The People What They Want!

It's true this is a rare case of Ray doing a much better treatment of a subject in his 60s than what he did in the 60s.

 

Happy Birthday to David Russell Gordon Davies.

 

Happy Birthday Dave

Stand Up Comic.

stereo mix (4:31), recorded 19 Mar, 2002 (overdubs recorded Jun 2003) at Konk Studios, Hornsey, London

Now I don't mind if fifty thousand yobos beat me up outside a
football ground on a Saturday afternoon. I'll still come out fighting.
D'you know why? You've seen me on television. I'm the lowest common
denominator. And this is all about yob culture. So welcome to jolly
ol' England! I'm the stand up comic.

Jack the Lad has become Oscar Wilde
And the followers of style say it's the latest thing
And William Shakespeare is the schmooze of the week
And anyone who says different is a ****in' antique
And Noel Coward has become very hard
And the comic says "bollocks" and everybody laughs
And that's that

Style, I mean
Never was much, never has been
But the little bit that was was all that we had
And the clown does a belch and we all belch back
And that's that

Jack the Lad has become Fancy Dan
And creating aggroculture with a rub-on tan
And all the tearaways have got savoir faire
And the working class hero's got tinted hair
And a well-spoken hero from a yesteryear
Walks out onto a stage and they all shout "queer!"
And that's that

Manners, I mean
Never was much, never has been
But the little bit that was was all that we had
And now the clown does a fart and we all fart back
And that's that

Stand up, stand up
Can you hear me at the back?
All you wide boys standing in a row
And the comic shouts
And we all shout back
And the mob says "follow" so we go

Stand up, stand up
Can you hear me at the back?
All you wide boys standing in a row
And the comic shouts
And we all shout back
And the mob says "follow" so we go
And that's that

What do you think of it so far?
(Rubbish!)
I knew you'd say that
You've been watching too much television
Together now!

Jack the Lad has become Oscar Wilde
And the followers of style say it's the latest thing
And William Shakespeare is the schmooze of the week
And anyone who says different is an antique
And Noel Coward has become very hard
And the comic says "bollocks" and everybody laughs
And that's that

Style, I mean
Never was much, never has been
But the little bit that was was all that we had
And the clown does a belch and we all belch back
And that's that

All together now!
Stand up, stand up
Can you hear me at the back?
All you wide boys standing in a row
And the comic shouts
And we all shout back
And the mob says "follow" so we go

Stand up, stand up
Can you hear me at the back?
All you wide boys standing in a row
And the comic shouts
And we all shout back
And the mob says "follow" so we go
And that's that

Well, I'm going down the pub now. You're welcome to join me if you
like but I know you won't. You've all been watching too much
television. Well, I'll be in the public bar, minding my own business.

Written by: Ray Davies
Published by: Davray Music, Ltd.

I love this song, on every level... I'm going to be interested to read what other folks think about it.

To some degree it feels like this song contains more varieties of Ray's styles than any other... it has everything... and maybe that's why I like it so much.....

We open up with a nice solid beat and there's a bit of crowd noise and then Ray comes in with his broad Cockney accent..... This song seems to be looking at absurdities, and being called, stand up comic, I guess that would make sense.

Now I have come across many folks in the US unfamiliar with the term yobo....
So Yobo - Someone, usually a male, who is uncouth, badly behaved and obnoxious. Loud and drunk are also characteristics, but not always present.
I wasn't aware it was used in England, but here we go... I guess it is.

The intro is interesting, and seems to be aimed as a sort of noting of societal degeneration. the yobo's are taking over.
I am the lowest common denominator is a pretty straight forward description, and in this instance Ray announces that he is the stand up comic... and perhaps we interpret this as being about yob culture?

Jack the Lad is not too far removed from yobo really. JTL - a brash, cocky young man.
Oscar Wilde is of course considered a witty playwright, and so we have a contrast.
Shakespear has become the Schmooze of the week, would seem to be saying that he is the lively conversation of the moment, used to impress others.... in the context of yob culture, this of course would be a reversal of reality.
Noel Coward was another playwright and known for his flamboyance, chic and poise, so again saying he is "very hard", somewhat implying virtually a thug, is topsy turvy world.
Then we get the comic saying "bollocks" and that is the height of humour, in this context.

So it kind of seems like Ray is suggesting that things are upside down and inside out, in some way or another.

the next bit seems intended to punctuate that.
Style?
This seems to come across as, "well what's that then?"
and then as if to totally dismiss some false pretense of style the comic belches, and echoing the sentiment, the crowd all belch back...
United against this common affront called style.

The next verse has Jack The Lad in the guise of Fancy Dan
Fancy Dan - a flashy , ostentatious person, often one who lacks real skill
He's creating ... notice that it is Aggro - culture, not agriculture, and he is doing this with a rub on tan... it's a falsehood, a fake, a facade.

The whole idea seems to be that the world is upside down.
The tearaways are seen as having social etiquette.
The Working Class Hero has tinted his hair.
and yet a well-spoken hero of yesteryear walks out on stage and is called "queer"

This is followed by another point of etiquette
Manners?
We get a sort of, well what about them thought on that.
Then the clown farts, and everyone farts back....

It is somewhat like Ray is looking to societal decline, and how it is manifesting in his eyes.

A Wide Boy is - a British term for a man who lives by his wits, wheeling and dealing. According to the Oxford English Dictionary it is synonymous with spiv.

Here we seem to get Ray touching on the mob mentality of the world. It has always been that way... to some degree.

Then we get a sort of breaking the fourth wall moment
What do you think of it so far?
"Rubbish"
Now I'm really stretching my memory here, but this is making me think of Welsh comic Tommy Cooper.

