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)
Do You Remember Walter?
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And all the girls knew Walter's name?
Walter, isn't it a shame the way our little world has changed?
Do you remember, Walter, playing cricket in the thunder and the rain?
Do you remember, Walter, smoking cigarettes behind your garden gate?
Yes, Walter was my mate,
But Walter, my old friend, where are you now?
Walter, isn't it a shame the way our little world has changed?
Do you remember, Walter, how we said we'd fight the world so we'd be free.
We'd save up all our money and we'd buy a boat and sail away to sea.
But it was not to be.
I knew you then but do I know you now?
Walter, you are just an echo of a world I knew so long ago
If you saw me now you wouldn't even know my name.
I bet you're fat and married and you're always home in bed by half-past eight.
And if I talked about the old times you'd get bored and you'll have nothing more to say.
Yes people often change, but memories of people can remain.
The Kinks's song Do You Remember Walter? is a wistful recollection of days gone by, as the singer reminisces about his old friend Walter and the world they used to inhabit. Through his lyrics, he hints at themes of nostalgia, loneliness, and the inevitability of change. The song begins by posing a question to Walter about whether he remembers the past, and it goes on to describe their childhood games of cricket, and how they dreamt of sailing away to sea. However, the lyrics also subtly suggest that the two have grown apart, with the singer wondering whether he still knows the person that Walter has become. The final lines reveal that the singer himself is now a stranger, with the implication that the past is forever out of reach.
Line by Line Meaning
Walter, remember when the world was young
Do you recall those days in the past when everything seemed so fresh and full of possibilities, just like our friend Walter?
And all the girls knew Walter's name?
Walter's popularity with women was unquestionable, and he was a well-known figure in our community.
Walter, isn't it a shame the way our little world has changed?
The world we knew has transformed significantly, and it's sad that it's not the same as it used to be.
Do you remember, Walter, playing cricket in the thunder and the rain?
Our shared memories of playing cricket in the rain, despite the thunder and lightning, is something we hold dear and is the reason why Walter and I were close friends.
Do you remember, Walter, smoking cigarettes behind your garden gate?
We had unique things we did together, and smoking cigarettes secretly in the garden was one of those things.
Yes, Walter was my mate,
Without a doubt, Walter was my great friend and companion, someone who I could rely on through thick and thin.
But Walter, my old friend, where are you now?
I haven't heard from Walter in a long time and I genuinely wonder where he could be at this moment.
Do you remember, Walter, how we said we'd fight the world so we'd be free.
We were committed to achieving a sense of independence and freedom, and we had each other's support in this endeavor.
We'd save up all our money and we'd buy a boat and sail away to sea.
We made plans to escape our mundane lives by saving money and traveling the world by sea, looking for adventure and new experiences.
But it was not to be.
Unfortunately, our plans never materialized, and we didn't follow through on our collective ambitions.
I knew you then but do I know you now?
Although we were once close, it's been so long since I've seen Walter, and I question whether I could still know him in the present day.
Walter, you are just an echo of a world I knew so long ago
Walter and I shared a mutually experienced past that remains relevant, even if his place in the present is not highly defined.
If you saw me now you wouldn't even know my name.
I feel like I've changed greatly over time and that my present identity wouldn't reflect my past self's identity to him.
I bet you're fat and married and you're always home in bed by half-past eight.
I have no idea how Walter has turned out, but I'm guessing he's settled down like most of our generation, with a predictable lifestyle to match.
And if I talked about the old times you'd get bored and you'll have nothing more to say.
I worry our memories together have become trivial to Walter in his current life, and perhaps he may not want to engage in conversation about the past.
Yes people often change, but memories of people can remain.
People may alter their habits and personalities over time, but the memories of shared experiences remain with us, even if we don't stay in touch with the individuals from our past.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Abkco Music, Inc.
Written by: RAYMOND DOUGLAS DAVIES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Mageller
Walter, remember when the world was young and all the girls knew Walter's
Name?
Walter, isn't it a shame the way our little world has changed.
Do you remember Walter playing cricket in the thunder and the rain?
Do you remember Walter smoking cigarettes behind your garden gate?
Yes, Walter was my mate.
But Walter, my old friend, where are you now?
Walter's name...
Walter, isn't it a shame the way our little world has changed?
Do you remember, Walter, how we said we'd fight the world so we'd be free?
We'd save up all our money and we'd buy a boat and sail away to sea.
But it was not to be.
I knew you then, but do I know you now?
Walter, you are just an echo of a world I knew so long ago.
Walter, if you saw me now, you wouldn't even know my name.
I bet you're fat and married,
And you're always home in bed by half past eight.
And if I talked about the old times, you'd get bored
And you'd have nothing more to say.
Yes, people often change.
But memories of people can remain.
@garyrouyea8314
Same here...and...this is
absolutely my favorite song
by THE KINKS...and maybe look
past me if you don't agree when I confess
that I love THE KINKS more than
THE BEATLES...we all know
that by now...
but I just listened to A DAY IN THE
LIFE...which is my favorite from
THE BEATLES
and it was nice to hear it...
I do wish everyone well...
and I hope y'all stay safe...
@benn255b3
"people often change, but, memories of people can remain" I swear I'll never forget that line.
@chetedoherty
So what you're saying is "people often swear, but, memories of kinks songs can remain"
@natearutnev845
+Chris Butler Your reasoning is perfect.
@brianhonan2444
@Chris Butler cxn
@parisbanlieue3424
♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
@caporegimo1
That line has stuck with me too.
@MrRobmull
“I bet you’re fat and married, and you’re always home in bed by half past eight” Gets me every time 😂😂
@lupodelupis3672
Ray could be an harsh critic of the british society, damn!
@corneliusmcgillicuddy2522
This line gives me the big feels today. Woof.
@michaellandonrecords7393
Luv that line!