The Kinks - Album by Album (song by song)

Well that news came as quite a shock, especially stumbling on it in this thread, as opposed to in an RIP thread. As I'm sure you can tell from my avatar, I'm a Procol fan. Back in the day, when my brother and I were splitting buying Kinks records, the Kinks were his favorite band, but they were edged out by Procol Harum for me. For a long time I would have told people that Procol was my favorite band.

 

A great band and largely forgotten, aside from the big hit. I have had the song “A Salty Dog” in my head for the last week or so. It was sparked by a thread conversation on the meaning of the lyrics. What a fantastic song both lyrically and vocally.

 

Of course everyone knows "Homburg", the superior follow-up to "A Whiter Shade of Pale"... don't they?!??!

 

Not sure about superior, but I will say equally great.

 

As far as Mr. Big Man, I've been trying to figure out why I don't care for this song (no offense intended to its supporters). I think it may be what, to my ears, is a lack of anything to leaven the contempt. I have no problem with anger in songs, and just listened to Anarchy in the UK for comparison's sake, and John Lydon sounds almost gleeful in his anger, if that makes any sense. I also think just the term "Mr. Big" bothers me for some reason, the name sounds like a cartoon villain out of a Dick Tracy comic. I won't skip Mr. Big Man, but it's one of my least favorite tracks on the album.

 

Procol Harum's finest moment for me:

 

I think it was "A Whiter Shade of Pale" that prevented "Waterloo Sunset" from getting to#1 in the UK single charts.

 

Indeed. "Waterloo Sunset" did not even chart in the US ...

 

It also prevented me from paying attention to this great band for a long time. "A Whiter Shade of Pale" never did anything for me, it sounds like someone clumsily trying to put a vocal line over the organ part and not finding anything very convincing.

 

I stand corrected. thanks!

 

A Salty Dog live in Denmark 2006

A sad loss, a great talent.



An excellent live performance. I chose this track because it appears the wonderful Whiter Shade Of Pale from this show wouldn't be appreciated, based on many posts..... I guess I am from another planet lol

 

"Mr. Big Man" - This didn't do anything for me on 1st listen. But after a couple more in the car, Ray's snarling vocal and the guitars made me appreciate it as a decent album track. It sounds very much of its time, but that's OK. We aren't in the Village Green anymore.

RIP Mr. Brooker.

 

I like it, and (here we go again) I’m embarrassed to admit I like the version done by Sammy Hagar and Neil Schon as well.

 

Mr Big Man
Other than reading Mark's take, haven't read anyone else's - just saying this in case I bring up something that's been said already.

Anyway, would hate to get on Ray's bad side. This is angry Ray. And I'd love to know who this is about. I don't think it's about Tom Robinson. Sounds like someone who achieved more fame than the Kinks though. Or could it be a combination of people he knows or stories he's heard while in the biz.

I do like Ray's voice throughout. We even hear a bit of "shouty Ray" which we'll be hearing more from in the future.

And of course Dave's guitar is well accounted for. I'm not good at picking up who or what to compare his guitar sound to other than it sounds very "guitar hero" to me. And maybe not a favorite sound for my ears.

Though it's a pretty harsh sound lyric-wise, the music is on the slower side. It doesn't have a hook or chorus, so this is a song I'm not going to go around singing. So though it's a fine album cut, it's not something to get excited about. I'm feeling lukewarm about it right now.

 

A beautiful concert. I'm watching it now. His voice never left him. It's amazing to hear him nail these notes on "A Salty Dog". Not an easy song to sing. I have never listened to anything past Exotic Birds and Fruit. I should explore further.

 

It was actually the Whiter Shade Of Pale clip I saw from this show, about six months ago. I was pretty stunned that the timbre of his voice had barely changed at all.
Sadly I couldn't get the dvd as it's out of print.

 

Which is a shame IMO.

 

I prefer a non-shouty Ray, but in the right places, I'm ok with it.

 

Mr Big Man
It hadn't used to be a favourite, but it's grown on me. Enjoy Ray's shouty voice and the guitar work on here. The rumours of a bland 'samey' album are not running true as yet.

Procol Harum
I'm feeling quite numb about the loss of Gary Brooker to be honest. Only yesterday I checked their website to see if there was any news on a follow up to the excellent 'Novum' album for the first time in a couple of years and read about the cancer and hoped he was recovering. I bought the CD single which was released last year - 'Missing Persons (Alive Forever)'. Wish I'd known about it at the time and I'd have got one of the signed copies with a bit of luck.

Saw the band when they toured the 'Novum' album three or four years ago (Manchester Bridgewater Hall), and it was fantastic. 'Whiter Shade Of Pale' 'A Salty Dog', 'Homburg', 'Conquistador', 'Grand Hotel'... and then there were the new songs were just as good 'Somewhen'. Gary Brooker's voice seemed unchanged with time. Another highlight was, on the next row, a gentleman wearing an overlong raincoat and a homburg. I couldn't check his shoelaces...

Watching the wonderful Denmark concert from 2006 as I write. Ray must have been on the same bill later in the evening as its the same orchestra, chorus and venue. Procol released their set as a full album and DVD. Perhaps Ray could do the same with his?

 

Don’t mean to get off track from the Kinks. Last Procol reply. I like Procol’s Ninth just fine, though some critics trashed it. Something Magic was pretty terrible. The albums after the hiatus are OK - just not up to their former glory.

 

Well, I like 'Prodigal Stranger' a lot. Agree on 'Something Magic', it wasn't.

 

The Genesis of Shouty Ray as Applied to the Songs:
Originated by @ARL circa August, 2021, originally applied to Ray Davies ‘Plastic Man’ vocals.

Has subsequently been used by thread participants to describe vocals (all or part) of:
20th Century Man
Money Talks
The Good Life
Slum Kids
You Can’t Stop The Music
Ducks On The Wall
Mr. Big Man

 

I like “Life on The Road” just fine. It sounds like a song that could have been a minor FM radio hit. It’s a little too restrained for me, never really kicks into gear. I do like the idea of an unplugged version that stays with the feel of the quieter opening.

“Mr. Big Man” is a bit churlish and odd for what I’d expect from The Kinks. It screams Dylan to me, almost like a writing assignment.

 

The shouty to non-shouty ratio will increase dramatically over the next few albums!

 

I love shouty Ray. Just another texture to enjoy