Guess I should have caught up on other peoples posts before I posted the version when I found it. Good work Donstemple! That was it! …and I agree, not as good as the final version but still a fun listen.
"I write so many cheques that my fingers get cramp I've got so many women that I wish that I wasn't a man" Money and women are obviously not enough for rock-star Ray.
Good Life I really like this one. And I'm not sure why others are saying it wouldn't or shouldn't fit on the Lola album. Sure, if you have to remove something and replace it with this, then maybe an argument can be made (i vote Rats. ) I guess I do know this one and it must be from the Lola deluxe set. I do think the quieter space after "good good food/good good wine" and the grunt are pretty cool. I'm there for that. and between the guitar sound and the vocals, I definitely hear the T Rex sound. I don't mind it a bit. I wonder what Ray thought of Marc Bolan. I'm not sure I've read anything about that. This is a solid 'throwaway". I like "shouty Ray" (has this been trademarked yet?), but I know Ray's voice is not good any longer and the worrier in me thinks "Ray, you did too much screaming in your career and broke your vocal chords". don't know if it's so, but that's what goes through my mind when I hear him doing this.
Ray’s voice was still good live until the last decade or so (as the 2010 recordings on the VGPS box attest…) but sadly it seemed to take a sharp nose dive within just a few years later (as his poor 2014 Jools Holland appearance would attest ) … nevertheless imo he still sounds pretty good on the 2 Americana albums from 2017 and 2018…I think he’s admitted himself recently that he saves all his efforts vocally for his studio work these days, which seems a wise re allocation of finite resources.
Dave Davies – Decade Label: Red River Entertainment – RRE-LP-193, Green Amp Records – RRE-LP-193 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Compilation, Remastered Country: UK, Europe & US Released: Oct 12, 2018 Genre: Rock, Pop Style: Classic Rock, Pop Rock A1 Cradle To The Grave Drums – Neil McBain Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar – Phil Palmer Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – John Gosling (2) Vocals, Backing Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Dave Davies 1973 A2 Midnight Sun Drums – Neil McBain Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar – Phil Palmer Electric Organ [Hammond Organ] – John Gosling (2) Vocals, Backing Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Dave Davies 1973 A3 Islands Bass – Andy Pyle Drums – Nick Trevisick Vocals, Backing Vocals, Electric Guitar – Dave Davies 1978 A4 If You Are Leaving Drums – Mick Avory Effects [Other Incidental Efx] – Simon Davies (10) Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Bass – Dave Davies 1971 A5 Web Of Time Effects [Incidental Efx] – Simon Davies (10) Vocals [All Vocals], Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Drums – Dave Davies 1975 A6 Mystic Woman Arranged By [Incidental Arrangement], Effects [Efx] – Simon Davies (10) Drums – Neil McBain Slide Guitar [Slide Electric Guitar], Bass Guitar – Phil Palmer Vocals [Recorded 2017], Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Dave Davies 1973 B1 Give You All My Love Bass – Andy Pyle Drums – Nick Trevisick Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Dave Davies 1978 B2 Within Each Day Bass – Ron Lawrence (2) Drums – Nick Trevisick Vocals, Backing Vocals, Electric Guitar – Dave Davies 1979 B3 Same Old Blues Bass – Ron Lawrence (2) Drums – Nick Trevisick Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Dave Davies 1978 B4 Mr. Moon Drums – Neil McBain Percussion, Effects [Incidental Efx] – Simon Davies (10) Vocals, Electric Guitar, Bass – Dave Davies 1975 B5 This Precious Time (Long Lonely Road) Arranged By [Incidental Arrangement], Effects [Efx] – Simon Davies (10) Bass – Andy Pyle Drums – Nick Trevisick Vocals, Electric Guitar – Dave Davies 1978/79 …. Original 1975 Dave’s sons Simon and Martin assembled this collection from recordings made at Konk during the seventies. Although it has ties to the Kinks via the fact that it’s Dave, we get a quite different set of songs here, and as many have pointed out during the thread so far, Dave brings to mind Faces more than the Kinks and we also have a few other references that we will get to as we hit the songs across the course of seventies Kinks. It is going to be quite interesting hearing where Dave was, as Ray wandered through his vaudeville era, and several other change ups in the Kinks sound. Even with these songs we have quite a broad range of sounds that flesh out Dave in the seventies quite well. This release works like part two of Hidden Treasures. Hidden treasures obviously capturing Dave’s output from the sixties, and here obviously we have a collection of Dave’s recordings from the seventies. We had Ray following his muse in the seventies and obviously getting the bulk of the Kinks tracks, and here we have the Dave tracks that didn’t make it onto the Kinks albums. Interestingly unlike Hidden Treasures, on these tracks we only have John Gosling on two tracks and Mick Avory on one, so these were never going to get on a Kinks album anyway…. I would assume. It is also interesting that Ray doesn’t appear on any of them, when he was on most or all of the Hidden Treasures recordings. There was obviously a dynamic change in there somewhere, and these are Dave stepping out from the Kinks for the first time and doing what he felt like, with no pressure to make an album. One thing I have learned about music is when you feel drawn to write and record, you will do it, even if nobody ever hears what you do, and this seems to be the story here. Dave was just doing what he felt like with no agenda, or any kind of driving requirement to satisfy anybody but himself. So I will be interested to hear these tracks, and doing it during their recording time zone, will give us an interesting reference to where Dave was as opposed to the Kinks. This is completely new to me, so I am not very familiar with the tracks. At this stage I have listened to the album twice, and as we move through, I will try and listen to it more, but essentially most of this is going to come down to what I hear on any given morning we look at these. I’ll look forward to what you guys have to say about these, because I imagine some of you are quite familiar with these tracks. Cheers Mark
