The Kinks (1963–1996; 2018-present) is an English pop-rock group that came … Read Full Bio ↴The Kinks (1963–1996; 2018-present) is an English pop-rock group that came out of the British R&B scene of the early 1960s. Formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray Davies and Dave Davies in 1964 and categorised in the United States as a "British Invasion" band, the Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock groups of the era. In 1990, their first year of eligibility, the original four members were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Later, in November 2005, they were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame. Among numerous other honours, they received the Ivor Novello Award for "Outstanding Service to British Music" in 2006. The Kinks reunited in June 2018, with the Davies brothers and drummer Mick Avory.

Formed in 1963 in Muswell Hill, North London, they first gained prominence on the heels of the well-received and highly influential single "You Really Got Me" (1964). The group originally consisted of lead singer/guitarist Ray Davies, his brother lead guitarist Dave Davies, drummer Mick Avory, and bassist Pete Quaife. Quaife left (twice) in the late 1960s, and Avory finally left in 1984 as the result of a long-running dispute with Dave Davies, leaving only the Davies brothers as the core of the original group.

With Ray Davies' songwriting skills and unabashedly English voices, Dave Davies' impressive guitar work, and Avory's tight and steady drumming, the band became one of the best and most influential groups of British pop and the "British Invasion" of the U.S.A., lasting longer than any of their competitors, apart from the Rolling Stones, as they broke up in 1996. Their catalogue of songs has been covered by Van Halen, The Pretenders, The Black Keys, The Stranglers, Queens of the Stone Age , and many more.

Members:
Ray Davies – vocals, rhythm guitar (1963–1996)
Dave Davies – lead guitar, vocals (1963–1996)
Pete Quaife – bass guitar (1963–1969)
John Dalton – bass guitar (1969–1976)
Andy Pyle – bass guitar (1976–1978)
Jim Rodford – bass guitar (1978–1996)
Mick Avory – drums (1963–1984)
Bob Henrit – drums (1984–1996)
John Gosling – keyboards, piano (1970–1978)
Gordon Edwards – keyboards, piano (1978–1979)
Ian Gibbons – keyboards, piano (1979–1989, 1993–1996)
Mark Haley – keyboards, piano (1989–1993)

Did You See His Name?
The Kinks Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Did you see his name in the local paper
Stole a tin of beans from a cut-priced grocery store?
The judge said, "He must pay"
So, he put him on probation and the paper gave his name

Did you see his name in the criminal section
And the center page gave his name and his address
They stopped him doing it again

So, they put him to dishonour and put the man to shame

He lost his little job
His employer was absolved of blame
His world just crumbled down
Incidentally, did you see his name in the obiturary column

Letters edged in black
Life was much too hard to live
So, he brought it to an end
In his gas-filled maisonette
Because he couldn't stand the strain

La la la la la
Life was much too hard to live
So, he brought it to an end
In his gas-filled maisonette
Because he couldn't stand the strain

Did you see his name?

Did you see his name?
Did you see his name?

Overall Meaning

The Kinks' "Did You See His Name?" is a sad and poignant commentary on the effects of public shaming on a person's life. The song tells the story of a man who is caught stealing a tin of beans from a cut-price grocery store, and is subsequently put on probation by the judge. However, the local newspaper publishes his name and address in the criminal section, and the center page even features his picture. This public shaming stops him from stealing again, but it also puts him to dishonour and shame, and his life begins to crumble.

The man loses his little job and his employer is absolved of blame. His world comes crashing down, and he becomes a recluse. Eventually, he ends his life in his gas-filled maisonette because he couldn't stand the strain of the public shame he had to endure. The repeated refrain of "Did you see his name?" serves to drive home the fact that he was never able to escape the public shaming that came with his crime.

The song is a powerful commentary on the negative effects of public shaming and how it can destroy a person's life. It underlines the importance of treating people with compassion and understanding, and the dangers of reducing a person to a single act or mistake they have made.

Line by Line Meaning

Did you see his name in the local paper
Did you notice that his name was printed in the local newspaper?

Stole a tin of beans from a cut-priced grocery store?
He was caught stealing a can of beans from a discounted grocery store.

The judge said, 'He must pay'
The judge ordered him to make amends for his crime.

So, he put him on probation and the paper gave his name
As part of his punishment, he was placed on probation and his name was printed in the newspaper.

Did You See His Name?The Kinks Lyrics

David Chedgey

on Do It Again

Did You See His Name?
The Kinks Lyrics