The reply to which is
"I knew you'd say that
You've been watching too much television"

Then we get some repeated sections of the lyric, and we close out with the stand up comic inviting everybody to the pub with him.... but he knows they won't come because they've been watching too much television.
So he states he'll be in the public bar minding his own business.

This is a really interesting lyric, and I think it is likely meant to be appreciated for its style of delivery, as much as the lyrics ... and personally I love it. It's quirky and odd, and frankly, very Ray/Kinks.

There are several angles one could look at this song I guess.
- A social commentary on our declining moral values
- A commentary on a social mob mentality
- I guess it could be an internal discussion of some sort... Meaning, the idea that Ray is investigating some of his internal personality traits. Balancing off the internal contradictions of who he is?... thought that seems less likely in the context.
Some combination of those things.

Personally I lean towards the idea that this is commentary on declining social standards, combined with the age old idea of mob mentality.
Somewhat like the lowest common denominator has become more desirable socially, than the well spoken, well mannered person of the past, who is mocked and called names...
... and that seems pretty spot on to me.

Musically this bounces along really nicely, but for me the real winner here is Ray's vocal delivery. Ray moves deeply into his character voices here, and it puts a nice spin on the lyric... giving it a sort of sarcastic tone... a tone of ,"I could be serious here", but perhaps you won't take me too seriously if I twist these accents and personalities into the song...
I would imagine that this would be a great track to hear live, and if the audience was familiar, it could certainly lead to some fun audience participation.

The opening is great and announces that Ray is feeling a bit playful.

The bulk of the song is driven along by the drums, bass and vocals. We have the guitar in the verses working as a rhythmic indicator, and the clean sound is left intentionally a little thin, to add to the percussive quality, and also to enhance the front running bass and drums.

I love the way the chorus(?) section punches in. even the little synth sound is perfect.
The guitar gets some body and the thrust of the song is undeniably forward.

But like I say, Ray is the star of this show. The band is solid and doing exactly what they need to, well arranged, mixed and produced, but this is like the latter day studio incarnation of Ray's early seventies concert performances. It is all about the character and enthusiasm.

For me this is a fantastic track.... perhaps the high point of the album for me... but there are many, for me at least...
If I was a playlist guy, this would be an instant inclusion.

 

Here's to those of us who lamented about too many songs in the same voice and tempo. It's like Ray heard the complaint… So, yes, yes, yes (as an old nugget said), Stand Up Comic is a Stand Out track.

 

I really like the lounge-jazz music on today’s track.

 

"Stand Up Comic"

"But the little that there was was all that we had" - that's the line that stands out the most for me. It's not looking back from a standpoint of the present day to a "golden age", because there was no golden age. Just something that seemed a little better in the old days that has been lost through the years. Whether you agree with that is another matter, but I don't disagree with the character on the subject of style and manners!

The thing that went hand-in-hand with Britpop in the 90s was "lad culture", and I think that's what's being addressed here, probably from the "grumpy old man" viewpoint. This would still have been prevalent at the turn of the 00s, when this was written. Given that I try to avoid the modern world as much as possible, I don't really know how much this is still a thing. I would say that it's a very Brit-centric song, with references that may not be picked up or appreciated by those outside the UK.

Do I like the track? It's not something I'd want to listen to very often, but it could be seen as an effective modern-day update of Ray's character songs of the late 60s and the theatrical songs of the 70s.

 

"Stand Up Comic"
Well this is a bit different. I like the wordplay going on in this song. Of course, we get another reference to William Shakespeare plus Oscar Wilde and Noel Coward. I like the sound of Ray's voice in unison with the drums. Perhaps this song goes on a bit too long especially as it repeats itself. It is interesting to listen to but I am not sure how well it will hold up to repeated listening. It strikes me as somewhat experimental. Interesting to read @ ARL 's post which provides some context for me because I did ask myself "what is Ray doing here?".

 

Stand Up Comic

Also my favorite track on the album. The band is really good here.

 

As @Mark observed, the best thing about this is how Ray displays his full powers as a performer. If other songs made us think that at sixty +, he’d slowed down and declined physically or vocally, and couldn’t do the extravagant vaudevillian anymore’s, this proves us wrong. He’s back with all his wit intact, as sharp and quick as ever. Like you, I think it’s the most Kinks sounding song on the record, much more so than Other People’s Lives and even Next Door Neighbour, because it has some of the early years stylings, yes, but also some of the 80’s/90’s palette. It has this pumped up Sold Me Out/Think Visual/Uk Jive/Hatred aggressive drive, and Ray firing on all cylinders. I like how the song comes in so late on the LP, when we least expect it. Just as we've convinced ourselves that the guy was mellowing and perhaps developing an "elder statesman of pop" attitude, well, this late surprise forces us to think again.

 

If you watch that "World From My Window" documentary, you'll see Ray doing a take of one of the verses in the studio, and it's clear from there that Ray's full powers are still intact - he doesn't miss a beat.

 

I'll put World From My Window up tomorrow after the song...

That gives folks the weekend to check it out, rewatch it or whatever, and also leaves room for the Sunday discussion if folks decide to head that way

 

Re: Your comments on the female backing vocals.
And I thought I had a good imagination!

 

Morecambe & Wise

 

Wow - that sounds like a good deal. I've been focused on 67-69 Firebirds and Camaros, but I could be tempted and with that pedigree - dang. I had my eye on a sweet little '68 Camaro at an area classic car dealer, back in the fall. It was sold before I had a chance to make an offer. My vision is to get a cool weekend ride. Now, if I can get my wife to get on board!