| "Dandy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 West German picture sleeve | ||||
| Single by the Kinks | ||||
| from the album Face to Face | ||||
| B-side | "Party Line" | |||
| Released | Late 1966 [lower-alpha 1] | |||
| Recorded | 9 June 1966 [2] | |||
| Studio | Pye, London | |||
| Genre | Pop [3] | |||
| Length | 2:10 | |||
| Label | Pye | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Ray Davies | |||
| Producer(s) | Shel Talmy | |||
| The Kinks Europeansingles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Dandy" is a 1966 song by the Kinks, appearing on their album Face to Face .
"Dandy" was only released in Britain and America on the Face to Face album. However, it was released as a single in continental Europe, where it charted, reaching #1 in Germany, #2 in Belgium #3 in the Netherlands and #6 in Austria. In some countries, (such as Norway) "Dandy" was flipped with "Party Line" (also from Face to Face) as the A-side.
AllMusic's Stewart Mason said of "Dandy" that "Davies delivers the lyrics, about a neighborhood lothario, with just the right mixture of disgust and admiration; his slyly witty vocals are truly what makes the song. Musically, the tune harks back to the music hall tradition of George Formby; Dave Davies' guitar is so trebly and clean that it sounds like a ukulele – or perhaps an electrified rubber band – and the gently swinging tune sounds like it could have been an old vaudeville hit. 'Dandy' is a charming, slightly subversive, gem." [4] Stephen Thomas Erlewine, also from AllMusic, noted "the music hall shuffle of 'Dandy'" as a "wonderful moment" from Face to Face. [5]
'Dandy' was a regular feature of the Kinks live act from 1966 to 1969 but was dropped thereafter.
| "Dandy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US picture sleeve | ||||
| Single by Herman's Hermits | ||||
| from the album There's a Kind of Hush All Over the World | ||||
| B-side | "My Reservation's Been Confirmed" | |||
| Released | September 1966 [6] | |||
| Recorded | August 1966 [7] | |||
| Studio | De Lane Lea, London | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Label | MGM | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Ray Davies | |||
| Producer(s) | Mickie Most | |||
| Herman's Hermits singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Dandy" became a hit single in North America in 1966 as recorded by fellow UK group Herman's Hermits in that same time frame, reaching #1 in Canada on the RPM national singles chart [8] and #5 in the US on the Billboard Hot 100. [9] It also made #3 in New Zealand. This version was not released as a single in the UK.
When comparing the Kinks' original version of "Dandy" to Herman's Hermits' cover, Stewart Mason of AllMusic said, "Herman's Hermits would have the US hit with Ray Davies' 'Dandy,' but the Kinks' own version, from 1966's masterful Face To Face, is far superior to Peter Noone's charming but gormless rendition." [4] Cash Box called the Herman's Hermits' version "a delectable item." [10]
The Rockin' Vickers also released "Dandy" as the A side to a 1966 single. (Their main claim to fame was that Lemmy was a band member before his stint with Hawkwind and his formation of Motörhead.) British singer Clinton Ford also released a version of the song as a single in the same year.
The Kinks' Pye Records label mate David Garrick included the song on his 1967 album "A Boy Named David", as well as a live version on the 1968 German release "David Garrick and the Dandys - Blow-Up Live".
| Chart (1966–67) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [11] | 6 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [12] | 3 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [13] | 14 |
| Germany (Official German Charts) [14] | 1 |
| Netherlands (Veronica Top 40) [15] | 3 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) [16] | 2 |
| Chart (1966–67) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report) [17] | 14 |
| Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [18] | 1 |
| Denmark (Danmarks Radio) [19] | 4 |
| New Zealand ( Listener ) [20] | 3 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 [21] | 5 |
Face to Face is the fourth studio album by the English rock band the Kinks, released on 28 October 1966. The album marked a shift from the hard-driving style of beat music that had catapulted the group to international acclaim in 1964, instead drawing heavily from baroque pop and music hall. It is their first album consisting entirely of Ray Davies compositions, and has also been regarded by critics as one of rock's first concept albums. Davies' blossoming songwriting style became increasingly observational and satirical, commenting on English culture, social class and the music industry.
Something Else by the Kinks, often referred to simply as Something Else, is the fifth studio album by the English rock band the Kinks, released on 15 September 1967 by Pye Records. The album continued the Kinks' trend toward an eccentric baroque pop and music hall-influenced style defined by frontman Ray Davies' observational and introspective lyrics. It also marked the final involvement of American producer Shel Talmy in the Kinks' 1960s studio recordings; henceforth Ray Davies would produce the group's recordings. Many of the songs feature the keyboard work of Nicky Hopkins and the backing vocals of Davies's wife, Rasa. The album was preceded by the singles "Waterloo Sunset", one of the group's most acclaimed songs, and the Dave Davies solo record "Death of a Clown", both of which charted in the UK top 3.
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