1. A rock musician fr… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists which use this name
1. A rock musician from England
2. A trumpet player
1. Sir Ray Davies (born June 21, 1944 at Fortis Green, London, full name Raymond Douglas Davies) is an influential English rock musician, best known as lead singer-songwriter for The Kinks - one of the most influential, prolific and long-lived British Invasion bands - which he led with his younger brother, Dave Davies. He has also acted, directed and produced shows for theater and television.
In 1985, he released his first solo album Return to Waterloo, which accompanied a television film he wrote and directed. Since the demise of The Kinks in the mid-90s Ray Davies has embarked on a critically successful solo career. In 1998, he released The Storyteller. His 2006 release Other People's Lives was his first top 30 hit in the UK since 1980s, when he worked with The Kinks. He released his fourth solo release Working Man's Café in 2007. Ten years later in 2017, he was knighted for services to the arts. In the same year, he released his next solo album Americana, which peaked at No. 15 in the UK. Its sequel, Our Country: Americana Act 2, was released in 2018.
2. Ray Davies is a trumpeter and film composer.
My Name
Ray Davies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Which started at the height of class-conscious imperialism and ended
With a society so reduced to totalitarian commonness that in my final
Years at college the saying 'mediocrity rises' became very popular.
And being mediocre, I rose. But you're not supposed to laugh at that.
My generation has been taught to be so in touch with the latest fashion
That we have become faceless; we're victims of design.
But, oddly enough, although I was taught to think of myself as a man
I'll become an individual.
In Ray Davies's song "My Name," the singer speaks poignantly about his own identity and the society in which he lives. He begins by stating that his name is of no importance- a clear indication that he is more interested in discussing the themes that underpin his lyricism than himself as an individual. He then proceeds to describe the century he lives in, indicating that it started with 'class-conscious imperialism' and ended with a society so reduced to totalitarian commonness that mediocrity now rules the roost. The singer admits that he himself is mediocre, but this is no reason to laugh. He attributes this collective mediocrity to the values that his generation has been taught- to internalize the very latest fashions, becoming victims of design.
However, the singer doesn't seem entirely resigned to this fate. He admits that what makes a human being an individual lies not in surface-level attributes but somewhere within their soul. He holds out hope that he will become an individual someday- a distinct creature with his own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. These lyrics are poignant because they capture the longing and aspiration that most people feel at some point in their lives- the desire to be seen and valued as individuals, rather than just one more faceless cog in a vast machine. In this sense, Ray Davies's "My Name" is not just a personal confession but a rallying cry for all who seek to break free from conformity and find their own unique path in life.
Line by Line Meaning
My name is of no importance.
My identity is not significant or noteworthy.
You see, I'm a product of a century
I am a result of the cultural, social, and political events of the past one hundred years.
Which started at the height of class-conscious imperialism and ended
The last century began with a strong emphasis on social hierarchy and domination and ended with a move towards uniformity.
With a society so reduced to totalitarian commonness that in my final Years at college the saying 'mediocrity rises' became very popular.
The society I grew up in became so obsessed with conformity and control that when I was in school, the idea of average people succeeding gained popularity.
And being mediocre, I rose.
Despite my average abilities, I was able to succeed in a society that values uniformity and discouraged individuality.
But you're not supposed to laugh at that.
My success, despite not being remarkable, is not a joke and should be taken seriously.
My generation has been taught to be so in touch with the latest fashion That we have become faceless; we're victims of design.
My peers and I were taught to prioritize popular trends and are now indistinguishable from each other, controlled by the influences of popular culture and advertising.
But, oddly enough, although I was taught to think of myself as a man With no face, somewhere inside my soul I believe that one day I'll become an individual.
Despite being taught to prioritize conformity, I have a deep-rooted desire to become an individual and be known for who I truly am.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DAVIES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
lolroe
I'd been traveling on that row
I got the feeling that it was getting oh
I kept movin aw
I kept rollin aw
But did anybody know my name?
Travelin' oh so law
I got the feeling that something raw
I kept rollin' aw
I kept rollin' aw
Did anybody know my name?
How could you believe, when ya hadn't known my name?
How could you believe, when ya hadn't known my name?
Oooh, oooh-oooh
I saw that life was such a simple game
I sat and watched it from muh movin' train
A bumpeh ride that day
I wasn't alone that way
Did anybody know the name?
Arrested in '69,
for upsetting a tourist guyd
"Oh, pay the fine or jail!"
I'd just smiled and said,
that I "was oh so glad to be alive"...
How could you believe, when ya hadn't known my name?
How could you believe, when ya hadn't known my name?
How can you believe, when you don't understand?
John Pinkerton
Man, fell in love with this song. What an underrated band. Too bad they didn't use more of his vocals on their tracks.
Santonian
Dave es buenísimo!!!
0TheBestMan
definitely one of the best songs on the album
Santonian
Que bonita canción.
Ian Dudley x
Honestly, Dave is every bit as much the soul of the kinks as Keith is of the stones.
H D
This song was in my head for 4 days and now I found it!
nogrouchy
Thanks for posting this fantastic song. I also love the photos of Dave you used to provide the background.
Nathan Anderson
The song catalog that keeps on giving and giving...
LittleArabellaGumby
The best song on Everybody's In Show-Biz!!
John Pinkerton
Great song. IDK if it's the best song on the album.