My first time hearing this. I think that at least a partial source of the musical inspiration is a bit obvious: Grateful Dead / Sugar Magnolia
It’s just that one track that causes all the trauma. I like the two songs you mentioned and realize I know, and like, ‘Lost My Drivin’ Wheel,’ too.
Mountain Woman Gotta love the groove. The rhythm section lays this now nicely. Dudes are tight and the groove is loose. Hillbilly deluxe. I can get into this even if on the surface it's not my thing. Fun enough to overcome a less than stellar (at least by Davies standards) lyric sheet. The US / UK connection is interesting. I'm reminded of an episode of the favorite British comedy in our house, Doc Martin. We saw an episode in which Martin and the local constable are sucked into mayhem in a remote farm. The residents were at least environmentally stunted if not diagnosably mentally challenged, and all indications were that there my even be inbreeding.... just like stereotypical Appalachia USA. I was like "Whoa... there are people like that in the UK too!?!"
Mountain Woman I've known this song as long as I have this album, since it was one of the bonus tracks on the CD I got in 2007. I love the riff, and it seems pretty complete to me, rather than just a demo or a fragment. Thematically, I see it doesn't totally fit as it does seem to be more set in America. Although, its not part of the Rocky Mountains, it's just literally a black rocky mountain. I also wonder why it's not called Mountain Man, or Mountain People. It's titled after the woman, but it's clearly about both of them. But I think it is perfect for what it is, a bonus track. Another thing they worked on in these sessions, but didn't quite make the cut. I love the guitar tone. I assume that "they drank mountain dew" didn't mean the sugary green soda Mountain Dew. The whole aura of the song kinda reminds me of Misty Water. The juxtaposition of the rocky mountain versus the concrete mountain is a nice touch! I can also see this is an environmental type song about using the land, and then having man carve it up and change it and mess everything up... I'm comparing that idea a bit to The Trader by the Beach Boys (Holland, 1973).
Kentucky Moon. stereo mix (3:56), recorded 16 Oct, 1971 at Morgan Studios, Willesden, London Never been anywhere south of the Delaware Never been through Kalamazoo Never been to Timbuktu Living is fantasy, traveling mentally Making up tunes in hotel rooms 'Bout places I've never been to Though I've never crooned under a Kentucky moon I had my dream, Kentucky moon But it's only moon dreams From songs, films and TV But I can visualize what I've never seen But I had my dream, Kentucky moon Route 66 to me is still a mystery And Ohio, too Went Chicago blue down to St. Louie blues Never been anywhere south of the Delaware Never been through Kalamazoo Never been to Timbuktu But I can visualize what I've never seen So I sit and dream, Kentucky moon As I sit by a stream in the moon But it's just imagery From songs, films and TV But I can visualize what I've never seen So I sit and dream, Kentucky moon Written by: Ray Davies Published by: Davray Music Ltd. This is a sort of unusual track, but I have to say I really like it a lot. We open up with the piano and vocal, and the way the piano and vocal weave together is really very cool. Ray delivers this laconic …. kind of lazy vocal, and for me it really suits the song…… It sort of sounds like a guy sitting on his porch after too many drinks, and pondering life the universe and everything. Lyrically this is almost a reflection of the lyrics pertaining to the USA on this album. He is pretty much saying, look I have never been to any of these places, and this is how I see them, probably based on TV, movies and such. I really like the was we move from the opening piano section and into this very earthy blues with the slide guitar. This feels like a somewhat loose studio jam, although with the changes, they obviously had a chord chart and a guide as to who is coming in where. We move between the piano led section and the slide guitar sections and I love the way that works here. I don’t really have an awful lot to say about this track really, but I really like it…. Probably still wouldn’t remove anything from the album for me.
Nobody’s Fool. mono mix, demo version (2:28), recorded 6 Oct 1971 at Morgan Studio 1, Willesden, London From the bright busy streets of the Charing Cross Road To the dark little alleys in old Soho From the smart noisy clubs where everybody goes To the dark little streets that nobody knows I couldn't care if the people don't notice me They wouldn't know that I really exist I'm nobody's shelter, I'm nobody's cover I'm nobody's lover, and nobody's friend I'm so use to lying and pretending I'm nobody's fool and I'm nobody's friend I can go for a walk on a crowded street And see millions of faces staring at me Some of them smiling, some of them glare But most of them don't even know that I'm there That's how I want to be 'cause no one belongs to me I'm nobody's fool and I'm nobody's friend Nobody pleads for me, nobody bleeds for me I'm nobody's fool and I'm nobody's friend I'm so used to lying and pretending I'm nobody's fool and I'm nobody's friend Written by: Ray Davies Published by: Standard Music This song seems to be about an outsider, possibly a homeless person. A person who wanders the street in their own little world. The song is written a little more like some of Ray’s earlier songs, with a wandering chord structure that leads the melody. It has a beautiful melancholy that appeals to me. This seems somewhat like the ultimate song of the outsider….. Even in this unfinished demo form, I really like this. We get the piano holding the structure together, and the acoustic guitar working in support. Again I don’t have a whole heap to say about this one, but I think it is really good… again, I don’t think it would take anything off the album for me.
and while there is a couple of days, and this is essentially an unfinished jam Queenie. stereo mix, instrumental backing track (3:43), recorded Sep 1971 at Morgan Studios, Willesden, London Here we have a rock jam, and I think it works well…. It actually seems to feel like a precursor to Foreigner’s Hot Blooded in some ways. Again, I like it, and wonder what Ray’s lyrics would be. I don’t really have much to say about this one either, but again I like it, and I kind of wish Ray has laid some lyrics down for it. I imagine he had some words, with the title…. It seems like it may have been a companion piece to Nobody’s Fool in some ways, perhaps another character from the Muswell Hills scene.
