The Kinks - Album by Album (song by song)

There is a Turquoise CD compilation that came out on Rev Ola in 2006 which I have called The Further Adventures of Flossie Fillett The Collected Recordings 1966-1969
that includes their version of "Mindless Child of Motherhood". There's also a Turqoise song called "Sunday Best" on Looking At The Pictures In the Sky The British Psychedelic Sounds of 1968, one of the 60s Brit Psych compilations on Grapefruit that I recommend. I also have those Nuggets II & MOJO box sets which I also like very much.

 

Apparently this is the one track from Dave's solo album sessions that's definitively confirmed as having John Dalton on bass!

 

It is truly devastating just how many of Dave’s early songs are about this one subject, repeatedly, obsessionally, painfully. It makes all those songs sound like a failed catharsis, like nothing could ever be enough to exorcise the trauma.

 

Mindless Child Of Motherhood

This is more naked and direct than "This Man He Weeps Tonight" as it sounds to me like a more explanatory narrative of likely the same tale.
I think it is musically a bit more cohesive though I am not sure if it is the better song or not?
Dave is truly pained here and spilling out his emotions in all directions before perhaps even harder realisations sink in and he is left to weep tonight in his next songwriting endeavour?

Wonderful post above by Avid @ajsmith
I had also considered both sides of the mother daughter coin and came out on the view that it is Sue the mother.

Her new parental life (as far as Dave may be concerned) is possibly a relentless day in, day out repeat and he also fears Sue doesn't love him (as he has been told) and perhaps also vice versa?
So the mindless part could also be in part being bent to her parents will concerning Dave and we must remember that she is still only a child though having entered into motherhood!

Poor Dave, he is the thing that's good...... and also to is his songwriting!

 

You beat me to the same conclusion sir as I was typing when you were posting!

 

In this interpretation, the "motherhood" is Sue's mother? I was thinking it was the act of being a single mother to the "bastard son" that Dave is unable to see. But, I think like we've seen with a number of these songs, a lot is up to interpretation. Such a powerful song that I can't imagine anyone else writing.

 

Up until now, I never really paid much attention to the lyrics of this, because I found them too difficult to make out. To me, it's always sounded like an alternative "This Man He Weeps Tonight" in the same way that "Don't Ever Let Me Go" sounds like an alternative "You Really Got Me." There's also a musical similarity between the "I Was Your Friend" part and "...Starstruck On Me," which probably not coincidentally, is another song about somebody lecturing someone they once knew about how they've changed.

This would've been a welcome addition to "Arthur" proper, instead of just a bonus track. Merely shortening the fade-out of "Australia" would've made room for it.

 

Yep, that's where I got it! Cool to see someone else familiar with it. Great website, though I think it may be best if I keep any further endorsements of such graymarket music distribution to myself

And I agree that Ray's refusal to publish his demos is more than a little frustrating... I think anyone devoted enough to purchase a Kinks boxset could forgive any "embarrassing" or underdeveloped aspects of his demos. I think I can speak for everyone on this thread when I say that I would grateful for any "improper" Ray demos released in their entirety.

Mindless Child of Motherhood

Like This Man... I think this is one of Dave's best songs. I find it interesting that he chose to release Hold My Hand/Creeping Jean solo instead of these two. I've never been a fan of either side of that single but these B sides are some of the best he's done. Both probably top 5 Kinks 1969 tracks for me actually. I love the bouncy piano part and the descending guitar line in the chorus. Expertly composed.

I was going to post the cover by the band's Muswell Hill-dwelling neighbors Turquoise, but I see ajsmith has beaten me to it! As aj mentions, they made two very Kink-y singles in 1968 that are both incredible. I'd recommend the compilation "The Further Tales of Flossie Fillett" as the best way to hear them, as well as some unreleased tracks of theirs including my favorite: "Flying Machine."

Glad to see someone else so enthused about Turqouise too... I was completely enamored with that compilation when I first heard it. Along with Jason Crest, I think they are the biggest "what-if" British pop psych band!

 

I don't disagree! I do believe several years after the attack, he had a blood clot that was attributed to his injury. Not to mention the mental anguish it must have caused him. He's a pretty sensitive guy so no doubt it was very tough on his psyche. But I do believe there is more at play with regard to his current health, but I do not want to venture any further as it would be conjecture.

