One of The Kinks' best-known songs, the single was taken from the album Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One, which was released in June, 1970, and reached #2 in the UK charts and #9 in the US. It was ranked 422nd on the List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It is famous for its C-D-E power riff.
In the book The Kinks: The Official Biography, Ray Davies says that he was inspired to write this song after the band manager Robert Wace had spent the night dancing with a transvestite. Davies said,
“ I remembered an incident in a club... in his apartment Robert Wace had been dancing with this black woman, and he said, ‘I’m really on to a thing here.’ And it was okay until we left at six in the morning and then I said, ‘Have you seen the stubble?’ He said ‘Yeah,’ but he was too pissed [drunk] to care, I think. ”
Accounts also indicate a similar incident occurred at about the same time during a Kinks European tour in the mid-1960s, cementing the song's scenario in Davies' mind for later use.[citation needed]
In late 1969, Davies' father encouraged him to focus his energy on writing another worldwide hit single after a long dry spell for the band, and "Lola" was the result. Davies and the Kinks spent extra time and effort recording and crafting the song at Morgan Studios in London during early 1970.
In his autobiography, Dave Davies mentions that he came up with the music for what would become Lola. After Dave had shown his brother the music, Ray came up with the lyrics. Dave goes on to claim his brother took all the credit for the song. The original lyrics had the word "Coca-Cola" but because of BBC Radio's policy against product placement, those words were changed to the generic "cherry cola" for the single release.
The success of the single had important ramifications for the band's career at a critical time, allowing them to negotiate a new contract with RCA Records, construct their own London Studio, and assume more creative and managerial control. "Lola" also became their most popular sing-along anthem at concerts, as they struggled to regain a footing in the US concert market after a five year absence.
Lola
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where you drink champagne and it tastes just like Coca-Cola
C-O-L-A, cola
She walked up to me and she asked me to dance
I asked her her name and in a dark brown voice she said, "Lola"
L-O-L-A, Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
But when she squeezed me tight, she nearly broke my spine
Oh, my Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Well, I'm not dumb but I can't understand
Why she walked like a woman, but talked like a man
Oh, my Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Well, we drank champagne and danced all night
Under electric candlelight
She picked me up and sat me on her knee
And said, "Little boy, won't you come home with me?"
Well, I'm not the world's most passionate guy
But when I looked in her eyes, well, I almost fell for my Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
I pushed her away
I walked to the door
I fell to the floor
I got down on my knees
Then I looked at her, and she at me
Well, that's the way that I want it to stay
And I always want it to be that way for my Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Girls will be boys, and boys will be girls
It's a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world
Except for Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Well, I'd left home just a week before
And I'd never ever kissed a woman before
But Lola smiled and took me by the hand
And said, "Little boy, I'm gonna make you a man"
Well, I'm not the world's most masculine man
But I know what I am, and I'm glad I'm a man
And so is Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
Lo-Lo, Lo, Lo-Lola
The Kinks’ song Lola is a story about a narrator encountering a transgender person named Lola at a club in Soho. The lyrics describe how the singer first mistakes Lola for a woman, but then realizes that she used to be a man. Despite this revelation, the singer still feels drawn to Lola and is unable to resist her charm. The song also touches on the theme of gender identity and the idea that societal norms about gender can be fluid and complex.
The first verse sets the scene in a club where the singer meets Lola, who initially appears as a woman. However, as Lola speaks, the singer realizes that she used to be a man. The lyrics “Why she walked like a woman but talked like a man” underscore the complexity of gender and how it can defy traditional binary categories.
The chorus, which repeats the lines “Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola” emphasizes the singer’s fascination with this enigmatic character and his inability to resist her, even as he recognizes that she challenges traditional notions of gender. The verses following the chorus talk about the singer’s attraction to Lola, who almost breaks his spine when she squeezes him tightly and who picks him up and sits him on her knee.
Overall, the lyrics of Lola suggest that love and attraction can sometimes go beyond conventional categories, including gender identity. The song was considered controversial at the time of its release in 1970 for its frank depiction of a transgender character, but it has since become a classic and a cultural touchstone for LGBTQ+ communities.
Line by Line Meaning
I met her in a club down in old Soho
Where you drink champagne and it tastes just like
Coca Cola
C-O-L-A Cola
I met Lola in a club in Soho where they serve champagne that tastes like cola.
She walked up to me and she asked me to dance
I asked her her name and in a dark brown voice she said, "Lola"
L-O-L-A Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola
Lola asked me to dance and told me her name was Lola.
