If Ray Davies of The Kinks had lived in any other era than the Rock and Roll era, he would have been a Poet Laureate!!

As it is Ray Davies and The Kinks grew up in the age of the electric guitar and he became something of reluctant rock star. I think fundamentally the quiet, shy, reflective Ray Davies would rather be cloistered writing poetry, rather than performing on stage, so much so that his recent solo gigs have been more like poetry recitals with an acoustic guitar.

The Record Press author was lucky enough to see a Ray Davies solo gig at the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham several years ago and it had a beautiful intimacy about it. Ray Davies is to all intents and purposes a poet and storyteller – his lyrics are up there with the verse and prose of Sir John Betjeman, Seamus Heaney and Alan Bennett. No other British rock musician in the last 50 years has captured the essence of suburbia and pastoral village life, like Ray Davies.

However The Kinks springboard in 1964 was a far cry from the green lawns of Acacia Avenue in suburbia and the garden fete and maypole on the village green in the sleepy hamlet. The Kinks crashed into the UK charts, debuting with the hypnotic and heavy “You Really Got Me” which reached No1 before following it up with two more equally heavy tunes, “All Day and All of the Night” and “Tired of Waiting for You”, which reached No2 and No1 respectively.

Although they had a further No1 with “Sunny Afternoon” and two No2’s with “Waterloo Sunset” and “Lola”, and an abundance of Top 10 commercial success besides, they did not receive the recognition they deserved in the 1960s. The Kinks were inevitably overshadowed by The Beatles, but the simple truth is that The Kinks songs were as well-crafted as The Beatles songs!! Ray Davies is a peer of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Lennon & McCartney knew it, but somehow the public in the UK and US didn’t quite grasp it. Quite why, beats me, but it is high time we re-assessed Ray Davies’ contribution to British music, poetry and prose. For me he will always be the Poet Laureate of British Rock & Pop!!

So let’s celebrate Ray Davies and The Kinks’ 50th Anniversary with this Record Press Top 10 Best Kinks Songs –

Top 10 Best Kinks Songs

1) Waterloo Sunset ( No2 1967 )

2) Lola ( No2 1970 )

3) You Really Got Me ( No1 1964 )

4) Sunny Afternoon ( No1 1966 )

5) Dead End Street ( No5 1966 )

6) Come Dancing ( No12 1983 )

7) Dedicated Follower of Fashion ( No4 1966 )

8) See My Friends ( No10 1965 )

9) Autumn Almanac ( No3 1967 )

10) Apeman ( No5 1970 )

What are your favourite Kinks songs, singles or album tracks? Let us know in the Reply Box below.

Celebrate your love of Kinks in your home or office, by ordering your favourite Kinks song in a vinyl or CD format; single, album or album cover; framed and mounted as a picture disc souvenir. You can also personalise it with an inscribed / engraved plaque…… 

ORDER NOW…….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Framed vinyl records, framed CDs and framed DVDs with a personalised plaque, make unique presents or original gifts for a special celebration  / special occasion ie a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th Birthday ( How about the No1 song on the day of birth? ), a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!!  THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!

For all other Kinks memorabilia, merchandise and news……. www.thekinks.info/