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 Gotta Go Now
The Kinks Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I gotta go now, gotta go now
I gotta go now, gotta go now

Hey, little girl
I've gotta go now.
Hey, little girl.
I've gotta go now.

Well your mum,
She's so angry
Hey, little girl,
Guess I'd better go now.

[Chorus]
Hey, little girl.
What you gonna do 'bout it now?
Hey, little girl.
What you gonna do 'bout it now?
Well I love you,
But I guess I'd better go now.
Hey, little girl,
Guess I'd better go now.

I gotta go now, gotta go now
I gotta go now, gotta go now

I don't want to leave you
But I guess I'd better go now.
Soon we'll be together all the time
But until then I gotta go, gotta go.

I gotta go now, gotta go now
I gotta go now, gotta go now

[Chorus]

I gotta go now, gotta go now

I gotta go now, gotta go now
I've gotta go.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Kinks' "I Gotta Go Now" tell the story of a man who is leaving his love behind, despite wanting to stay with her. He addresses the "little girl" he loves, saying that he has to go now because her mother is angry. The chorus asks the question, "What you gonna do 'bout it now?" implying that there is nothing they can do to stop his departure. He admits that he loves her but gives no indication of why he can't stay, only saying "soon we'll be together all the time." The song ends with him saying "I gotta go," acknowledging that he has to leave regardless of how he feels.

The theme of the song seems to be the necessity of parting ways despite love and desire, possibly due to external factors such as parental disapproval or social pressure. The lyrics are simple and direct, but the emotion behind them is palpable. This song can be interpreted as a retroactive explanation for a painful breakup, where the singer is attempting to reconcile with his lost love by explaining why he had to go.

Interesting facts about the song include that it was included in The Kinks' 1994 album "To The Bone" which was a compilation of their music from 1964 to 1970, and that it was written by bassist Pete Quaife. Also, the song features Ray Davies playing acoustic guitar and is one of the last songs he recorded with the band before leaving in 1996. Despite being a lesser-known track, it has been covered by several other musicians. Finally, the original recording of the song featured an extra verse that was later cut from the album release.

Chords: Currently unavailable as it is an obscure track without readily available chord transcription.

Line by Line Meaning

I gotta go now, gotta go now
The singer is leaving and must go immediately, and he repeats this line to emphasize his urgency.

Hey, little girl
The singer is addressing his lover, whom he calls 'little girl' as a term of endearment.

I've gotta go now
The singer is repeating the urgency of his departure and informs his lover that he must leave.

Well your mum, She's so angry
The singer is acknowledging that the girl's mother is upset with him, likely due to their relationship and his perceived unreliability.

Guess I'd better go now
The singer is indicating that he recognizes the urgency of the situation and needs to leave.

Hey, little girl. What you gonna do 'bout it now?
The singer is asking his lover what she intends to do about their situation, now that he must leave.

Well I love you, But I guess I'd better go now.
The singer expresses his love for the girl but again emphasizes that he must go.

I don't want to leave you
The singer is asserting that he doesn't desire to leave his lover.

But I guess I'd better go now.
Despite his reluctance, the singer repeats that he still must leave.

Soon we'll be together all the time
The singer is expressing hope for a time when he and his lover can be together more consistently.

But until then I gotta go, gotta go.
The singer is reiterating that for the present he still must leave.

I've gotta go.
The singer concludes the song by repeating that he must leave.

Lyrics © BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION, Kassner Associated Publishers Ltd
Written by: DAVIES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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