Certainly, in this version the bridge is the meat in the sandwich. I think it would have worked in that live version, but they were in full punch in the guts rock mode at that time, and I reckon they took it out to keep the adrenaline up...
Ray said something to the effect that he imagined a guy shut up in his house in a ‘me against the world’ scenario for this song. Though the subject matter of the album as a whole is very British, I get very latter day American Libertarian/individualist/survivalist/prepper (even Unabomber :0) vibes from the spirit of this one. The reference to ‘trigger happy policemen’ compounds this atmosphere, given that regular policemen don’t carry guns in the UK. This song may be entitled ‘20th Century Man’ but the title is the only part that has dated. On that confounded bridge, reminiscent musically of their Muswell Hill neighbours Fairport Convention, I remember when my Dad heard it he remarked ‘I guess Ray was a bit of a Tory then eh?’ no doubt referring to its rejection of the welfare state introduced in post war Britain by the socialist (at that time at least!) Labour government, and that Ray’s generation was the first to in theory benefit from ‘from cradle to grave’. Ray in fact reveals in his second biography that his Dad was a lifelong Labour voter and that even Ray tended to lean that way up until Blair, but I think his individualist spirit runs deeper than party politics and goes back to his inherent nature and several formative experiences in the 60s (not least of which was the union ban in, ironically the US).
Mark and @Fortuleo have outdone themselves today. I’ll write more later but just wanted to highlight the Jerusalem reference. This is where that’s coming from: “If you’re not British, you may only be vaguely aware of the song “Jerusalem.” But the tune and lyrics are very familiar to the people of England. It is England’s unofficial national anthem, like “God Bless America” is in the United States. Some Brits have urged that “Jerusalem” be made the official national anthem of England.” —skip— “The lyrics are more than a century older than the music. They come from the preface English poet and artist William Blakewrote for his epic poem Milton, which was first published in late 1810 or early 1811.” —skip— “ The second part of the preface, written in verse, are the words used as the lyrics for the song “Jerusalem”: “And did those feet in ancient time Walk upon England’s mountains green? And was the holy Lamb of God On England’s pleasant pastures seen? And did the Countenance Divine Shine forth upon our clouded hills? And was Jerusalem builded here Among these dark satanic mills? —-end quote— This Day in Quotes: “England’s green and pleasant land” At least I’m pretty sure that’s what’s being referenced (as my image of the city of Jerusalem isn’t exactly of green and pleasant fields).
20th Century Man: like our fearless leader, my initial exposure to this song came off the live One from the Road album. I fully agree with his take, the live version ups the ante and the powerful delivery and Dave’s guitar playing in particular. As such, the first time I heard the studio version, I was underwhelmed. I suspect this may have put me off from the album totally as this is actually the most rocking cut on the album in many ways and yet it pales in comparison to the live version (at least as far as power and delivery). With all that said, after just a few spins begin a few weeks ago, I fell in love with the studio version at least equally with the live version. I have also become a big fan of the 2020 remix version (even though they shave close to a minute off of the length) And the alternate Instrumental take Mark posted above. All in all, a great song and a great way to open this album!
I just listened to the linked single. It cuts the below section (twice): “My mama says she can't understand me She can't see my motivation Ain't got no security, I'm a twentieth century man but I don't wanna be here.”
The album is off to a good start - the lyrics are great and I don't mind the music. Shouty Ray at the end is a bit much, but of course it fits the frustration of the character in the song. But overall, I like this opening track.
20th Century Man: Sheer brilliance wrapped up in a six minute package. “I’m a 20th century man but I don’t want to be here.” A direct link, lyrically, to the sentiments of The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society while at the same time describing in lucid detail the current, circa 1971, society and its ills. Truly an amazing song and accomplishment. I can see this being used in a classroom situation. What are the lyrics describing? What’s going on in the world at this time? etc etc. Musically? Again, what else could be show-horned into such a limited timeframe? A touch of blues, music hall, raw rock’n’roll, swirling organ. I love this song and, yet again, declare it to be a masterpiece!
I just listened to it. Broke in my new Bluetooth headphones with 20th Century Man, followed by the single version, and segueing into ELP’s ‘Jerusalem.’ 4 a.m. and all is well!
I had never made the connection with that song. It's a really good reference point, because, as you say, I'm sure Ray and many others were well aware of it.... particularly around that point in time.
