| "Good Day" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Kinks | ||||
| from the album Word of Mouth | ||||
| B-side | "Too Hot" | |||
| Released | 10 August 1984 | |||
| Recorded | June 1983 – September 1984 at Konk Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 4:35 | |||
| Label | Arista | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Ray Davies | |||
| Producer(s) | Ray Davies | |||
| The Kinks singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Good Day" is a song released and performed by the British rock band, The Kinks. The song, written by Ray Davies, appeared on the band's album, Word of Mouth .
During the sessions for "Good Day," a drum machine was used instead of drummer Mick Avory, due to the conflicts between Avory and Dave Davies. Ray Davies said of this:
Dave and Mick just couldn't get along. There were terrible fights, and I got to the point where I couldn't cope with it any more. Push came to shove, and to avoid an argument I couldn't face....we were doing a track called "Good Day" and I couldn't face having Mick and Dave in the studio, so I did it with a drum machine.
"Good Day" was first released as a single in Britain (as well as Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden) in August 1984, backed with "Too Hot" (both songs would appear on Word of Mouth.) A maxi-single, with "Don't Forget to Dance" added to the two tracks already on the 7 inch single, was also released in the UK. "Good Day", however, was unsuccessful, as it did not chart in any country. In November of that year, "Good Day" appeared as the third track on the first side of The Kinks' album, Word of Mouth . Word of Mouth was a modest success in America (hitting #57), but the album did not achieve the Top 20 success that its predecessors State of Confusion , Give the People What They Want , and Low Budget had.
An extended edit of "Good Day" appears as a bonus track on some CD reissues of Word of Mouth.
"Good Day", despite its commercial failures, has received generally positive feedback from critics. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine cited the track as a highlight from the Word of Mouth disc of the compilation album, The Arista Years (which is a box set of all Kinks albums released on the Arista label) despite not doing so in his review of Word of Mouth. [1] [2] Rolling Stone writer David Fricke said that, "for 'Good Day,' Ray dusts off his old 'Sunny Afternoon' ennui with a languid melody and a fragile, winning chorus." [3]
Ray Davies noted that in later years, some listeners thought the line "somebody told me that Diana was dead" referred to Diana, Princess of Wales. She died 13 years after the song was released; Davies reaffirmed the line referred to actress Diana Dors who died in 1984.
David Russell Gordon Davies is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the English rock band the Kinks, which also featured his older brother Ray. Davies also sometimes undertook writing and/or lead vocals duties within the band, for example on songs such as "Death of a Clown", "Party Line", "Strangers" and "Rats". He has also embarked on a solo career, releasing several singles during the late 1960s and has since released eight solo albums.
Michael Charles Avory is an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer and percussionist for the English rock band the Kinks. He joined them shortly after their formation in 1964 and remained with them until 1984, when he left amid creative friction with guitarist Dave Davies. He is the longest-serving member of the band, apart from the Davies brothers. He is also the most prolific member, again apart from the Davies brothers, who has played on twenty studio albums or nearly all of the band's creative output.
"Lola" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks, written by frontman Ray Davies for their 1970 album Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One. The song details a romantic encounter in a Soho bar between a young man and the eponymous Lola, who is possibly a trans woman or cross-dresser. In the song, the narrator describes his confusion towards Lola, who "walked like a woman but talked like a man", yet he remains infatuated with her.
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in London in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm and blues and Merseybeat, and were briefly part of the British Invasion of the United States until their touring ban in 1965. Their third single, the Ray Davies-penned "You Really Got Me", became an international hit, topping the charts in the United Kingdom and reaching the Top 10 in the United States.
Come Dancing with The Kinks: The Best of 1977-1986 is a double album compilation by the Kinks, released on Arista Records in 1986. It contains thirteen tracks released as singles, only one of which did not also appear on album, and six album tracks. Every one of the band's seven albums released by Arista during the time period indicated is represented here. Designed specifically for the American market, it peaked at No. 159 on the Billboard 200 and failed to chart in the United Kingdom. A version for compact disc was issued in 2000 by Koch Records. Liner notes are by John Swenson, and the original recordings were produced by Ray Davies.
