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)
In a Foreign Land
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I held my world in the palm of my hand
And all of my debts were causing me to defect
To a land of bananas and sand
So I ran, yes I ran, yes I ran to a foreign land
Here I am, here I am
Here I am in a foreign land
I thought we'd never land
I grabbed all my cash
And decided to dash far away
Far away, far away to a foreign land
Here I am, here I am, here I am in a foreign land
Goodbye to all of the rich man's daughters
Goodbye to my debts now I'm 'way cross the water
Far away, far away in a foreign land
Here I am, here I am here I am in a foreign land
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
Please tell my mother and all my ex-lovers
That I've finally made the grade
Please tell my debtors and the money collectors
That all of my bills will be paid some day
I'm away, I'm away, far away in a foreign land
Goodbye champagne and caviar set
I want to slum and drink all the rum I can get
I'm away, I'm away in a foreign land
Here I am, here I am, here I am in a foreign land
But I'm all out of my jack and I can't go back
I'm away, far away, far away in a foreign land
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
The Kinks' song "In a Foreign Land" tells the story of a man who decides to leave his life and his debts behind and start anew in a foreign land. The first verse sets up the scene - the singer has paid all his taxes and is burdened by debts, causing him to defect to a "land of bananas and sand." He runs away to this foreign land, leaving everything behind. The chorus emphasizes his new surroundings, as he proclaims "Here I am in a foreign land," expressing both a sense of adventure and uncertainty.
The second verse reveals that the singer has made it to his new home, but it was not an easy journey, as he expresses relief and exclaims "I thought we'd never land." He remarks that he grabbed all his cash and decided to dash far away, finally reaching a foreign land. The song then shifts its focus to the people he left behind - the rich man's daughters, his debts, and money collectors. He has left them all behind, urging the listener to tell them that he has finally made the grade and all of his bills will be paid someday.
The song ends on an upbeat note, as the singer revels in his new environment, drinking rum and living a simple life. However, he acknowledges that he is "all out of his jack and can't go back." The final chorus repeats the phrase "far away in a foreign land," emphasizing his complete immersion in his new life and the distance he has put between himself and his past.
Overall, "In a Foreign Land" is a cautionary tale about running away from one's problems and embracing an unknown future. The song’s lyrics highlight the struggle of one man to find his place in the world by abandoning everything behind and starting a new life.
Line by Line Meaning
It was a matter of fact that when I paid all my tax
I realized that paying my taxes meant I was in possession of my entire world.
I held my world in the palm of my hand
I had full control over my life and everything in it.
And all of my debts were causing me to defect
My debts were making me consider leaving everything behind.
To a land of bananas and sand
I decided to move to a place that was very different from where I came from.
So I ran, yes I ran, yes I ran to a foreign land
I quickly made the decision to leave and moved to a foreign land to start a new life.
Here I am, here I am
I am now in this new place.
I'm so glad we made it
I am happy that I was able to start a new life in this foreign land.
I thought we'd never land
I didn't think I would be able to leave my old life behind and start anew.
I grabbed all my cash
I took all the money I had saved over the years.
And decided to dash far away
I quickly made the decision to leave everything and everyone behind and start fresh somewhere else.
Goodbye to all of the rich man's daughters
I am leaving behind the luxury and lifestyle of my old life.
Goodbye to my debts now I'm 'way cross the water
I am finally free from the burden of my debts now that I am in a new place.
Please tell my mother and all my ex-lovers
Let everyone from my past know that I have successfully moved on to new things.
That I've finally made the grade
I have achieved what I wanted and made it to the place I had envisioned for myself.
Please tell my debtors and the money collectors
Let those I owed money know that I will eventually pay them back.
That all of my bills will be paid some day
I am determined to pay off all my debts eventually.
Goodbye champagne and caviar set
I am leaving behind the luxurious lifestyle and embracing something new and different.
I want to slum and drink all the rum I can get
I am looking forward to a simpler life where I can indulge myself in new ways.
But I'm all out of my jack and I can't go back
I have run out of my resources to go back to my old life, and I am content where I am.
I'm away, far away, far away in a foreign land
I am now living in a place far away from where I came from.
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?