I looked the phrase up because it just seemed odd. Jerusalem? Green and pleasant fields? And I still remembered that Ian Anderson introduces a song on the live album ‘Bursting Out’ with remarks referencing “a green and pleasant land.” I thought it was too great a coincidence so it must come from a common source.
Twentieth Century Man Track one and here comes the album's first misfit. If he thinks he's having a bad day now then just wait until that letter pops through the door informing him his house has fallen under a compulsory purchase order (Here Come The People In Grey). It's not a different place he wants to live in, but a completely different century where the green rolling hills meant an English man's home was his castle. He hates everything about modern life including artists and writers. Just two years later Ray was lamenting the passing of those 1960's writers and trend-setters (Where Are They Now)? A classic but not usually listened to outside the album.
20th Century Man This is a terrific opener. Full of angst and attitude. And a scene-setter for the album as a whole. Who said they couldn't hear Dave on this album? He's present and accounted for in the snarling guitar here. The theme is 100% English though @ajsmith is right in pointing out the anomaly of the "trigger happy policeman". I always thought this was a generic geopolitical reference to America occasionally acting as the world's policeman - which fits in with the h-bomb worries. But the lyric is certainly open to interpretation. There's not much I can add. This is a top 30 Kinks song for me. I first heard it on the RCA years compilation called "The Kinks Greatest...Celluloid Heroes". I couldn't figure out why I'd never heard of these "greatest" Kinks songs but I grew to love each and every one of them - including five from this album. Great pick-up by Mark: I'll listen to that part of the lyric with new ears. A big thumbs up from me for the reference to the wonderful, late Jon Lord
20th Century Man This song does herald a songwriting and musical evolution for the group,, but it's still as klassic as Kinks kan be. Really, this is epic. Transitions, builds.... climax! Yeah, this is powerful and rightfully elevated in the Kinks kanon. And while this not full on the Americana/country flavor that much of the album has, we get a hint with that steel guitar sound at about 1:35. That the song seems to span continents helps bring home the universality of the message.
Great track but I don't think it's an evolution on what The Kinks were doing on Arthur. As much as I like Muswell Hillbillies, I find the songwriting, music, production and less so, the lyrics a step backwards from the 1966 - 1969 Kinks. The album just feels rather flat to me. They never truly recovered and became too into concept albums, unnecessary extra musicians and the US for a while here on. Understandable as no matter how great Kinks albums got, the UK wasn't buying them and the hit singles had ended too, but the 70s Kinks isn't for me, going by what I've heard.
As I said before, I did hear "20th Century Man" on WBCN a few times & thought it was popular anthem just like "Won't Get Fooled Again". It's a very powerful song & it starts so subtly, with just a guitar strum & then it picks up speed w/Ray decrying the modern world & wishing for the Village Green. I like the way he uses the word "smart" in this song, as I feel that just being "new" or "smart" doesn't make you wise or intelligent in comparison to the past. It's a great thing that my fellow Avids have been so eloquent in praising this song. It's also rather sad that it could still be written today as "21st Century Man".
I hear you.... up to a point. I certainly understand as someone whose appreciation for this album overall is well below the three, or even five, that precede it. But individually this song is huge. I still see some evolution here.... it may not be evolution in a direction we appreciate, but it is evolution nonetheless.
The track is magnificent, my opinion on the album would be much lower without it. The rest is good, but to me this is the only classic track on Muswell Hillbillies, but there are no duffers either.
Muswell Hillbillies is my favourite Kinks album. I grew up hearing the records my older siblings bought and there was a lot of Beatles, Stones and Who but no Kinks so I ended up tracking all their records down many years later (1980s into the 1990s). Eventually, I discovered this record and just loved its combination of American roots music and English music hall tradition. "20th Century Man" is a classic song in my book and central part of the Ray Davies persona. Ray is an outsider and does not feel he belongs but instead looks to the past as a time where he feels he might have belonged. The first verse may also be a Blakean reference as the poet was a vocal critic of the Industrial Revolution as it was happening and it permeated his work. Blake did not approve of the increasing influence of mechanization and technology on humans. I am sure Blake did not wish to be a 19th century man.
I love British television detective series and have watched episodes in ‘George Gently’ and (not a mystery/detective) ‘Call the Midwife’ that addresses this forced displacement.
Pitchforks 2004 review: This touches on the ‘dreariness’, that some have mentioned. I think. If this counts: “No, it's not quite a concept album, more like an idea album-- a buncha songs that are a bit downbeat in theme but lively in execution.” The Kinks: Muswell Hillbillies
