Kink Kronikles Side 1 and Side 4 are the same LP. So in 1972 they still made stackers? People know what I mean by stackers right?
I remember stackers. My family's 1970 RCA TV/Stereo combo had that thingie where you could stack records on the turntable. I don't think it was good for the vinyl though.
Nah, that's cool. My wife tweeted someone.... ? ..... Aaron Paul or his wife?.... something like that. She got a reply, and was walking on air for a week lol
"Yes Sir, No Sir" is one of the two great anti-war songs on the Arthur album. Maybe one of two of the greatest anti-war songs in rock music. The lyrics are fantastic--scathing, sarcastic, and sadly humorous, I guess what Ray is best at. Ray's "yes sir, no sir" voice sounds worn out and tired. The switch over to the commanding officer's "doesn't matter who you are" part is abrupt, but it has to be I guess to signify it is another character. That voice is also perfect, a sort of nasal whine that leads into this sort of imperial sounding "lalala" part (of a soldiers on parade?) Just totally jingoistic. I love how obvious this section is too..."doesn't matter who you are, you're there and there you are." "Everything is in it's place, authority must be maintained." That's definitely something Ray would hone in on and have a problem with. This is the guy who wrote "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" and, also, on this album, "Shangri-la." Basically celebrating his individuality, er, Kinkiness...order and authority are not something he'd feel comfortable with. Propaganda is touched upon too: "Let them feel that they're important to the cause/but let them know that they are fighting for their homes/just be sure that they are giving it their all." "I think this life is affecting my brain." One can't help but think of Vincent D'Onofrio's character from Full Metal Jacket. I just wanted to add, as others have pointed out, Dave's guitar playing is great in this, but John Dalton's bass playing really shines, I think.
Yeah, one who doesn't like 12 yr. old boys who listen to WAAF. Man, you were brutal to that poor Avid
I never listened to WAAF. It was mostly WBCN, WCOZ, WFNX, WROR & WMWM (Salem State College) for my radio jollies growing up. The only music station I listen to these days is a Cape Cod station that has rebroadcasts of old American Top 40 w/Casey Kasem shows on the weekends.
Side note: my Apple Music favorites playlist has The Ballad of Bill Hubbard on it today. It’s as if The Machine is keeping tabs on the WWI part of the discussion. (And I did listen very carefully to the story of Bill and the trenches and no man’s land. Heartbreaking.)
Yes Sir, No Sir!: This was one of the songs that eluded me at first. I listened to this album over and over, as I mentioned, for about a month straight. I could sing the song straight through from beginning to end, and I found usually towards the end I was enjoying it, but I really didn’t get excited when it would start, usually a sign that I love a song. I’m happy to report though, as I mentioned above, that by taking a bit of a break and moving onto Lola for a while, that when I revisited Arthur, the songs that weren’t clicking previously mostly began to click. This was one of them. In fact, I was just walking around with it playing, and my fiancé started singing along. Clearly my constant spinning of this one has sunk in for her as well.
I was trying to send my wife a picture of something she was looking for earlier (so she knew what it looked like) and it didn't work. It sent the last thing I had copied previous, which was this song. "Oh well" I thought... I got a reply about 5 mins later "that's a great song!"
The time to be concerned is when you each take on different sections! You’re probably okay until then.
Yes Sir No Sir this is a really special song. As Mark pointed out there are a lot going on here. Where do you even start? For one, Ray does an admirable job imbuing all the different voices with the proper emotion. I don't know how he does it, but he does have the knack. Love Dave's guitar in this one. The horns are great. The opening drums are so perfect. and the various musical changes. wow. Ray does an excellent job in painting a picture of this terrible war. stunning.
Yes Sir, No Sir: I have little to add after all your fantastic contributions (specially Zeki's). I just want to say it gives the album part of the variety I love so much in it. It's, again, very cinematic, with different characters and different tones for each character. It reminds me of the first half of Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket (which it predates in 18 years!), which is also very satiric in my view.
i find 2 drags a bit and i did just listen to it all a few weeks back in anticipation of this thread and when i would start being more active , i did see them live on this tour and the show was great! i have always felt that schoolboys and soap opera work better as musicals than rock albums. also saw them live during these tours ( schoolboys for sure , and i think around soap opera)
YES SIR, NO SIR The decline of the British Empire starts here with this anti- first world war song. What happened to the guy singing "Though I'm poor I am free" on the last track ? Well, he was conscripted into the army and into a bloody war. He soon realised his freedom was a sham and maybe he wasn't so lucky after all to be born British. "Pack up your ambition in your old kit bag Soon you'll be happy with a packet of fags" "Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag And smile, smile, smile, While you've a lucifer to light your fag, Smile, boys, that's the style." Well, sorry, but Ray's soldier is definitely not smiling.
Listened to this remix for the first time on my good system - the horns are missing, but it creates more space and clarity for Ray’s vocal performance, which sounds even more impressive than the standard mix.
Victoria I adore this song so upon discovery i decided that I must learn it on guitar so I could do more than just helplessly sing along! I won't go in to the lyrics as others have already superbly done so except to say that i love Ray's delivery as it has sincerity, sarcasm and irony which i think the lack of (this combination) was mentioned with Plastic Man. I have no issue with the repetitiveness of the sung title as this is after all a rousing national anthem Kinks style. Brilliant melodically and simple chordally with uplifting changes going into both chorus and bridge and some great descending bass parts by Dalton which are even more effective as he alternates how he plays essentially the same line which creates urgency that the whole band lock in on. A superb opener with more Glory-a to come!
