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)
Lincoln County
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See my daddy, momma wants to see me too.
I'm gonna see my momma looking through the window
At the station in the morning, been a few mornings since I've been home.
I've been doing wrong but now I'm going home.
So come on girls, you better put your best boots on.
Cause when I get home to Lincoln county,
I'm gonna find them all.
Cause when I get home to Lincoln county,
Gonna lift the lid off hell, drink some beer, I'm gonna live it swell[?].
Then I'm gonna shout for more.
Well, I bought a new suit at the best pawn broker's shop,
Bought my ticket from money that I saved in jail.
I got a boot lace tie, I got for my pa,
I got a head scarf, fair, I got for my momma that she won't wear.
I've been doing wrong but now I'm going home.
So come on girls, you better put your best boots on.
Cause when I get home to Lincoln county,
Won't know which way to go, I'm gonna find all those pretty girls.
I'm gonna find them all.
Cause when I get home to Lincoln county,
Gonna lift the lid off hell, drink some beer, I'm gonna live it swell[?].
Then I'm gonna shout for more.
I've gotta get a train, take me back home again,
See my daddy, momma wants to see me too.
Cause when I get me back to Lincoln county,
Gonna lift the lid off hell, drink some beer, I'm gonna live it swell[?].
Then I'm gonna shout for more.
Cause when I get back to Lincoln county,
Gonna lift the lid off hell, drink some beer, I'm gonna live it swell[?].
Then I'm gonna shout for more.
Cause when I get home to Lincoln county
The Kinks' song "Lincoln County" tells a story of a man who has been away from his hometown of Lincoln County and is now longing to return. He talks about taking a train to see his family, and how his mother wants to see him too. He seems excited to see all the pretty girls in the county, and talks about lifting the lid off hell, drinking beer, and living life to the fullest once he gets back home. The lyrics are filled with a sense of anticipation, as if the man has been away for too long and is looking forward to catching up with everything he has missed.
The song is also filled with references to the man's past, both good and bad. He mentions that he has been doing wrong, but now he is going home. He even bought a new suit, which seems to suggest that he is trying to turn over a new leaf and start fresh. However, the fact that he saved money in jail to buy a train ticket hints that he may have a troubled past. The lyrics also talk about his parents - his father, who he wants to see, and his mother, who he bought a gift for that she won't wear. These details suggest that the man has a complex relationship with his family, but regardless of any past mistakes or issues, he is excited to return home.
Overall, "Lincoln County" is a song about nostalgia, regret, and the desire for a fresh start. The man's excitement to see his family and the pretty girls shows that he is ready to move on from his past and embrace a new chapter in his life. The song captures the bittersweet feelings of returning home after being away for a long time, and the sense of hope and anticipation that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I've gotta get a train, take me back home again
I need to leave my current location and return to my hometown...
See my daddy, momma wants to see me too
...so I can see my father and my mother who misses me.
I'm gonna see my momma looking through the window
At the station in the morning, been a few mornings since I've been home.
At the station, I'll see my mother looking through the window, waiting for me. It's been a few mornings since I've been home.
I've been doing wrong but now I'm going home
I've made bad choices, but now I'm returning home to make things right.
So come on girls, you better put your best boots on
Ladies, get ready and dress up so I can impress you.
Cause when I get home to Lincoln county,
Won't know which way to go, I'm gonna find all those pretty girls.
I'm gonna find them all.
When I get back to my town, I'll have so many options of pretty girls to pursue, and I plan to pursue them all.
Gonna lift the lid off hell, drink some beer, I'm gonna live it swell[?].
Then I'm gonna shout for more.
I'm going to have a wild and fun time, putting a negative past behind me and enjoying life to the fullest.
Well, I bought a new suit at the best pawn broker's shop,
Bought my ticket from money that I saved in jail.
I got a boot lace tie, I got for my pa,
I got a head scarf, fair, I got for my momma that she won't wear.
In preparation for my homecoming, I bought new clothes with the money I saved during my time in jail. I even got a tie for my father and a headscarf for my mother, although she likely won't wear it.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVE DAVIES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lopes 03
I've gotta get a train, take me back home again,
See my daddy, momma wants to see me too.
I'm gonna see my momma looking through the window
At the station in the morning, been a few mornings since I've been home.
I've been doing wrong but now I'm going home.
So come on girls, you better put your best boots on.
Cause when I get home to Lincoln county,
Won't know which way to go, I'm gonna find all those pretty girls.
I'm gonna find them all.
Cause when I get home to Lincoln county,
Gonna lift the lid off hell, drink some beer, I'm gonna live it swell[?].
Then I'm gonna shout for more.
Well, I bought a new suit at the best pawn broker's shop,
Bought my ticket from money that I saved in jail.
I got a boot lace tie, I got for my pa,
I got a head scarf, fair, I got for my momma that she won't wear.
I've been doing wrong but now I'm going home.
So come on girls, you better put your best boots on.
Cause when I get home to Lincoln county,
Won't know which way to go, I'm gonna find all those pretty girls.
I'm gonna find them all.
Cause when I get home to Lincoln county,
Gonna lift the lid off hell, drink some beer, I'm gonna live it swell[?].
Then I'm gonna shout for more.
I've gotta get a train, take me back home again,
See my daddy, momma wants to see me too.
Cause when I get me back to Lincoln county,
Gonna lift the lid off hell, drink some beer, I'm gonna live it swell[?].
Then I'm gonna shout for more.
Cause when I get back to Lincoln county,
Gonna lift the lid off hell, drink some beer, I'm gonna live it swell[?].
Then I'm gonna shout for more.
Cause when I get home to Lincoln county
TheHypnogog
I hadn’t heard this song in 32 years, and it just STUCK IN MY HEAD, all that time. Had no idea Dave was singing.
What a great tune. Well assembled.
Medieval Richard
A great song written by Dave Davies.
lucalone
and sung^
Fantasy Man
I don't know how, but many Kinks songs make me nostalgic for a time and place I wasn't even born in close proximity to, hell a time and a place I probably would have hated to be in. It's a nice little quality for art to have.
Darth Vader
cat's foot
iron claw
neurosurgeon scream for more
at paranoia's poison door
cindy gutierrez
They transport you to a place that only exists in your imagination. It’s a beautiful place to be.
Morten Fredrik Mørch
I heard this on radio in 1968, and knew at once it was Dave singing.
I started loving Lincoln County at that moment, and still do.
A great song by Dave and the Kinks.
Farmlandsfallfan
Another insanely catchy fantastic Kinks Klassic
Timothy Monhollen
An underrated band
Franky Lee
I was 15 years old when I heard this song for the first time and I was so touched, I got goose flesh and tears in my eys. And now after so many years it's still the same.