If You Are Leaving stereo mix (4:19), recorded 1971 at Morgan Studios, Willesden, London In a deep hole lies a body Looking for a crack up in the wall. 'Though the world treats him bad, there's a smile upon his face. Looking for a crack up in the wall. 'Though it doesn't matter much to me. No it doesn't really matter much to me. See the birds fly by him. And the trees stand by him. Looking for a space up in the sky. 'Though the promises are hard and the Loving is to keep. While looking for a space up in the sky. No it doesn't matter much to me. No it doesn't really matter much to me. If you are leaving won't know which way to go. If you are leaving won't know which way to go. Well if you are leaving guess I'll just have to grow. But how can I love you when you lock me up in a box. How can I love you when you lock me up in a box. You give me three meals a day but my head is a parking lot. How can I Love you when I got no shoes on my feet. How can I Love you when I got no shoes on my feet. They're bound to cripple my toes but don't you think they'd look kinda neat. In a deep hole lies a body Looking for a crack up in the wall. 'Though the promises are hard and the Loving is to keep. While looking for a crack up in the wall. 'Though it doesn't matter much to you No it doesn't really matter much to you. If you are leaving don't know which way to go. If you are leaving won't know which way to go. Well if you are leaving guess I'll just have to grow. The begging blind naked sniffing dirt from the churches behind. The begging blind naked sniffing dirt from the churches behind. Sacred hope for the weak and deluded pride guide for the kind. See the old lady easing her cares with cheap wine. See the old lady easing her cares with cheap wine. Oh Lord please help me I say but could you make by 12 o'clock noon. Written by: Dave Davies Published by: Dave Davies I really like this track, as it weaves between two distinct styles and feels. We have some blues variations going on here and Dave delivers this track really well. This track is essentially Dave on guitar and bass, Mick Avory on drums and Simon Davies is credited with effects, but I am not sure what that entails, perhaps someone can fill us in on that. Perhaps it is something to do with the mixing or production, as of course Simon helped put this together with his brother. We open with a really cool acoustic guitar that is essentially strumming with walking bass notes thrown in, to good effect. Dave starts singing and we get an interesting lyric. In a deep hole lies a body, and at first you figure this must be about someone who has died, but it isn’t, as I am not sure dead people tend to be looking for a crack up in the wall. Then we have though the world treats him bad there is a smile upon his face … and again he is looking for a crack up in the wall….. This actually brings to mind Leonard Cohen funnily enough, and it makes me think of the line “there’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in”. I guess to some degree we have had a decent look at Ray’s mental health issues, but what about Dave? This starts off with a mentality that we need to take a look at how he is doing. Dave tells us he is in a deep hole, and looking for some light, and even though the world is treating him badly, he is still smiling…… but whoever sees the tears of a clown…… He’s trying to find his place and it seems like love leaves him, and he is alone, but the birds and trees are still near him. It seems like this is a break up song of sorts, but we have grave-like and prison-like references going on here. The thing is, we have more of Dave’s cryptic writing. This could well be an amalgamation of ideas dropped into the song. How can I love you when you keep me locked up in a box, you give me three meals a day, but my head is a parking lot …. Is he singing this to Ray? I have so much more to offer, but my ideas are locked away, and I know that you’re keeping us in the game and we aren’t starving, but I feel like a prisoner …. ? It is an interesting lyric, that has all sorts of references that could be directed to just about anything really. We also get this changing of who is being addressed with the switch between the “I” passages, and the “you” passages. It doesn’t matter much to me, it doesn’t matter much to you…. I think my favourite line is “Well, If You are leaving, I’ll just have to grow”… this speaks volumes to me, because no matter how the separation comes around, when someone leaves us, whether a partner due to some kind of incident, or a family member due to circumstances, or someone close to us that dies, there is no option but to grow. To learn how to cope with the changed dynamic, or environment. Or perhaps address things within ourselves that need to be adjusted. This is a really earthy song, that is rooted in folk and blues, and I think Dave does a really good job of putting this together with the two distinct styles in here and the change of feel that accents them. Musically this works well for me, and I like hearing Dave get his acoustic guitar out. We have gotten used to him ripping it up on the electric, and working in a supporting role to Ray in the songs on the Kinks albums, but here he is driving the bus, and the acoustic does the job admirably. We open with a breezy feeling folk blues, and an earnest vocal that isn’t stretching Dave too far. I like the chords and melody, and the walking guitar lines are always nice. Then we get this little strummed section that speeds up ever so slightly, and the straight rhythm allows Dave to move more fluidly into a completely different rhythm….. and this is the section of the song that really sells me the goods…. Oddly enough it kind of reminds me of acoustic Rory Gallagher…. The walking lines are more prominent and catchier here, and I reckon they are great. The change back to the folk based section is a straight drop, from the end of the bouncy blues section, and back into the folkish section…. It is a little slippery but works well enough. We move back into the second section and we get that cool rolling acoustic back. Dave does an excellent job with the vocals, and it seems like he is more in control and aware of where he sits in the range best. We end up just closing out on the rolling riff, and that works fine. A solid entry into our “Dave’s lost songs of the seventies” journey.
