Sunny Afternoon

Last updated

"Sunny Afternoon"
Sunny Afternoon West German picture sleeve.jpg
West German picture sleeve
Single by the Kinks
from the album Face to Face
B-side "I'm Not Like Everybody Else"
Released3 June 1966 (1966-06-03)
Recorded13 May 1966 [1]
Studio Pye, London
Genre
Length3:36
Label
Songwriter(s) Ray Davies
Producer(s) Shel Talmy
The Kinks singles chronology
"Dedicated Follower of Fashion"
(1966)		"Sunny Afternoon"
(1966)		"Dead End Street"
(1966)

"Sunny Afternoon" is a song by the Kinks, written by frontman Ray Davies. [7] The track later featured on the Face to Face album as well as being the title track for their 1967 compilation album. Like its contemporary "Taxman" by the Beatles, the song references the high levels of progressive tax taken by the British Labour government of Harold Wilson, [8] [9] although it does so through the lens of an unsympathetic aristocrat bemoaning the loss of his vast unearned wealth. [10] Its strong music hall flavour and lyrical focus was part of a stylistic departure for the band (begun with 1965's "A Well Respected Man"), which had risen to fame in 1964–65 with a series of hard-driving, power-chord rock hits. [11]

Contents

Background

"Sunny Afternoon" was written in Ray Davies' house when he was ill. He recalled:

I'd bought a white upright piano. I hadn't written for a time. I'd been ill. I was living in a very 1960s-decorated house. It had orange walls and green furniture. My one-year-old daughter was crawling on the floor and I wrote the opening riff. I remember it vividly. I was wearing a polo-neck sweater. [10]

Davies used the song's narrator to reflect on his own situation in the song's lyrics: "The only way I could interpret how I felt was through a dusty, fallen aristocrat who had come from old money as opposed to the wealth I had created for myself." In order to prevent the listener from sympathizing with the song's protagonist, Davies said, "I turned him into a scoundrel who fought with his girlfriend after a night of drunkenness and cruelty." [10]

Davies explained of the circumstances in which the song was written and recorded:

"Sunny Afternoon" was made very quickly, in the morning, it was one of our most atmospheric sessions. I still like to keep tapes of the few minutes before the final take, things that happen before the session. Maybe it's superstitious, but I believe if I had done things differently—if I had walked around the studio or gone out—it wouldn't have turned out that way. The bass player went off and started playing funny little classical things on the bass, more like a lead guitar: and Nicky Hopkins, who was playing piano on that session, was playing "Liza"—we always used to play that song—little things like that helped us get into the feeling of the song. At the time I wrote "Sunny Afternoon" I couldn't listen to anything. I was only playing the greatest hits of Frank Sinatra and Dylan's "Maggie's Farm"—I just liked its whole presence, I was playing the Bringing It All Back Home LP along with my Frank Sinatra and Glenn Miller and Bach—it was a strange time. I thought they all helped one another, they went into the chromatic part that's in the back of the song. I once made a drawing of my voice on "Sunny Afternoon". It was a leaf with a very thick outline—a big blob in the background—the leaf just cutting through it. [10] [12] [13]

Release and reception

Released as a single on 3 June 1966, "Sunny Afternoon" went to number one on the UK Singles Chart on 7 July 1966, remaining there for two weeks. [14] The track also went to number one in Ireland on 14 July 1966. In America, it peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart early autumn 1966. [15] The promotional video for the single featured the band performing in a cold, snowy environment.

In a 1995 interview, Ray Davies recalled being surprised at the song's broad appeal, stating, "'Sunny Afternoon', I remember the record coming out and I walked into a British Legion or a pub. I thought I was in a British Legion. All these people, old soldiers and things, singing it. I was 23 years old. I said, 'Wow, all these old people really like it.' And this old guy came up and said, 'You young guys... this is the sort of music we can relate to!' I thought, Wow, this is it, it's the end (laughs)." [16]

Billboard praised the single's "off-beat music hall melody and up-to-date lyrics." [17] Cash Box said that it is a "slow-moving, blues-drenched, seasonal affair with a catchy, low-key repeating riff." [18] "Sunny Afternoon" was placed at No. 200 on Pitchfork Media's list of The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s. [19] The song was featured in and was the title song of West End musical Sunny Afternoon. It has been covered by artists including Jimmy Buffett, Stereophonics, Michael McDonald, and Michael Caruso.

Charts and certifications

Personnel

According to band researcher Doug Hinman, [48] except where noted:

The Kinks

Additional musicians

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Really Got Me</span> 1964 single by the Kinks

"You Really Got Me" is a song by English rock band the Kinks, written by frontman Ray Davies. The song, originally performed in a more blues-orientated style, was inspired by artists such as Lead Belly and Big Bill Broonzy. Two versions were recorded, with the second performance used for the final single. Lead guitarist Dave Davies performs the song’s famous guitar solo. Although it was long rumoured that future Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page had performed the song's guitar solo, this has been debunked by Page himself.