I think this song was written as the theme tune for the Adam Faith TV series, "Budgie"? The lyrics certainly suggest as much. The version eventually used was credited to Cold Turkey, whoever they may be and if they ever existed at all, but that's either Ray Davies on vocals or someone trying very hard to sound like Ray Davies. https://youtube/FTSB2b-nFKY
Kentucky Moon I understood it was about a North-Easterner who never went anywhere else in the USA. The country is so big that an average American may have exactly the same "fantasizing" relationship to most of the other States than a "Muswell Hillbilly". That's how I hear it. What I really like about this song is, it doesn't sound like anything else Ray's written. I really enjoy it, even if I wouldn't hear it on the album. Nobody's fool Maybe my favorite song from these 1971 sessions. I will post my alternate album later today if I get at least part of my brain back, I had a little too much drink yesterday night.
Here is a thread on the forum about Cold Turkey and the questions it raises. Kinks mystery: Who were "Cold Turkey"?
I was unaware of Nobody's Fool being tied to a tv show, and I was completely unaware of the alternate version...... I should/would probably have posted it separately on Monday had I known. See how we go on this discussion today and tomorrow .... and if we need an extra day for everyone to be satisfied with what we have covered.... I have no problem with that. It is probably a little late to withdraw it now. Don't forget Kentucky Moon though, it's an excellent track. Queenie is almost an incidental jam added for good measure
"Nobody's Fool" was used for the second series of "Budgie", the theme music for the first series was great too and the opening titles, which I can't find on YouTube, are classic. Both series were recently re-run and, well, let's just say I doubt they'd get away with a lot of it these days!
"Kentucky Moon" Let's address the elephant in the room first - Ray Davies appears to have written a part of "Bohemian Rhapsody" four years before that song appeared! There are three points during the track where there is a very clear piano quote from a song that doesn't yet exist...did Ray and Freddie borrow from the same source? Anyway, this one has grown on me quite a bit. It sounds like a live studio run-through, and is all the better for it. I assume Ray is on piano, John G on organ? A very nice melody in the verse, the track gradually builds from uncertain beginnings as the slide guitar comes in. The lyrics pretty much state that Ray's never seen much of America and is making most of this stuff up - which would have been an interesting counterpoint on MH, although maybe we already get enough suggestions in the lyrics that these characters dream of an imaginary America. It could probably do with a bit of editing, and would probably have got it if the idea had been taken forward, but it's enjoyable enough as a work in progress. I'll comment on the other tracks later.
Oct 1963 - Nov 1966 Apr 1967 - Feb 1970 1965 Never Say Yes Nov 1970 Lola Vs Powerman And The Moneygoround The Contenders Strangers - live 1970 - Dave live Denmark Street Get Back In Line Lola - TOTP - video - alt version Top Of The Pops - video Moneygoround - mono This Time Tomorrow - 2020 mix A Long Way From Home - live 70's - Ray live Rats Apeman - video - alt stereo - alt mono - ToTP - Calypso - live 94 Powerman - mono - 2020 mix - live 70's Got To Be Free Anytime The Good Life 1971 Golden Hour Of The Kinks Feb 1971 Percy (movie) - trailer Mar 1971 Percy (soundtrack) God's Children Lola The Way Love Used To Be - Ray live Completely Running Round Town Moments - Ray live Animals In The Zoo Just Friends Whip Lady Dreams Helga Willesden Green God's Children Outro The Follower Ray On Wonderworld 1971 You Really Got Me - Mini Monster EP Nov 1971 Muswell Hillbillies 20th Century Man - single - Alt Instr - Ray live Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues - live 73 - John Peel Holiday - live 73 Skin And Bone - live 70's - Ray live Alcohol - live 75 - cartoon Complicated Life Here Come The People In Grey - live 72 Have A Cuppa Tea - alt version - live 72 Holloway Jail Oklahoma USA - Ray Live Uncle Son - Alternate Muswell Hillbilly Lavender Lane Mountain Woman Kentucky Moon Nobody's Fool - Cold Turkey(Kinks?) Queenie Dec 1971 Muswell Hillbilly EP 1972 Muswell Hillbilly single (Jap) The Kinks Live AT The BBC 1973 Preservation Live Starmaker Tv Play Oct 2018 Dave Davies - Decade If You Are Leaving (71)
It's been a while since I've seen an episode of "Budgie" - isn't it another of those 70s series set in London where the main character is a Fulham supporter? (as in Citizen Smith and Minder)
Kentucky Moon: Ray Davies in John Mayall mode. This would fit right onto Mayall’s ‘The Blues Alone’ album. It’s an interesting song but certainly doesn’t belong on the album.
Yes, he is a Fulham supporter! I suppose Fulham are an uncontroversial choice, I imagine there are some people who hate them (QPR fans?) though.
