Much like The Beatles performing I'll Be On My Way, This Strange Effect makes me wish it was more common for artists such as The Kinks to perform their given away compositions on the BBC. I understand not recording them proper, but this is the next best thing, and I've definitely heard it many times at this stage. It's classic Ray for this period, and a favourite. As mentioned up thread, there's a version without the Spoken Intro on this CD, though it is edited down: https://www.discogs.com/The-Kinks-Sunny-Afternoon-The-Very-Best-Of/release/9733438 Strangely, all versions on Streaming and YouTube have the spoken intro. Let me see if I can upload the clip of the performance only intro later.
The original recording of 'Hide and Seek' by Big Joe Turner: On a lot of early Kinks bootlegs, this track was referred to by the title of 'All Aboard' I guess because that's what it really does sound like Ray's singing on the refrain. But we can hear in the original that the correct lyrics are 'Oh Boy'.. whether Ray just mispronounced the lyric or was intentionally changing it I'm not sure.
I ended up with eight songs from this album/phase/era on my playlist: Tired of Waiting For You Nothin’ In This World... Wait Till the Summer... A Well Respected Man Don’t You Fret Who’ll Be The Next In Line See My Friends I Go To Sleep (demo) I liked other songs, too, but this is how things shook out and I’m quite pleased.
This Strange Effect and Hide and Seek Just learned my morning is going to be extra busy so I’ll scrub what I had planned to write.. I intended to write much more about the long-held belief among some Kink’s observers that “This Strange Effect” is Ray’s first gay song (it was written before See My Friends). But I don’t have time other than to point out that its theme of unexpected-discovery-of-falling-in-love-with-someone-you-are-forbidden-to-love is universally relatable to both gays and hetrosexuals (such as another person's opposite sex partner) so I don’t buy it being specifically about homosexuality. It’s a great song…a clever song with the melody evoking a snake charmer’s spell, as if casting the “strange effect.” With the band doing it for the BBC after Dave Berry already made it his own, I suspect they regretted not releasing it properly on disc. “Hide and Seek” is of the character of the things they were covering on their first LP. I’m not particularly enamored with it. I'd heard it on bootlegs, but until it was released on that BBC set with author credit I assumed it was a Chuck Berry number.
I'd also never actually heard "This Strange Effect" until this morning - not knowingly, anyway. There does seem to be a tinge of familiarity about it. Anyway, it's a good song that will probably take me a few more listens to appeciate it fully. "Hide and Seek" just sounds like one of the lesser moments from the debut album, and is the kind of thing The Kinks weren't doing any more, until they did...
My exuberance level may fall off a bit as we tackle the next album (based on my preliminary homework).
This Strange Effect -- This song lives up to its title with its compelling, mysterious hook and atmosphere. It's a less-developed "See My Friends", but not much less effective for it, and another fascinating milestone in Ray's rapid development as a songwriter. Dave Berry fleshes out the song more fully; he deserved a bigger hit than what he got. Hide and Seek -- The Kinks had only been recording for a year and a half at this point, and this song already feels like an anachronism. It's not bad, really, but no better or different than most of the offerings on their debut album. It sounds like a reassurance to their audience that "hey, we're still a rock and roll band". Which, especially with Dave around, they were never in danger of not being.
Okay…just learned the meeting postponed ‘till the afternoon… so picking up with where I intended to go with “This Strange Effect.” When the Kinks signed with Arista in the 70’s there was speculation that Ray was coming out of the closet, based on about a quarter of the 30 or so songs written during the Sleepwalker sessions had either open or suggestive homosexual themes. So, much like ‘Paul is Dead,’ writers and fans combed through earlier works in search of clues. “This Strange Effect” was identified as the earliest example. I was intrigued because at that time I had yet to hear it. The line: “…you make my darkness bright…” was cited as proof that this protagonists who “…liked the way you kiss (but) don’t know if I should” was in the closet (hence the darkness) and upon a forbidden kiss experiences the “strange effect” of experiencing a “white world.” That term there—a world in white—suggests a blank page, free to be filled in ways that only a person liberated from their personal darkness can do. (I also remember reading someone opine that the song’s gay connotation was abetted by it being identified with singer Dave Berry, a British teen idol who, despite marriage, purportedly has been subject of Dave Clark-like “is he or isn’t he?” rumors his whole career. Is this true? I don’t know anything about him.) I eventually found the song on a bootleg and listened to it for the first time with this gay interpretation in mind. Yes, the analysis does make sense…IF one choses to read it that way. But one’s inner darkness can equally be sadness. Ray’s writing can sometimes be very specific, other times so blurred that there is room for however one wants to approach it. That’s the case here. Let “This Strange Effect” and “See My Friends” continue to be the gay anthems that some in that community have embraced. But both song express such universally relatable emotions that they can speak for anyone. So put me in the column of: This Strange Effect = not a gay song.