 

Mindless Child of Motherhood mondegreen:

@ 0:47,

How was your friend ?!?!
How was the food?!?!?!
I feel, for you know a pharaoh cried.

This may be sacrilege to some, but the chorus always feels like proto-Rush to me. Reminds me of the cadence of "Limelight."

It rawks.

 

Just popping in to say these are two of my favorite tracks in the entire Kinks katalogue and possibly my two favorite post-Village Green Kinks tunes. Well done, David.

 

I can’t see Mindless Child of Motherhood as a single. Not for a moment. “Mindless child of motherhood, you have lost the thing that’s good” (repeat). That’s a mouthful and isn’t exactly a catchy chorus. Nope, don’t see it at all.

On the other hand, This Man He Weeps Tonight? Maybe (as a single).

 

You and I might have talked about this before, so if you've answered this for me in a different thread in the past, forgive me:

I think it's Dalton on backing vocals here. It doesn't sound like Ray to me.

 

I don't think anybody has posted this yet. The BBC live version of "Mindless Child of Motherhood" from 1970. I like this version more than the studio version. I think this performance is killer...especially the drums. And I love Dave's vocals here...in my opinion they are much better than the studio version's. Dave almost sounds like Steve Marriott here.

 

Mindless Child of Motherhood is a fold on Kink Kronikles only. AFAIK the dedicated mono mix is used elsewhere.
I always wondered why it sounded so lousy on Kronikles. The stereo and dedicated mono both sound way better.

 

Yes, I agree it’s a superior version in every way, except it doesn’t have the so called galloping intro, which is the catchiest most distinctive part of the song in my opinion…

 

Cheers mate

 

Quite a few of Dave's songs over the years have given Mick the opportunity to showcase his skills. Love Me Till the Sun Shines is another.

 

I want to share this review of today’s song: Certain Songs #863: The Kinks - "Mindless Child of Motherhood" - Medialoper

An excerpt:

“This is followed up with the most sublime music The Kinks have ever created — Dave’s guitars swirling in and around a keyboard (unless it’s another guitar) and Mick Avory stop-timing with his snare and crash and the whole thing is haunting and lovely and uplifting.

That’s what’s so amazing about “Mindless Child of Motherhood:” the vocals and lyrics are one long scream from hell, but the music sounds like the chimes of heaven itself. It’s that tension that makes “Mindless Child of Motherhood” infinitely listenable, sad and uplifting at the same time, and an absolute peak for one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands ever.”

 

Mindless Child of Motherhood
Mark did a great write up as he touched on everything I would have said about it.
Yes, indeed, what does mindless child of motherhood mean? I haven't a clue.
Love the intro to the song. Great bass.
and Dave kills it with his vocals. Perfect vehicle for his unusual voice. and I guess that's Rasa in the back. As Mark pointed out, it's buried deep in the mix...and it makes it kind of spooky. is that a ghost? the ghost of Sue??? LOL
Love this song!

 

I was thinking about this Mindless Child Of Motherhood, and reading the posts...
I wonder if the gist is that Sue was still a child (of sorts, as was he) and she mindlessly, or involuntarily, fell under her mother's coattails, believing what was (seemingly) obviously not true?
Directed by the Matriarch, as a child with no freewill?

 

I cannot remember if it was Pete or Mick who said it was always fun working with Dave because he gave them more freedom in terms of their playing.

 

Yeah, I think that’s it. Except apparently both Dave’s and Sue’s mothers conspired and said the other didn’t want to be together anymore. Neither Dave nor Sue realized they had been lied to till the 90s. So in 1969 it wasn’t obvious that it wasn’t true to Dave yet.

"I know that it's unfair to bare a bastard son/but why do you hide him?/When we both could share the love?"

"I was your friend/I was a fool/I feel for you though we're far apart"

"Mindless child of motherhood, you have lost the thing that's good to me."

The speaker is Dave. I think there is some venom to this song. He is angry for what (he thinks) Sue has done to him.

 

You know, I’ve noticed that before too, and it has bothered me as well.

 

Ironic.