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 Move
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna love my baby all the time
If I don't wanna get left alone
I gotta move on down my baby's home
And if my baby isn't there
I'm gonna fill my gap and comb my hair
Gotta move, gotta move
Gotta move, gotta move
All my life I've had to move
Always failed to stay in school
As I move down this very long road
Sometimes I wished I'd stayed at home
Where I'm going no one knows
Only know I gotta go
You gotta move, gotta move
Gotta move, gotta move
I don't wanna get left behind
Gonna love my baby all the time
If I don't wanna get left alone
I gotta move on down my baby's home
And if baby isn't there
I'm gonna brush my boots and comb my hair
I gotta move, gotta move
I gotta move, gotta move
The Kinks's song "I Gotta Move" talks about the need to constantly move forward in life, leaving behind the past and seeking new opportunities. The lyrics are presented from a first-person perspective, with the singer expressing his desire to always be on the move to avoid being left behind.
The first verse sets up the theme of the song, emphasizing the need to stay close to the singer's loved one in order to avoid feeling alone. The use of the phrase "gotta move" suggests a sense of urgency and the need to take action in order to achieve this goal.
The second verse takes a more introspective turn, with the singer reflecting on his past experiences and failures. He acknowledges that he has always been on the move, but sometimes regrets not being able to stay in one place and build a stronger foundation.
Overall, the song captures the restless spirit of the 1960s, when youth culture was rebelling against societal norms and seeking new experiences. It is a timeless anthem for anyone who feels the need to keep moving forward in life.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't wanna get left behind
I don't want to be left behind in life and miss out on opportunities.
Gonna love my baby all the time
I am committed to loving my significant other continuously.
If I don't wanna get left alone
To avoid being alone, I need to take drastic action.
I gotta move on down my baby's home
I need to head to my partner's location at once to avoid losing them.
And if my baby isn't there
In case my lover is not at the given location.
I'm gonna fill my gap and comb my hair
I must take a moment to groom myself while waiting for them to show up.
Gotta move, gotta move
I must constantly move forward and take action.
All my life I've had to move
I have always been on the go throughout my life.
Always failed to stay in school
I was never able to settle down and complete my education.
As I move down this very long road
On my journey through life's endless path.
Sometimes I wished I'd stayed at home
Occasionally, I regret leaving my comfort zone and venturing out into the world.
Where I'm going no one knows
I'm unsure where my journey will lead me.
Only know I gotta go
All I know is I must keep moving forward.
You gotta move, gotta move
I encourage others to also take action and progress.
I don't wanna get left behind
Reiterating the fear of getting left behind in life.
Gonna love my baby all the time
Repeating the dedication to loving their partner unconditionally.
If I don't wanna get left alone
Reemphasizing the need to avoid loneliness at all costs.
I gotta move on down my baby's home
Repeating the urgency of heading to their partner's location.
And if baby isn't there
Revisiting the possibility of their partner not being at the given location.
I'm gonna brush my boots and comb my hair
Reiterating the plan to groom oneself while waiting.
I gotta move, gotta move
Stressing the importance of constantly moving forward.
Lyrics © BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION, Kassner Associated Publishers Ltd
Written by: Ray Davies
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ebf1957
Props to Ray Davies for a kick ass song.
ammasdtr19
and Dave, the king of riffs
Robert Tompkins
most underrated band in rock history
flimbambo
Rest assured my friend the Kinks have assured their place in rock history
Erik Griffith
You are absolutely correct!
helltopay1
Whiz you are so right,cant explain it ,these guys got me through my schooldays, they took me in my head places no other group/person whatever could.The kinks mean a lot to me.
ori
still a bop over 50 years later
Chuck Potocki Music
This song sounds like a car chase! 😁 Mick Avory's drumming is very high energy, relentless hi-hat, Jimmy Page plays 12-string acoustic guitar, and Pete Quaife's busy bass playing greatly inspired John Entwistle's performance on The Who's "My Generation" 🎸🔥🇬🇧
Metal wizard
WOOOAA YEA ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️🤟🏻🤟🏻
John Moore
Remember this from '65. Flip side of All Day and All of the Night i think. My sister's 45RPM. Always loved this. Miss you Connie