<i>Face to Face</i> (The Kinks album) 1966 studio album by the Kinks

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waterloo Sunset</span> 1967 single by the Kinks

"Waterloo Sunset" is a song by English rock band the Kinks. It was released as a single on 5 May 1967 and featured on the album Something Else by the Kinks later that year. Written and produced by Kinks frontman Ray Davies, "Waterloo Sunset" is one of the band's best-known and most acclaimed songs, and was ranked number 14 on the 2021 edition of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list. It was also their first single that was available in true stereo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Well Respected Man</span> 1965 single by the Kinks

"A Well Respected Man" is a song by the British band the Kinks, written by the group's lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ray Davies, and originally released in the United Kingdom on the EP Kwyet Kinks in September 1965. It was also released as a single in the US and Continental Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lola (song)</span> 1970 song by The Kinks

"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 between a young man and a possible cross-dresser or trans woman, whom he meets in a club in Soho, London. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Tall Sally</span> 1956 single by Little Richard

"Long Tall Sally", also known as "Long Tall Sally (The Thing)", is a rock and roll song written by Robert "Bumps" Blackwell, Enotris Johnson, and Little Richard. Richard recorded it for Specialty Records, which released it as a single in March 1956, backed with "Slippin' and Slidin'".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apeman (song)</span> 1970 single by the Kinks

"Apeman" is a 1970 song by the English rock band the Kinks. It was written by Ray Davies and appears on the album Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One. Written as a call to return to nature amidst the crowding and industry of the city, the song features calypso stylings. Like its predecessor, "Lola", it had to have a lyric re-dubbed for commercial release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Day and All of the Night</span> 1964 single by the Kinks

"All Day and All of the Night" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks from 1964. Released as a single, it reached No. 2 in the UK on the Record Retailer chart and No. 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1965. The song was included on the Kinksize Hits EP in the UK and the Kinks' second American album, Kinks-Size (1965).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">See My Friends</span> 1965 single by the Kinks

"See My Friends" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks, written by the group's singer and guitarist, Ray Davies. Released in July 1965, it reached number 10 on the Record Retailer chart. The song incorporates a drone-effect played on guitar, evoking a sound reminiscent of the Indian tambura.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wonderboy (The Kinks song)</span> 1968 single by the Kinks

"Wonderboy" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks, written by Ray Davies. It was released as a non-album single in April 1968. It stalled at number 36 in the UK charts, becoming the band's first single not to make the UK Top Twenty since their early covers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tired of Waiting for You</span> 1965 single by the Kinks

"Tired of Waiting for You" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks. It was released as a single on 15 January 1965 in the UK and on 17 February 1965 in the US. The single reached number one in the UK and number six in the US. It then appeared on their second studio album, Kinda Kinks. It was the group's highest-charting single in the US - tied with "Come Dancing", which achieved the same chart position eighteen years later in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dedicated Follower of Fashion</span> 1966 single by the Kinks

"Dedicated Follower of Fashion" is a 1966 song by British band the Kinks. It lampoons the contemporary British fashion scene and mod culture in general. Originally released as a single, it has been included on many of the band's later albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria (The Kinks song)</span> 1969 song written by Ray Davies

"Victoria" is a song written by Ray Davies of the Kinks. It is the opening track on the band's 1969 concept album Arthur .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Set Me Free (The Kinks song)</span> 1965 single by the Kinks

"Set Me Free" is a song by Ray Davies, released first by the Kinks in 1965. Along with "Tired of Waiting for You", it is one of band's first attempts at a softer, more introspective sound. The song's B-side, "I Need You", makes prominent use of powerchords in the style of the Kinks' early, "raunchy" sound. "Set Me Free" was heard in the Ken Loach-directed Up the Junction, a BBC Wednesday Play which aired in November 1965; this marked the first appearance of a Kinks song on a film or TV soundtrack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Till the End of the Day</span> 1965 single by the Kinks

"Till the End of the Day" is a song by the Kinks, written by Ray Davies and released as a single in 1965 and later on their album The Kink Kontroversy. It centres on a power chord, like many of the group's early hits, and was similarly successful, reaching number eight in the United Kingdom and number 50 in the United States, spending eight weeks or more in each chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dead End Street (song)</span> 1966 single by the Kinks

"Dead End Street" is a song by the British band the Kinks from 1966, written by main songwriter Ray Davies. Like many other songs written by Davies, it is to some degree influenced by British Music Hall. The bass playing was partly inspired by the "twangy" sound of Duane Eddy's guitar. It was originally released as a non-album single, but has since been included as one of several bonus tracks from the Face to Face CD. The song, like many others by the group, deals with the poverty and misery found in the lower classes of English society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Days (The Kinks song)</span> 1968 single by the Kinks

"Days" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks, written by Ray Davies. It was released as a non-album single in June 1968. It also appeared on an early version of the album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. It now appears as a bonus track of the remastered CD. On the original Pye 7N 17573 label, the name of the song is "Day's" owing to a grammatical error.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ev'rybody's Gonna Be Happy</span> 1965 single by the Kinks

"Ev'rybody's Gonna Be Happy" is a song by Ray Davies, released as a UK single by the Kinks in 1965. As the follow-up to the number-one hit "Tired of Waiting for You", and having their previous three singles all chart among the top two, it was less successful, reaching number 17. It broke a run of what would have been thirteen consecutive top-ten singles in the UK.