Low Budget is the eighteenth studio album by English rock group the Kinks, released in 1979. It was their first to feature bassist Jim Rodford who would remain with the group until their disbandment in 1996. Following the minor success of their 1978 album Misfits, the band recorded the majority of the album in New York rather than London. Unlike the more nostalgic themes of many Kinks albums prior to Low Budget, many of the album's songs allude to contemporaneous events. Musically, the album is a continuation of the band's "arena rock" phase, resulting in a more rock-based sound and more modern production techniques.
Misfits is the seventeenth studio album by the English rock band the Kinks, released in 1978. Following the minor success of Sleepwalker in the United States, Misfits featured a more rock-oriented style than many other Kinks records of the 1970s. It was their last album to feature pianist John Gosling and the only one to feature bassist Andy Pyle as a member, both of whom quit the band following internal conflicts. Despite this, the album made the Top 40 in America. The album also contained the minor hit single "A Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy", as well as less successful releases "Live Life" and "Black Messiah".
Give the People What They Want is the nineteenth studio album by the English rock group the Kinks. It was released in August 1981 in the US but not until January 1982 in Europe. It was delayed because lead singer Ray Davies wanted to produce a full-length video for the album but financing fell through. Also scrapped were plans to remix the album for the European market. It was initially aimed to be a statement on the media.
State of Confusion is the twentieth studio album by the English rock group the Kinks, released in 1983. The record features the single "Come Dancing", which hit #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was one of the band's biggest hit singles in the United States, equaling the 1965 peak of "Tired of Waiting for You". The album itself was a major success, peaking at #12 on the Billboard album charts. The album was certified gold in Canada by August 1983. It was the last Kinks album on which drummer Mick Avory appeared as a full member of the band.
Word of Mouth is the twenty-first studio album by the English rock group the Kinks. It was released November 1984. "Do It Again" was released as a single from the album in 1985.
"Come Dancing" is a 1982 song written by Ray Davies and performed by British rock group the Kinks on their 1983 album State of Confusion. The song was inspired by Davies' memories of his older sister, Rene, who died of a heart attack while dancing at a dance hall. The lyrics, sung from the perspective of an "East End barrow boy," are about the boy's sister going on dates at a local Palais dance hall.
"Drivin'" is a song written by Ray Davies of the Kinks which appeared on that group's 1969 concept album Arthur . It was released in the UK as the first single from the album, but failed to chart.
Do It Again is a song by British rock band the Kinks. Written by lead singer Ray Davies, the song was released as the first track on The Kinks's album, Word of Mouth. Written as an observation on stressful working schedules, the song features an opening guitar chord and echoed vocals.
"A Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy" is the lead single and fourth track from The Kinks' 1978 album Misfits. Written by Ray Davies, the song was inspired by the band's then-tumultuous state at the time, with two members leaving the band during the recording of Misfits. Released as the first single from the album, the track was the band's most successful single in years, reaching number 30.
"She's Got Everything" is a song written by Ray Davies and released by English rock band the Kinks. It first appeared as the B-side of the Kinks' 1968 single, "Days".
"Lincoln County" is a 1968 song by British musician Dave Davies, who is best known as a guitarist for the rock band the Kinks. It was his third single.
"Ducks on the Wall" is a song by the British rock band the Kinks. The song, appearing on the band's 1975 album Soap Opera, was written by the band's principal songwriter, Ray Davies.
"Rock 'n' Roll Cities" is a song by the British rock group, the Kinks. The song appeared on the band's 1986 album, Think Visual, and, unlike most other Kinks songs, it was written by Dave Davies rather than his brother, Ray.
"Attitude" is a song by the British rock band The Kinks, released on their album, Low Budget. It was written by Ray Davies.