I get the impression that a lot of these interpretations are possible, but more looked for and rationalized, than strikingly accurate. Even Lola strikes me as more tongue in cheek than anything else.... but we'll get there.
Hide and Seek is nothing special, except these type of covers were usually sung by Dave, so Ray's (enthusiastic) vocals are a nice touch, especially enjoyable on the Paris footage posted by @ajsmith. This Strange Effect's lyrics could be about many things, even any given drug. Musically, the syncopated rhythm guitar is very effective, it mimics things Leiber&Stoler or Bacharach were doing in the early sixties, like Please Stay by the Drifters or Walk on By by Dionne Warwick. Dionne could've definitely made a killer version out of this.
There are certainly some things to be enthusiastic about.... it took me a few listens, and that really surprised me...
Imagine being new to the 60s albums! Wow. I sure hope we don't start looking for gay clues in all these songs. I see nothing at all hinting at homosexuality in "Strange Effect." "Don't know if I should" could easily be a guy who is tempted to be with someone when they are already with somebody else. I don't see how that can only mean gay to some. Adultery is also a temptation, especially with celebrities who have a lot of people wanting their attention.
Yea, it's odd how that worked out, but I'm not going to pretend I've had them since I was a pup It was actually Village Green that got me to buy the other sixties albums. I read up about that album somewhere, and had to give it a go. When I was growing up, The Kinks seemed to be projected as also rans, and I think Lola, You Really Got Me and Come Dancing were about all I ever remember hearing on the radio. Needless to say, it was one of those beautiful discoveries
their earliest stuff was so groundbreakingly good as to be unparalleled in my view. even by any of their contemporaries. save perhaps for a same period who track or two. then came "lazing' on a sunny afternoon" in what '65?! geez, that was fresh and such a terrific departure from their "ya really got me" "all day and all of the night" etc sound. which still holds up today as the "best of the best".
I put "This Strange Effect" in a trilogy consisting of "See My Friends" and "Set Me Free." Solid non-album deep cuts, with a similar vibe, that need more love. Thankfully the BBC gave us a chance to hear the Kinks doing this song. Always loved the atmosphere of this one. Laid back, kinda sleepy, that nice little guitar lick. The piano is subtle and effective. It's a highlight of the period for sure. "Hide and Seek" - All the fun tonight's remind me of "Long Tall Sally." Energetic rocker. Not bad. Not essential. A throwback to those late 50s rockers after they've moved beyond it, like the Beatles with "Dizzy Miss Lizzy."
Unlike "I Go To Sleep" and "This I Know", I don't have strong feelings about "This Strange Effect". It's nice to have but I don't need it. It makes a good bonus track.
I've pretty much already said all I have to say about both of these tracks HERE and HERE. I'll just reiterate that "This Strange Effect" and "Tell Me Now, So I'll Know" are both very similar in meter, tempo and their use of harmonic minor intervals. If the Kinks had decided to make proper recordings of either or both of them, they would've fit well on "Kontroversey" if they had recorded them at twice the speed, putting them in a similar vein as the Gene Pitney hit, "Mecca" (below), which also makes really good use of harmonic minor intervals. As palisantrancho already mentioned, they also would've been welcome additions to the Elvis Presley movie "Harum Scarum," which was released at right around this time.
"This Strange Effect" I thought we already covered this song? I guess it was posted several pages back and was slightly discussed, but wasn't the proper song of the day. I made a few comments earlier, but I think it's great and should have been on an album, or the B side of "See My Friends". "Hide and Seek" I like this song and find it superior to most of the covers so far. A nice bit of good old rock n roll. Do we start the next album tomorrow?
I'm just following my schedule of Kinks songs in order, as best I can. I'm not against the loaner songs being posted in chronological order, but when the Kinks do a version, it somewhat scrambles the flow.... I'm just going to carry on regardless