<i>Kinks-Size</i> 1965 studio album by the Kinks

Kinks-Size is a studio album by the English rock band the Kinks. Released in the United States and Canada in March 1965, it was their second album issued on Reprise Records. It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard album chart in the third week of June 1965, the same week the Kinks began their first US tour. It is the Kinks' fourth-highest-charting album on the Billboard album chart and the second-highest of their 1960s albums. The album ranked number 78 on Billboard's year-end album chart for 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daydream (The Lovin' Spoonful song)</span> 1966 song by the Lovin Spoonful

"Daydream" is a song by the American folk-rock band the Lovin' Spoonful. Written by John Sebastian, it was issued as a single in February 1966 and was the title track of the band's second album, Daydream, released the following month. The song was the Lovin' Spoonful's third consecutive single to enter the top ten in the United States, and it was their best performing to that point, reaching number two. The single's European release coincided with a British and Swedish promotional tour, leading the song to be the band's first major hit outside North America. It topped sales charts in Canada and Sweden, and it was ultimately the band's most successful record in the United Kingdom, where it reached number two.

References

  1. ↑ Hinman 2004, p. 83.
  2. ↑ Goldsmith 2019, p. 254; Paytress 2022.
  3. ↑ Gelbart 2003, pp. 222–223.
  4. ↑ "The Kinks Album Guide". Rolling Stone Magazine . 20 June 2019.
  5. ↑ Sheffield, Rob (2004). "The Kinks". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 458–460. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  6. ↑ McIver, Joel (2015). "The Kinks - "Sunny Afternoon". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die. New York: Universe. p. 174.
  7. ↑ "6 Music - Kinks reunion exclusive". BBC. 4 October 2006. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  8. ↑ MacDonald 2005, p. 200.
  9. ↑ Everett 2010, p. 48.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Sunny Afternoon". Songfacts.
  11. ↑ Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 102. ISBN   0-85112-250-7.
  12. ↑ Jovanovic, Rob. God Save The Kinks: A Biography.
  13. ↑ Hinman, Doug. All Day and All of the Night.
  14. ↑ "Bartley Gorman King of the Gypsies". Maxim . Archived from the original on 24 July 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  15. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . Vol. 78, no. 40. Nielsen Company. 1966. p. 18. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  16. ↑ Cavanagh, David (September 1995). "The Village Green Mutual Appreciation Society". Mojo.
  17. ↑ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. 30 July 1966. p. 18. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  18. ↑ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 23 July 1966. p. 16. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  19. ↑ "Staff Lists: The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s". Pitchfork. 14 August 2006. Archived from the original on 5 March 2010. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  20. ↑ "Go-Set Australian charts - 12 October 1966". www.poparchives.com.au.
  21. ↑ "Every AMR Top 100 Single in 1966". www.top100singles.net.
  22. ↑ "The Kinks – Sunny Afternoon" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  23. ↑ "The Kinks – Sunny Afternoon" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  24. ↑ "The Kinks – Sunny Afternoon" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  25. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5723." RPM . Library and Archives Canada.
  26. ↑ "Denmark's Best Sellers" (PDF). Cashbox (10 September 1966): 50.
  27. ↑ Timo (13 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit KET - KIR". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  28. ↑ "InfoDisc : Les Tubes de chaque Artiste commençant par K" (in French). InfoDisc. Select "Kinks" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  29. ↑ "The Kinks – Sunny Afternoon" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  30. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Sunny Afternoon". Irish Singles Chart.
  31. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Kinks".
  32. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – The Kinks" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  33. ↑ "The Kinks – Sunny Afternoon" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  34. ↑ "flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  35. ↑ "The Kinks – Sunny Afternoon". VG-lista.
  36. ↑ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989" . Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  37. ↑ "Listas de superventas: 1966". 21 July 2020.
  38. ↑ Hallberg, Eric (193). Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P 3: Sveriges radios topplista över veckans 20 mest sålda skivor 10. 7. 1962 - 19. 8. 1975. Drift Musik. ISBN   9163021404.
  39. ↑ Hallberg, Eric; Henningsson, Ulf (1998). Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök: 1961 - 74. Premium Publishing. p. 205. ISBN   919727125X.
  40. ↑ "Kinks: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  41. ↑ "The Kinks Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  42. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 10/01/66". Tropicalglen.com. 1 October 1966. Archived from the original on 30 May 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  43. ↑ "AMR Top Singles of 1966". www.top100singles.net.
  44. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1966". Ultratop. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  45. ↑ "Top 100 1966 - UK Music Charts". www.uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  46. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN   0-89820-142-X.
  47. ↑ "British single certifications – Kinks – Sunny Afternoon". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  48. ↑ Hinman 2004, pp. 83–84.
  49. ↑ Everett 2009 , p. 60: (twelve-string, acoustic rhythm); Hinman 2004 , p. 84: (Ray Davies, acoustic guitar).

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.