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)
How are you
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A year or more, or is it less? I can't be sure
Well, anyway, you must have heard about the
Troubles that I had, but somehow I got through
I always managed to... and by the way
How are you?
How is your life?
How is it going?
How are the nights are they still lonely?
Are you still struggling the way that I am? Oh
How, how are you? How are you?
You always said that you would try to change
Turn a new leaf and start all over again
But I bet you're making all the same mistakes
You're a lot like me, that's why I'm still your friend
Still no offence, no more hard feelings left on silly sentiment
No harm was ever felt or ever meant
You go your way, I'm bound to see you on the street again some day
And when I do I'll always say
How are you? How are you?
How is your life? How is it going?
Are you still dreaming and making big plans?
How are the nights? Are they still lonely?
Are you still struggling the way that I am? Oh
How, how are you? How are you?
I know you're making all the same mistakes
You're a lot like me that's why I'm still your friend
I bet go, I gotta thousand little things I better do
Ah, but it was really good to talk to you
Be on my way, I'm bound to see you on the street again someday
And when I do I'll say
How are you? How are you?
How is your life? How is it going?
Are you still dreaming and making big plans?
How are the nights? Are they still lonely?
Are you still struggling the way that I am? Oh
How, how are you? How are you?
The Kinks' song "How Are You" is a conversation between old friends who haven't seen each other in at least a year or more. The singer, who has been through some troubles and managed to overcome them, asks how their friend is doing. They inquire about the state of their friend's life, if they are still pursuing their dreams or if they feel lonely at night. The singer also acknowledges the fact they have similar habits, so they may be making similar mistakes and experiencing similar struggles. Nonetheless, they reiterate that their friendship remains unharmed and that they will always greet their friend with a question about their well-being when they cross paths.
The song speaks of nostalgia and the comfort of having someone who went through the same experiences as yourself. The lyrics are both melancholic and hopeful, acknowledging the hardships of life while also offering a friendly hand. The song is relatable in the sense that everyone at some point in their lives may have found comfort in seeing a familiar face and catching up with an old friend.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been a while, I haven't seen you for at least
It's been a long time since I've seen you in person
A year or more, or is it less? I can't be sure
I can't remember exactly how long it's been
Well, anyway, you must have heard about the
I'm assuming you know about the difficult times I've had
Troubles that I had, but somehow I got through
Despite my struggles, I managed to overcome them
I always managed to... and by the way
I always found a way to get past my problems
How are you?
How are you doing?
How is your life?
How are things going for you in general?
How is it going?
How are things going for you?
Are you still dreaming and making big plans?
Do you still have big goals and aspirations?
How are the nights are they still lonely?
Do you still feel lonely sometimes?
Are you still struggling the way that I am? Oh
Are you going through similar difficulties?
You always said that you would try to change
You used to talk about making changes in your life
Turn a new leaf and start all over again
Starting fresh and moving forward
But I bet you're making all the same mistakes
I'm guessing you're still repeating the same patterns
You're a lot like me, that's why I'm still your friend
We have a lot in common, which is why we're still friends
Still no offence, no more hard feelings left on silly sentiment
I don't have any negative feelings towards you based on the past
No harm was ever felt or ever meant
No one was ever hurt intentionally
You go your way, I'm bound to see you on the street again some day
We may go separate ways, but we'll likely meet again in the future
And when I do I'll always say
When we do meet again, I'll always ask how you're doing
I know you're making all the same mistakes
I'm pretty sure you're still repeating the same patterns
I bet go, I gotta thousand little things I better do
I have a lot of things I need to get done and can't stay long
Ah, but it was really good to talk to you
Despite having to go soon, I'm glad we got to catch up
Be on my way, I'm bound to see you on the street again someday
I have to go now, but we'll likely bump into each other again eventually
How are you?
Again, how are you doing?
How is your life? How is it going?
Same as before, how are things going for you in general?
Are you still dreaming and making big plans?
Asking again if you are still pursuing big goals
How are the nights? Are they still lonely?
Checking in again to see if you still feel isolated at times
Are you still struggling the way that I am? Oh
Asking one last time if you are still dealing with similar difficulties as before
How, how are you? How are you?
Final inquiry into how you're doing
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Chedgey
on Do It Again
Great song but also a memorable music video. Why is it unavailable?