Well, I'm not the world's most physical guy
But when she squeezed me tight she nearly broke my spine
Oh my Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola
I'm not very strong, but Lola's embrace was very powerful.
Well, I'm not dumb but I can't understand
Why she walked like a woman but talked like a man
Oh my Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola
Lola's appearance did not match her voice, and it confused me.
Well, we drank champagne and danced all night
Under electric candlelight
She picked me up and sat me on her knee
She said, "Little boy, won't you come home with me?"
We spent the night dancing and drinking champagne by the light of electric candles. Lola even picked me up and invited me to her home.
Well, I'm not the world's most passionate guy
But when I looked in her eyes
Well, I almost fell for my Lola
Lo lo lo lo Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola
I'm not very romantic, but Lola's eyes almost made me fall in love with her.
I pushed her away
I walked to the door
I fell to the floor
I got down on my knees
Then I looked at her, and she at me
Well, that's the way that I want it to stay
And I always want it to be that way for my Lola
Lo lo lo lo Lola
I tried to resist Lola's advances, but I ultimately want things to stay the way they are between us.
Girls will be boys, and boys will be girls
It's a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world
Except for Lola
Lo lo lo lo Lola
The world is often confusing and mixed up, but Lola is the only consistent thing in my life.
Well, I'd left home just a week before
And I'd never ever kissed a woman before
But Lola smiled and took me by the hand
She said, "Little boy, gonna make you a man"
I had just left home and never kissed a woman before, but Lola was able to make me feel like a man.
Well, I'm not the world's most masculine man
But I know what I am and I'm glad I'm a man
And so is Lola
Lo lo lo lo Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola
I may not be the most masculine man, but I'm happy with who I am and Lola is too.
Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola
Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola
Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola
Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola
Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola, lo lo lo lo Lola
Lola, Lola, Lola, Lola, Lola.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Raymond Douglas Davies
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jorgep.1877
10 Reasons to be a Kinks Fan:
1. They have lots of music: 24 studio albums and 5 live albums.
2. They cover 4 decades: sixties, seventies, eighties, and nineties.
3. They have many popular songs: 26 Top 40 hits.
4. They have a wide variety of music styles: rock, pop, R&B, ballad, music hall, hard rock.
5. They have concept albums!
6. They were key members of the British Invasion of the mid 60s
7. Dave Davies: inventor of the “hard rock guitar riff”.
8. Ray Davies: master of social commentary and hero of the working class.
9. You can dance to The Kinks!
10. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.
@0x777
Fun fact: The BBC originally refused to play it. Not because of the "raunchy" lyrics later in the song, but for the first line. "I met her in a club down in old Soho , where you drink champagne and it tastes just like coca cola"
That was advertising.
And that was forbidden on BBC radio.
They changed it to "cherry cola" and there wasn't a problem anymore.
So yes, the UK and the US speak the same language, but that's where the similarities end.
@ovcharkaboxing
its on the list.
sister ray.
at the hop danny and the junoirs.
sweet orphan lady by the pretty things is good.
good golly miss molly.
please please james brown.
the 50s og unchained melody.
pata pata by miriam makeba.
rough stuff by acdc.
soli by gong.
de cameno a la vereda buena vista social club.
the wreck of the edmund fitzgerald gordon lightfoot.
song for the siren original by buckley.
farewell to the gold nic jones.
born this way lady gaga
to name a few. all must hear AMAZING - there are too many imo to pick just 1.
@flyman140
11 years ago we got a dog and we were trying to come up with a name for her when this song came on the radio. Tonight was Lola's last night on earth. Rest in peace you wonderful pup.
@youmum4841
flyman140 sorry for u loss
@mikey_suzefour
So sorry for your loss +flyman140! (Lola singing with other pups and pets in their 'doggie' Heaven)
@HallofFLAME666
F
@grecorobert97
Back when this was still played more regularly on the good old radio. I'm sorry.
@GIMMEDEMKEYS
flyman140 Sorry for your loss. Great name for your furry loved one!
@wildburns23
My mom has a parrot named Lola. Every time I go home to visit, I pull out my guitar and sing this song to her. She gets really happy and starts flapping her wings and screams “Lola “ 😊
@martignyvalais9635
Your mom sounds pretty cool - most moms don't have wings.
@ryanpellegrini
@@martignyvalais9635 LOL
@chloeevans2569
Awww! 😍😍😍