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)
Holiday In Waikiki
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So I packed my bags and flew across the sea all on my local paper
Sailing to Hawaii in the U.S.A.
I'm just an English boy who won a holiday in Waikiki
I didn't realize it was commercialized when I unpacked my cases
Because a genuine Hawaii ukulele cost me thirty guineas
And even when I'm swimming I have to pay
Oh yeah, yeah
Across the coral sands I saw a hula hula dancer, looking pretty
I asked her where she came from and she said to me
I come from New York City
And my mother is Italian
And my dad's a Greek
I'm just an English boy who won a holiday in Waikiki
It's a hooka hooka on the shiny briny on the way to Kona
And in a little shack they had a little sign that said Coca Cola
And even all the grass skirts were PVC
I'm just an English boy who won a holiday in Waikiki
Oh yeah, yeah
In Waikiki
In Waikiki
The Kinks's song Holiday In Waikiki is a satirical and lighthearted take on the experiences of a young English boy who has won a holiday to Hawaii. From the opening lines, it becomes clear that this is not a typical holiday experience, as the boy reveals that he won the trip through a competition in his local paper. Despite this stroke of luck, he quickly realizes that the holiday industry in Waikiki is highly commercialized, as evidenced by his expensive purchase of a genuine Hawaii ukulele and the need to pay for everything, including swimming.
As he explores the island, he encounters a hula dancer who surprises him with her origins, revealing that she is from New York City with an Italian mother and Greek father. The boy continues to take note of the incongruities of the Waikiki landscape, including the presence of a Coca Cola sign in a traditional Hawaiian shack and the use of PVC grass skirts. Throughout the song, the boy seems to be a fish out of water, unsure of how to navigate this unusual holiday destination.
Overall, Holiday In Waikiki is a playful song that pokes fun at the tourist industry in Hawaii and highlights the ways in which commercialization can transform a traditional vacation spot into a strange and unfamiliar place.
Line by Line Meaning
I won a competition in a little column in my local paper
I won a contest in a small section of my local newspaper
So I packed my bags and flew across the sea all on my local paper
I used my newspaper prize to travel by air to Hawaii
Sailing to Hawaii in the U.S.A.
Traveling by sea to Hawaii which belongs to the USA
I'm just an English boy who won a holiday in Waikiki
I’m a British male who won a vacation in Waikiki.
I didn't realize it was commercialized when I unpacked my cases
I didn’t know that everything in Hawaii was for sale until I opened my luggage
Because a genuine Hawaii ukulele cost me thirty guineas
I had to spend a lot of money, 30 guineas, on an authentic Hawaiian ukulele
And even when I'm swimming I have to pay
I was surprised that I had to pay for things even while swimming
Across the coral sands I saw a hula hula dancer, looking pretty
Walking on the beach I spotted an attractive Hula dancer by the coral sand
I asked her where she came from and she said to me
I queried her place of origin and she replied to me,
I come from New York City
I am from New York City
And my mother is Italian
My mother's origin is Italian
And my dad's a Greek
My father's cultural background is Greek
It's a hooka hooka on the shiny briny on the way to Kona
The sea waves sparkle and the hookah pipe burns while en route to Kona
And in a little shack they had a little sign that said Coca Cola
At a small beach shelter, a sign advertised Coca Cola
And even all the grass skirts were PVC
Surprisingly, all the grass skirts were made of PVC plastic
In Waikiki
This fun-packed adventure occurred in Waikiki
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RAY DAVIES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
yourtubesteak
What an absolutely spectacular album that pretty much got ignored in the States. This one, Village Green and Something Else are so under appreciated except by real Kinks fans.
Thomas Pick
We are Kinks fans. We know how wonderful every band member was. Ray must have written over 1,500 songs. A prolific writer. Dave was a great guitarist, always changing his style and sounds. The parafin deliveryman drummer, Mick Avery was creative, great fills. Dave and Mick gave the Kinks their unique Kinky-ness. The bass players were driving: Peter Quaife, John Dalton, that Blodwin Pig guy, that Argosy guy. Keyboardists help the sound and had professional skill starting with John "the Baptist" Gosling, suicide man, Ian Gibbons. The horn section used for a number of years were wonderful. Their charts were written in a very complimentary way for the content of the songs. What a great band. Fortunately, we have plenty of output to enjoy and videos, such as the Grey Whistle Stop.
ervbefel nareik
Musn't forget Arthur, Lola vs Powerman and Muswell Hillbillies!
Tim Bob Ray
Every few months i can't stop listening to this song over n over n over
Jeremy Feit
Lola is great but why can't commercial radio EVER play a song like this?
Donnoha
No kidding...
shelley Ganz
Too Kool, Wild Rhythm!! The square's couldn't handle it!! BRILLIANT!!
yourtubesteak
Commercial radio is clueless when it comes to great rock and roll. They have no taste whatsoever.
Gregory Clark
A reply to a year's old post, but what the hell: First and foremost, 'commercial' radio is loath to play songs railing against commercialization and corporatism. Enough said.
JC
It’s too good to be played on commercial radio