I am not a big fan of Dave's voice or his songs, but I agree that "Strangers" is fantastic! It's by far his greatest song on a Kinks album. This doesn't mean I don't like his tracks on for example Something Else, but they are not favourites of mine.
Strangers This starts off like a slowed down Lola! A fine song from Dave and he puts in a great vocal too. Quite a Stonesy/Keef/Ronnie feel to it, especially with the Hopkins-like piano frills
Strangers Lennono-esque is a great term because it's easy to imagine [pun not intended] the style it conveys. I think this is what Dave had in mind. From Kink: "I wrote 'Strangers' about friendship, reconciliation and unconditional love. About the realisation that we all, at various times in our lives, have to give up a part of ourselves for the benefit of something greater to become part of a greater whole." Strangers marks a new level of maturity in Dave's songwriting. Musically it holds its head high alongside Ray's songs on this album. And the lyrics are universal in their potential appeal and understanding. For me, Strangers is one of the highlights of Lola...Part 1.
So late 90s/2000s rock/emo band Piebald did a cover of this song on their 2007 album “Accidental Gentlemen”. I had several of their albums before this, and when I saw the track listing for this when it came out… I thought, “no… they couldn’t be covering that song, could they? surely this must be some different song with the same name.” Nope, it’s a cover. Using electric guitar in place of some of those piano runs, and builds a bit heavier. But has the same drum outro, because that is such a key piece of this song, and it would be a crime to get rid of those toms.
Strangers I really don't know what to write about this song of Dave's as i want to love it where i only like! Emotive, universal perhaps, mature definitely which I guess are perhaps some of the reasons it is held so high by Kinks & Dave Davies fans. We have searching (for answers or if you like peace of mind) lyrics and a lovely refrain to end each verse but even so i must confess to prefering several other more uptempo songs of his to this fine ballad.
Strangers Beautiful. Stunning. Haunting. I think all these are applicable to this incredible song. This is my favorite Dave song that is on a Kinks album. It immediately hooked me from the first few listens of this album years ago, and became one of my top 3 on the album itself. This has this sorta folkish sing-along melody to it. I realize its not the same melody, but it reminds me of the opening verse of "Don't You Fret". To me, Strangers has one of these melodies that you just can't imagine never existed. It has this sort of call & response thing going on, too. It works really well. I think that sort of gives this a Gospel/hymn quality to it as well. Dave's vocals are achingly incredible. As has been mentioned, you really hear his heart, his emotion, his soul in here. There's these little cracks or vulnerability in those crescendos as he sings certain lines - "all the things I own, I will share with you" Specifically on these lines: "and a promised lie you made us believe for many men, there is so much grief. and my mind is proud but it aches with rage (sidenote - this is SUCH a great lyric) and if I live too long, I'm afraid I'll die" Just try to pay attention to the anguished breaths that Dave takes as he sings across these lines. It's incredible. John Gosling's piano... again, such a beautiful foundation to the sound of this song, along with the organ. Those little piano runs and licks do just what they need to do. The outro... Mick's drumming has this effect on it, I don't know what it is. But it's almost like each big tom hit sorta falls off a cliff. Is that a recording technique, or a production/post-recording trick? It's a very unique sound, and I love it. It conjures up the image in my mind of these two, continuing down the road, walking away from us, toward the horizon where they disappear into one of those water-on-the-road mirages.... Finally, I posted this video back when we had an off-day during the Hidden Treasures week, but here is a very short clip I have of the time I saw Dave performing Strangers live in 2018: Streamable Video
It appears that Mark has shaken off the Long Island ice teas and is back in full force! Yes, I think this is spot on. I can accept this. I was thinking I might try to take a line or two from each song, to tie the storyline together, as we worked our way through the album. And then I looked at these lyrics and was scratching my head because I couldn’t find a line that served the narrative.
This has to be one of the best Kinks covers ever, at the very least for us 90's americana enthusiasts, who always felt the Kinks were one of the key influences of the movement. This was part of a 2006 Golden Smog LP called Another Fine Day, but in truth, it's a duet between two of this whole movement's key leaders, Gary Louris (the Jayhawks guy) and Jeff Tweedy (Mr. Wilco). Very faithful, very straightforward, and very beautiful.
