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)
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
David Chedgey
on Do It Again
Great song but also a memorable music video. Why is it unavailable?