That's testing the memory. I always watched the Goodies, and I remember a lot of Bill's songs, but I don't recall that one at the moment.
I find this instrumental Lola quite weak. It doesn’t have any of the original’s enthusiasm and groove, which is surprising for a whole instrumental take where the band could’ve found room to have (and generate) some fun. And at almost 5 mn, it definitely overstays its welcome… I supposedly never skip tracks while listening to my records. But in this case, It looks like I may’ve done it, since I always instinctively think God’s Children and The Way Love Used to Be follow each other as tracks 1 and 2, after only owning Percy on CD until fairly recently…
Instrumental Lola: I didn’t even think it was The Kinks, assuming it was just some film music. Oftentimes (?), a soundtrack will include a variety of bits and pieces…and I figured this was a recording of a nearby lounge act.
The instrumental version of "Lola", which sits in between 2 very profound songs, was probably more what the producers of the movie was looking for from Ray. To me, it has a bit of a Booker T. vibe in the organ groove, although Dave is no Steve Cropper. It's probably the best instrumental in the album. I've read that this was the actual song that John Gosling auditioned on to get the keyboard gig in the Kinks. Also, props to Avid Vagabone for mentioning Jake Thackery, a rather underrated singer/songwriter that I was introduced to by Martin Newell, as well as those Avids who mentioned the Goodies, which did make it here in the States via public television.
“Lola” instrumental I think it’s good fun and one of the better instrumentals on the album. I expected most to not care for it much, but I enjoy it for what it is. I like the guitar and also think Mick is nailing it down. It sounds like it would be perfect in a pen is transplant film.
Lola (Instrumental): It seems many people don’t like this. I do. In fact, I like a lot of the instrumental versions they have added as extras to the earlier albums ( I loved the instrumental versions of both The Contender and This Time Tomorrow, and I just tacked them on to the end of the actual song to make a great song even longer). I enjoy hearing the band cut loose without having to work around Ray’s vocals now and then*. *Note: I said now and then. I wouldn’t want it too often though.
"Lola (Instrumental)": a nice little early '70s boogie. Maybe goes on a little too long to maintain interest without vocals and a story told through the lyrics. Fun to hear as I didn't know it existed. 4/5.
Much like the version of "Sleigh Ride" that is on Phil Spector's Christmas Album, we have a song that famously contains two well constructed bridges, and this version jettisons both of them. A pox on it.
Lola (Instrumental Version) As far as background music goes, I'll take it. The melody is so hummable, and I actually like just relaxing or working at the computer with some instrumental music in the background. I've always enjoyed the backing tracks that the Beach Boys have released on their various "Sessions" releases. And I wish the Kinks Katalog contained more backing tracks. Although this is different, as it includes the lead melody -- just done with an additional instrument. It gets the point across, and is a just a decent jam. But I will admit that when I first saw the track name, I was expecting the same instrumentation as the original. This is several steps below that, sonically, but whatever, a decent jam. One thing about this: This is an incredible statement, and very accurate, and I would argue that it might be one of the first times those two songs have ever shared the same sentence?
Full disclosure: I nicked the ‘Day In The Life’ comparison from Jeff Hudson and Neville Marten’s 1996 Kinks biography ‘Well Respected Men’. It was my first Kinks book, but in retrospect it’s not the best introduction as they don’t seem to like the Kinks that much, although even more strangely they slobber all over the Percy soundtrack! (And Phobia?!!!) The Kinks
I wonder if you are getting your albums crossed there? Here’s what Marten and Hudson say about Percy: “…as soundtracks go, the band’s music was actually not that bad” and “today it seems an occasionally delightful curio; then, no doubt, it was a frustratingly inchoate hotch potch and a disappointment to fans.” They praise God’s Children, Moments and The Way Love Used to Be and offer lukewarm praise for Dreams and the Lola instrumental. The other tracks are dismissed as “failings”.
It’s been years since I read it so it’s more than likely I may very well be misremembering/representing the text of the book to a degree. Apologies if so. I do distinctly remember them praising ‘Just Friends’ too though. Worth offering up in mitigation for my potential garbling of the content of the book that there are two editions, the 1996 one (colour Ready Steady Go! cover) and the 2002 one (b/w shot of the band looking down cover) I only had the 1996 edition so there may have been revisions to the text (on top of the coverage of 6 more years) in the 2002 one.
Lola instrumental Whatever that organ sound is is fairly annoying to me. Couldn't something more interesting/less annoying been chosen if you needed the keyboard? If that could be dealt with, it wouldn't be a bad instrumental. Dave's guitar sounds good. and the horns as well. And the ending is pretty killer. Not a song I would need to hear a lot.
Lola (Instrumental) I'm probably gonna' skip this one more often than not. Which is a shame because Dave's guitar work is wicked good and the underlying groove is definitely legit. But as @mark winstanley predicted, the keys playing the vocal lead are a bit of a problem for me. But it's more than that. Some vocal lines lend themselves better to instrumental interpretation than others... to me, the vocal melody to Lola is best coming from a human voice. I'm not sure there's any instrument that could do the melody the justice the right vocalist does, let alone that silly sounding keyboard. Other instrumentation is also problematic.... the big sweeping lines aligning with " pushed her away I walked to the door I fell to the floor I got down on my knees" just cry out for some big Entwistle/Who horn arrangements!
I received the Village Green box today. Of course the albums have a slightly bent corner. It’s not terrible, but it’s so annoying. Most likely will be a return. It’s so hard to get a pristine copy of anything in the mail. Has everyone had good luck with this set and would you return for any sort of flaw? edit: I am returning it. I will get a replacement in 2 days and can send this one back anytime within the next month. So, I can still enjoy it tonight and hope to get an undamaged copy. So hard ordering expensive vinyl in the mail. It rarely shows up in mint condition.
Sure there are better songs on the album, but Lola (Instrumental) is the song I most look forward to hearing on Percy; it’s great fun, surprising, the band is playing with great energy, and it makes me feel good - sort of like those those early Upsetters records, instrumentals where the organ plays a happy, familiar melody over a killer rhythm.
I love The Upsetters! It does sound like a cheap Yamaha electric keyboard I use to have. This would be the rock organ setting. There is more of a Hammond sound around the 2:40 mark. I'm not sure what kind of organ they use for the main riff. Anyone know?
When I got my copy, it was in a box then placed within another box. Everything was in its place & in perfect condition.
same here. I got the set earlier this year and it arrived in excellent shape. @palisantrancho that's a bummer that you need to return it, but it costs a good bit of money, so it should be in pristine condition.
Mine was also in two separate boxes and packed well, but the bottom corner still got slightly bent. What do you suppose Amazon does with these returns? Boxes them back up or sells them used? I haven't listened yet, but I will very soon! I already asked for a replacement so hopefully that shows up mint.
