Presumably noting the gaping hole at that bit, when it was played live Ray would add in an extra vocal line over that section; here's a 1970 example:
I love Top of the Pops. Isn't the guitar frightfully out of tune though? Is it supposed to be? And I believe that "You're record's just got to number one. And you know that this means? This means you can earn some real money" is the funniest line ever delivered by the very funny R. Douglas.
Leaving aside its issues of cultural sensitivity, I've always really loved the perfectly timed bathos of that line, esp coming after Gosling's mock 'ascending to the stars' organ line. They never did it like that live, it always just ended with 'You're records just got to number one'! which is less satisfying, makes the song seem completely earnest without the punchline.
I agree and I prefer the new version. It's also on the two cd collection. Was listening to it just last night and I was thinking it just sounded better.
Top of the Pops ToTP is a straight-forward riffy rocker with wry and sarcastic lyrics about the music biz. I found Dave's comment on this song interesting: 'I never really liked the song - it showed a bitter side of Ray's writing that has always disturbed me a little - but it was fun to perform.' Personally, I don't get much of the bitterness. I enjoy the lyrics about the music press wanting to hear about the successful rock star's worldview - which are of no greater import than your or my views on politics and religion. It's another variation of the theme in Have a Cigar (ref Roger Waters for next-level bitterness). And I really like the crunchy riff as a bit variety in the album. As a footnote, I read in one of the Kinks books (I can't find the reference just now) that the voice at the end of the song could have been Ray imitating Eddie Kassner - the music publisher who acquired rights to the Kinks songs early on and formed Denmark Productions with Larry Page - leading to that court case that dragged over several years.
Yeah, the “a queen” vs “The Queen” is a big difference. I didn’t catch this until yesterday’s study session. I’m with you. Top of the Pops: terrific song and a keeper. I must confess that I pm’d @Fortuleo , asking what that “na nanana na” riff was a week or so ago. It took me back to my elementary school days and I was going nuts not being able to identify it. Wilson Pickett: Land of a 1,000 Dances. (I skimmed review after review...and there wasn’t a single mention of this! I’m still scratching my head over that.) But, thanks to @Fortuleo , the mystery is solved and I can just enjoy the song. A very clever touch, I think, to have a separate hit song playing in the background while the radio DJ patters on.
Interesting. I agree with you as, other than a biting comment about being forgotten once the record falls down the charts, I don’t see these lyrics as bitter. Not in this song.
Top of the Pops Not a top tier song, but I do love that power chord riff. I think it might be a bit meta since the band used those kinds of riffs to get their first big hit. It’s almost like a proto-AC/DC riff to me, as well. I’m thinking of Highway to Hell. I wonder how much of an influence Dave was for Angus? Anyway, a great song to continue the narrative. I don’t think it works as well out of context of the album. Note that we are now in the present tense, and back in the story of this band — right after listening to their hit. It’s soaring up the charts, and their lives are changing just as quickly. The questions about “politics and theories of religion” (by the way, I just love the delivery and meter of that particular line) is relevant because those questions were being asked! Still to this day, artists are asked about activism and social issues, when really, what does their opinion matter? I like that breakdown and buildup as is, I don’t think it needs a shredded solo. I like the swelling organ sound there. If this was a movie, that buildup section would be a montage of how their lives are changing, with reporters in their faces, trying new drugs, stumbling out of clubs, etc etc etc. The very end leads perfectly into the next song.
The accent, the pronunciation of "R" in "real".. if you were making a British comedy at this time, and one of the characters was a Jewish businessman, this is what he would sound like. Probably doesn't translate to other countries.
I first encountered "Top of the Pops" in its live version, which opened up Side 3 of Everybody's In Show Biz. I like both versions for all the reason the other Avids have already pointed out, as well as the remixed version which also appeared in the 2 CD version that I bought instead of the Super Deluxe Box Set. A nice little capsule history of making it big in the English pop scene circa 1969.The TOTP photographer whose catchphrase was a "shot of a lifetime" was Harry Goodwin. As for the line "I was invited to a dinner with a prominent queen", I believe that the "queen" was Ned Sherrin, who hired him to do the theme for the Virgin Soldiers around this time & who was gay.
Top of the Pops Love this song.... definitely upper echelon for me. Those heavy distortion riffs and Ray's sarcastic lyrics make for a brilliant combo. I always look forward to getting to this part of the album. This ultra heavy rock follows country, vaudeville, balladry... ... I am yet again amazed at how this group can do so many styles, do them all exceptionally well, and most amazing of all effectively link these disparate styles into a coherent and consistently excellent album.
For the longest time, I incorrectly heard this as “permanent Queen” and figured it was a fun Easter egg reference to Queen Victoria from Arthur!
lola is the one album , from their "golden run" which i consider to be from Face to Face to Preservation Act 1 , that continues to grow in stature for me. it's not my favorite kinks lp , that would be Muswell Hillbillies ( which is my favorite album of all time by anyone) and it's hard to place it above Village Green but it's right there neck and neck at number 3 or so. it has so many great and poignant songs that it sounds fresh and remains timeless. i envy the kid today who gets to hear and fall in love with music like this for the first time.
What basically happened is that Disney bought the rights to the Star Wars franchise so that they can keep making sequels. I think JJ. Abrams directed the latest edition.
Same. From reading the other posts though, it sounds like Ray was mimicking a particular person that ripped him off, so if that was the case it is directed at a specific person, not a group of people, so fair bump, play on.
"Top of the Pops": 5/5. I don't remember this song at all despite formerly having the album. Now it's one of my favorite tracks thus far. Nice and crunchy rock'n'roll swiping liberally from "Louie, Louie" and "Land of 1000 Dances." They sure played the melody of the latter enough times. At least they modified the former. Did they get hit with any copyright suits for the extended quotation of "Land of 1000 Dances"? Anyway, the lyrics couldn't be any plainer, the track is played very well, what's not to like?
I just assumed using a slightly altered version of the stale, repetitive, oft-copied "dumbest riff in rock" was a deliberate comment by Ray Davies on what kind of uninspired pop music would get you onto "Top of the Pops."
