hmm, perhaps. Suzy was happy though before Johnny’s MIL butted in. My theory is Suzy tells Johnny about “mama” and what she wants, and “little mama” is Ray’s way of trying to belittle the MIL. As we have seen, many of these lyrical choices are open to interpretation! No one is wrong.
It is a really interesting lyric... I'm would never presume to know Ray's mind, I struggle with my own
Now I had to take another look as part of a Kinksian scholarship exercise. I thought “little mama” was Suzy, his wife...until the very last line where it sure does sound like it is a clear reference to the mother-in-law. After all, it is very clear that Suzy and Johnny were happy initially. But at the end “Suzy's separated, living with her ma Now little mama's satisfied.” So I now lean towards little mama being the mother-in-law. She is the only character that isn’t specifically named.
"Situation Vacant" This is perhaps the track on Something Else which sounds most like it could possibly have appeared on the previous album, the nearest thing to a "normal" rocker. Terrific drumming from Mick on this, and the organ is a key part of the sound. Some interesting spins on the lyrics in the posts above...I won't add my own - mainly because I don't have one! Of course, "mother-in-law jokes" were very much a staple of any British comedian's act at this time, so it's notable that Ray came up with a "mother-in-law song". It's a very strong track and a good way to end Side One. As I mentioned before, as I first heard this track on Golden Hour Vol 3 without the reprise, it was quite a surprise to hear that first time I played the album. I was intrigued by the mention of "Rasa's vocal in the fade", so I played the version in the YouTube link...I have never heard that part before. I then checked back to the version on my copy of the album, and that vocal part is definitely not there. Also, the second fade is longer on my version.
That intro does sound like it could launch into a song from Odessey and Oracle. Good observation. I doubt they stole anything, but it's a piano style that is reminiscent of Rod Argent around that time.
Yes, two different stereo mixes exist for Situation Vacant. One with those vocals and the other without. Also note that three different stereo mixes of Tin Soldier Man exist with one of those being a recent remix on the 2014 Anthology Box. This does not include the alternate backing track on the 2011 Deluxe Set.
Situation Vacant is another song I don't really like. It tells a sad, pointed cautionary tale but again, the tune doesn't appeal to me, as the slightly bluesy ones often don't, coming from the Kinks. As with the previous song, I always skip it. It does feel a little anti-mothers-in-law but I suppose it's about a particular mother-in-law and a particular situation.
Interesting though Ray has also said that he contemplated walking away from music for a regular job at one point!
I'm sure Ray has contemplated every manner of things. I think his choices made it clear that he was never suited for it. nor was his brother. Glad they made the choices they did though.
That's a superb post and I think you have insightfully unveiled a crucially central part of Ray's thinking and thus writing. Ray reveals so much to us but always in the observationist's eye to hide revealing serious doubt or self perceived flaws in himself. @Fortuleo you have the making of a university thesis here on Ray & The Kinks entire career!
No you are most correct they were not but it seems Ray's personal neuroses had him seriously consider it!
“If mine is vacant”. I see what you did there . It’s on several releases, but the easiest answer is the 2011 Deluxe Set Something Else By The Kinks has the stereo Rasa backing vocal mix.
Wow, I've got some catching up to do! The wife and I went up to our cabin in the mountains of beautiful Manzanillo Bay in the state of Colima Mexico. When we go up there to escape we literally escape. No TV, WIFI, telephone. So please excuse me if I repeat prior comments. I skimmed through a little, mostly focused on Mark's comments. I love The Kinks so much I want to stay involved here. No Return- With samba-like percussion and almost flamenco-inspired guitar this is definitely bossa nova in my book. Ray says in the liner notes of Ryko's wonderful This Is Where I Belong CD that "No Return" covered by Bebel Gilberto was written with her mother in mind to sing it. Harry Rag- The Cockney smoker’s lament of “Harry Rag” is a bouncy tune with a militaristic singalong chorus that's so toe tapping and extremely catchy which lend the song the feel of a popular drunken pub favorite. Ray's influenced a bit by Vaudevillian of the past. Tin Soldier Man-The music hall bounce and big brass sound continues with “Tin Soldier Man'" Like others at first listen so many years ago, I thought he was singing about soldiers, but as in almost all Kinks music the title is just a title and as you get past the surface you start to interpret things differently. For the times it would be easy to see as a protest song, but this particular figure gets to go home to his wife and kids and rinse, wash, repeat his hum drum life. OBTW love the snappy horns. Situation Vacant-Back to some rock 'n' roll courtesy of Suzy and Johnny. Lyrically Ray is still storytelling (the breakdown of the marriage on the nagging mother-in-law) and the strength of his skills and the rock beat make the song fun and danceable.
Sometime on these Mojo cover CDs I've often wondered if a single house band is doing all the covers and just using a different name each time. But regardless I enjoy all of them and especially this rocking cover of "Situation Vacant" Nice job here...
The 69'ers were an Australian rock, pop, jug and country band formed in 1969. They released two albums, The 69er's Album (1971) and Francis Butlers 69er's Live (1974). The group toured Australia and appeared at the Sunbury Pop Festival in 1973 and 1974. The ensemble went through numerous different members, including two competing line-ups, before finally disbanding in February 1976
Tin Soldier Man An earworm for sure with it's strong melody that embeds bright primary colours in my head whenever I hear it. 20 years back when my nephew & niece were in single digits I would this and Harry Rag for them at every opportunity. I never saw it as being about an actual soldier and though it was fun picturing it as a toy kingdom I saw Ray was visiting a familiar theme of Well Respected & Plastic Men that superficially were likely very Pleasant. A cute song that again strongly shows Ray & The band's varied talents but not an album favourite of mine.
“Situation Vacant” could be a TV sitcom in the vein of Everybody Loves Raymond. The entire series story arc is described in the lyrics. You got the husband and wife, the mother-in-law, plenty of episode ideas as Johnny looks for different jobs. It’s even got a super catchy theme song. Any TV execs on this forum? How do we make this happen?
So seven songs in, we’re done with Side 1. Myself, I like/love all the songs (ranking : Two Sisters/Situation Vacant/Harry Rag/Death of a Clown/No Return/David Watts/Tin Soldier Man), with Two Sisters holding a secured place in my personal Kinks pantheon. As @mark winstanley showed yesterday in his opening post, the lyrics can be seen as following an arch, or a thematic logic. But, as many others noted, the songs are nonetheless incredibly diverse. All of them have specific sounds and instrumentation, hooks and production ideas that set them apart from each other, which is not something that can be said of Face to Face (or any other Kinks albums, for that matter). Every single song could be named after the LP. Here’s "something else", guys! And "something else" yet again! And at the same time (here comes the real amazing part), they're all incredibly, unmistakably, typically “Kinks-esque”, even when they use traditional forms or styles, or quote a Dylan organ hook (kudos to @ajsmith for catching it!). A quick glance at the Side 2 tracklist shows they certainly maintain this diversity for the whole record. Indeed, that’s really something else. By the Kinks.
