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)
Misty Water
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a dark and misty place.
Everything is hazy,
So the people are afraid.
All except Maria's daughters,
Who believe in misty ways.
Everything is lovely,
In a misty morning glaze.
I like fog and haze.
Anne Maria and her daughters,
They like misty water.
I like misty water,
I like fog and haze.
Anne Maria and her daughters,
Take a sip of misty water.
Though Maria is not lovely,
She's the lady of my dreams.
Cause I see my lady,
Through a misty, silky screen.
And in seeing is believing,
But I can't believe my eyes.
Everything is lovely,
In a misty paradise.
I like misty water,
I like fog and haze.
Anne Maria and her daughters,
They like misty water.
They like misty water,
I like fog and haze.
Anne Maria and her daughters,
Take a sip of misty water.
I like misty water,
I like fog and haze.
Anne Maria and her daughters,
They like misty water.
They like misty water,
I like fog and haze.
Anne Maria and her daughters,
They like misty water.
I like misty water,
I like fog and haze.
Anne Maria and her daughters...
The Kinks' "Misty Water" is a song about a mysterious, misty place called Straight and Narrow where everything is hazy, and people are afraid. However, amidst this fear, there is a group of people - Maria's daughters - who believe in the beauty and tranquillity of the mist. The singer of the song reveals that though he sees Maria as not lovely, she is the lady of his dreams. He likes to see his lady through a misty, silky screen, and in this blurred vision, he feels everything is lovely, and he can believe in the misty paradise.
The lyrics of "Misty Water" are open to interpretation, but one can infer that the mist symbolizes a sanctuary, a place where people can escape the harsh reality of life. The song speaks about the allure of the unknown and the beauty that can exist in things that one is afraid of. The mist can represent a way of looking at life through a different lens, and even the unsightly can become attractive.
Line by Line Meaning
By the town of Straight and Narrow,
Nearby the place called Straight and Narrow,
There's a dark and misty place.
There's a location that is covered in darkness and mist.
Everything is hazy,
The surroundings are blurry and unclear.
So the people are afraid.
This causes fear among the citizens.
All except Maria's daughters,
Everyone except the daughters of Maria.
Who believe in misty ways.
These daughters hold a belief in mystical and mysterious things.
Everything is lovely,
The world around them seems wonderful.
In a misty morning glaze.
This wonderful world is covered in a misty haze during the morning.
I like misty water,
The singer enjoys murky and hazy water.
I like fog and haze.
The singer enjoys fog and the blurred view it creates.
Anne Maria and her daughters,
Anne Maria and her offspring.
They like misty water.
These individuals enjoy drinking water that is unclear or hazy in appearance.
Take a sip of misty water.
They take a gulp of the murky liquid.
Though Maria is not lovely,
Despite not being physically attractive,
She's the lady of my dreams.
Maria is the woman with whom the singer desires to be with above all others.
Cause I see my lady,
Because the singer sees Maria
Through a misty, silky screen.
He sees her through a haze, as if a screen of some kind is in between them that provides a silky appearance.
And in seeing is believing,
The singer believes in what he sees with his own eyes.
But I can't believe my eyes.
Despite believing in what he sees, he still finds it unbelievable.
Everything is lovely,
The world around him is still wonderful.
In a misty paradise.
It is a paradise-like world, covered in a misty haze.
I like misty water,
The singer still enjoys murky, hazy water.
They like misty water,
The daughters of Maria also enjoy the unclear liquid.
Anne Maria and her daughters...
A poetic transition to end the song.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RAYMOND DOUGLAS DAVIES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrGoldenthroat
One of the rarest, most obscure Kinks songs and definitely one of their finest songs ever!!!
@KdotDub
I concur my good Sir 😘💕
@pemberino
The Kinks are one of the few bands whose most obscure back pages can still surprise and delight.
@adolforodolfo6929
Absolutely - call it OCD, but I'm going through the Kinks discography listening to everything they have ever recorded, including Ray and Dave's solo stuff, and I'm so glad that I am. It seems that every other song (at least) is a masterpiece. I'm about half way through............
@MrGoldenthroat
The incredible guitar work of Dave Davies shines through once more!!
@markhamer7220
He's brilliant.
@realdreamerschangetheworld7470
Randomly found this classic. TikTok won’t find us here.
@glennpagemusic
Welcome.
@MrGoldenthroat
This song has the distinct honor of making my top ten favorite kinks songs!!!
@markhamer7220
And if it does what a top ten it must be!!