I agree 100% with everything you wrote here. Not to mention, this past year the song was even used in a Super Bowl commercial. I don't think any other Kinks song has that distinction! Yes. And it seems to evolve more so out of the unreleased acoustic-driven tracks he cut in 1969 for his solo LP. Thank god this wasn't written and recorded earlier or it may have suffered the obscure fate of those other songs. My favorite part is the drum outtro. It's eerie, almost ethereal. I'm undecided if it makes sense to the song but if it is an effect that was put in just because it sounds cool, then--bravo--it does. It's like an American Indian tribal beat. I half expect a voice to start chanting at that point.
Possibly not someone a lot of folks here get into, but even Norah Jones recorded a cover of this one....
Lola and Muswell seem to be the most Wilco-like albums off the top of my head. It's nice to hear Tweedy doing this, and seems somewhat to suggest Wilco has a Kinks influence in there.
Wow even used as a live finale by this popular artist! Yeah guys what do I know having just learnt of all these covers!
As usual, my fellow Avids have made many splendid obsevrvations about "Strangers", which I also think was one of Dave's best songs, going somewhat away from the unrequited love & anger of his prior songs to a more mature & searching approach. I also like the drum songs at the end. What is a bit surprising to me is the plethora of cover versions of the song, since I'm a bit out of the loop on modern pop culture. It's amazing to me that these cover versions came out of its appearance in that Wes Anderson movie. I do like his movies, but he doesn't make comic book movies. I remember being the only person in the theatre when I saw Isle of Dogs. Anyway, it shows that having a good song in a movie can be influential.
The movie kick started things, but with covers by such artists as Black Pumas and Norah Jones, Strangers has entered that You Really Got Me/Van Halen territory, where most people who know the song have no idea where it originated, or that it has any connection to The Kinks. It's nice, though, that Dave's bank account has benefited from it, even if the Rats and Moneygorounds get a piece of it.
I wouldn’t say Wes Anderson makes comic book movies* in a literal or even a figurative sense. More like movies for the aspiring intellectual hipster millennial demographic. As Marty said, it's exposure in that one film was more like the seed from which it's current popularity sprang, rather than the ongoing reason for it's enduring popularity. *Not that appearing in literal comic book movies is a exactly bad way for classic rock artists to extend their appeal to the younger set: just look at the success of the Guardians Of The Galaxy Awesome Mix (es) .. even The Kinks themselves have benefited from the ever expanding reach of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with 'Supersonic Rocketship' soundtracking a Rocket Raccoon sequence in 'Avengers: Endgame' (and you betcha the songs Spotify stats shot up after this plum placement!)
Strangers Dave Davies wrote and performed many songs during his Kinks career. Most of them are very good and a few of them are classics. This, however, is magnificent and the best of them all. The organ gives it a spiritual feel, almost like a hymn, that wouldn't seem out of place in a cathedral setting. Clever lyrics mean you can take what you want from it. Has to be on any list of Kinks greatest. Second best track on the album and ought to have been either a single in its own right or on the B side of Lola. As usual, great comments from everybody.
I had no idea this was a popular song. I wish I could hear what everyone else hears. But then I'm less of a Dave Davies-penned fan than some here.
BMI Songview database has it all Dave (assuming he owns Unichappell Publishing...if not, yes, you are right! Rats and Moneygorounds!) Listed performers (in database): Performers BEN WEASEL CROOKED FINGERS FEIST GOLDEN SMOG JONES NORAH KINKS LUCIUS PIEBALD WILD REEDS FEAT BLANK RANGE WYE OAK
Apologies to @DISKOJOE … I misread your post as ‘doesn’t he make comic book movies’ not the correct ‘he doesn’t make comic book movies’ you actually said… hence my wrongheaded response in my first para….. genuinely sorry for mis representing your opinion: Hope you can accept my apology!
Sounds like a mish-mash of “Strangers” and “Pigs on the Wing” with a Roger Waters with an American accent singing.
I believe it is The Kinks’ most streamed song on Spotify (or at least in their top ten, it’s been a while since I’ve used Spotify).
