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)

I'm On an Island
The Kinks Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm on an island
And I've got no where to swim
Oh what a mood I am in
I'm on an island

I'm on an island
Since my girl left me behind
She said that I'm not her kind

I'm on an island

But there is no where else on earth I'd rather be
Then if my long, lost little girl was here with me

I'm on an island
And I've got no where to run
Because I'm the only one
Who's on the island

But there is no where else on earth I'd rather be
Then if my long, lost little girl was here with me
I'm on an island
And I've got no where to run
Because I'm the only one
Who's on this island

I'm on an island
I'm on an island

Overall Meaning

The Kinks' "I'm On an Island" is a song about feeling isolated and alone after a significant other has left, living on a metaphorical island with no escape. The opening lyrics, "I'm on an island and I've got no where to swim," illustrate the feeling of being trapped and unable to escape the situation. The repetition of the phrase "I'm on an island" emphasizes the feeling of isolation and loneliness, as though the singer is trapped in a deserted place, cut off from the rest of the world.

The lyrics go on to explain that the singer's girlfriend has left him behind and that she believes he's not her type. This adds to the feeling of isolation, as the singer is not only physically alone but also emotionally abandoned by his loved one. The phrase "there is nowhere else on earth I'd rather be than if my long, lost little girl was here with me" emphasizes the singer's deep longing and loneliness, suggesting that his emotional well-being depends on the presence of his lost love.

Overall, the song is a sad but relatable testament to the pain of having someone you love leave you behind, making you feel like you're stranded on an emotional and metaphorical island. It speaks to the universality of heartbreak and loneliness, and the need for human connection to combat feelings of isolation.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm on an island
I am physically stranded on an island

And I've got no where to swim
I can't find a place to swim on this island

Oh what a mood I am in
I am feeling sad and lonely on this island

Since my girl left me behind
My girlfriend abandoned me and left me stranded on this island

She said that I'm not her kind
My girlfriend broke up with me because we weren't compatible

But there is no where else on earth I'd rather be
Despite being alone and heartbroken, I prefer being on this island than anywhere else in the world

Then if my long, lost little girl was here with me
I would only want to be here if my ex-girlfriend, who I miss dearly, was with me now

And I've got no where to run
I am trapped on this island with no means of escape

Because I'm the only one
I am the sole inhabitant of this island

Who's on this island
No one else is stranded here with me

I'm on an island
I am still stranded on this island