First time I’m hearing this song. Nice, a medley of sorts, with two very different sections, each done twice. The « though it doesn’t matter much to me » chord change is beautiful, very Dave, and he sings great. As usual, the lyrics' imagery is quite harrowing but also undecipherable, I'll really look forward for the thread's interpretations. I’m always fascinated by Dave’s tendency to work as a kind of edgy acoustic rock singer in his early material (it would change in due time, when he'd relaunch his solo career as a proto-metal artist). In this song, I’m on the other side of the fence as I prefer the first folkier section, I find it more distinctive. Though it still has a great circular acoustic motif, the second part uses more of a regular blues template, and starts to sound part Ronnie/Rod, part Badfinger (again! probably because his singing voice's like a combination of the three lead singers of that band) and I thought of early Rory too! Which is fine, of course. In any case, I think you made the right call, @mark winstanley, to do the “Decade” tracks when they were recorded. For at least three reasons : 1/ it’s going to be very interesting to hear Dave’s stylistic evolution through the years, as a singer, songwriter and guitar player (sound and tone), and to hear some of his more personal songs (coming from what Dave called “inward” inspiration). 2/ We won’t have to study to 15 tracks with his voice in a row, which would’ve been exhausting, even though we all love the guy dearly. 3/ And after all, we did vote to do it that way, didn’t we !
I can't and wouldn't disagree with any of that mate. I think initially I wanted to do it as an album, because I am ridiculously album oriented in my approach to recorded music. I opened it up for a vote, because this isn't about me, and in hindsight, with letting go of the reins, it is actually going to work out better in the thread context, for all the reasons you state.
When I first saw ‘Simon Davies’ in the credits I was scratching my head thinking, is there another brother? Then, clicked on the active link only to find out he’s Dave’s son born in 1970. Then I looked at the dates of the various recordings with effects being credited to Simon. 1971? He’s a baby! What’s the effect? Crashing into the drum kit? Saying “ah ah ah” during a quiet moment of the recording? But I guess this is cleared up when I read further down in Mark’s intro piece; that the two kids compiled and put the recordings together for the album. I’m now assuming that the effects were put in by an adult Simon!
Oddly, the liner notes are written by Gregg Turkington, the real name of the anti comedian Neil Hamburger. Apparently he is a somewhat unlikely good pal of Dave’s.
I also prefer the "In a deep hole" verse section to the chorus section - the latter is a bit generic-bluesy, although with some interesting acoustic fills. The two parts don't really fit together too well for me. Dave is certainly in good vocal/guitar form on this one, but I'd rather have heard the song develop differently after "doesn't really matter much". And I haven't got a clue what the lyrics might be driving at!
If You Are Leaving This is a new song to me too - part folk and part blues. The blues segment reminds me of another song - I'll whirr the brain cells to see if I can figure it out before the next song comes up. Although I might be thinking of a combination of several blues songs using the same chord structure. I'm impressed with the lyrics - there's that personal element that comes through in most of Dave's songs. It sounds to me like he's put a lot of thought into the lyrics and I think Mark's fine analysis does them justice.
This isn’t clear? “You give me three meals a day but my head is a parking lot.” The lyrics are downright macabre.
I have no idea what that means, but I love the line anyway. I think it's about Ray.... I think the three meals a day is about the comfort of Ray being the musical provider... The parking lot seems like it is about being backed up with ideas and no outlet, or something along those lines
