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)
Scattered
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the children are scattered
By a breeze that is blown
Now the crops are all scattered
We are torn, we are shattered
Now some of us are barmy and battered
And the fields where we gathered
Are overgrown in weeds and in tatters
To the fields we are scattered
From the day we are born
To grow wild and sleep rough
Till from the earth we are torn
And a soul that is free
Can live on eternally
And the spirit can live on
Though it's scattered in the world beyond
And I've been out of my mind
Ever since she's been gone
I look around that empty room
No sight nor sound
She's left so soon
She's out of view
But the I find
Those scattered clues she left behind
A photograph with a smiling face
A cigarette stubbed out on the fireplace
A coffee cup with her lipstick stains
I guess I'll never see her again
Now my life is all scattered
Ever since she's been gone
I feel older, I feel fatter
I feel the blues coming on
We get bruised
We get battered
But we'll pick up the pieces that scattered
And with emotional glue
We're gonna stick together, body and mind
Ever since she went away
I've been alone to contemplate
Time and space and why world's move
While sitting in my solitude
I've watched the stars and wondered why
They're scattered up there in the sky
And is she up there out of view
On some higher platitude
I wish I knew
Wish I could prove
The reason why this life on earth
Is scattered like the universe
I'm scattered here and scattered there
Bits of me scattered everywhere
To the fields we are scattered
Then from the dust we are born
We survive somewhat battered
To a new life, a new dawn
IN the end what will it matter
There'll only be my ashes to scatter
And all the logical answers
To a worrying mind
Will be scattered in time
Beaten and battered
To the earth you are scattered
You're going home so what does it matter
To an atomic mind
Scattered here while you travel time
The lyrics of The Kinks's song Scattered speak about the scattering of humanity from birth to death and the impact of scattering on human emotions, relationships, and life. The song uses agricultural imagery to show how all human beings are scattered like seeds in the field of life, encountering different experiences and meeting different people. However, just like scattered seeds leave some crops to die, scattering may also cause emotional pain, confusion, and loss. The song also shows how people try to cope with being scattered, finding meaning in the traces of their past relationships and experiences. The song's last verse speaks about the existential questions that scattering raises and the possibility of eventual reunion with the universe.
One can also interpret the song from a spiritual perspective, seeing life as a journey that starts with scattering, continues with exploring one's place in the world, and ends with reuniting with the universe. The song's imagery of scattered seeds, fields, and crops can be seen as metaphors for spiritual growth, with the aim of achieving a free soul that can live eternally. The scattering experience, while challenging, can lead to emotional and spiritual growth and ultimately bring people together.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a seed that is sewn
Just like planting a seed, we all come to this world with different potentials, talents, and dreams that are waiting to be sown
All the children are scattered
We are all born alone and scattered, with no clue of where our future lies and how our paths cross others
By a breeze that is blown
Our fate is determined by unpredictable events that we have no control over, just like a breeze that is blown
Now the crops are all scattered
Events in our lives can sometimes rattle our existence and scatter us, leaving us confused and lost
We are torn, we are shattered
Life can throw some unexpected curveballs that leave us feeling broken and in pieces
Now some of us are barmy and battered
The twists and turns of life can sometimes push us to the brink of our sanity, leaving us barmy and battered
And the fields where we gathered
The places where we found love, friendship, and camaraderie might not be the same as before, leaving us feeling lost and alone
Are overgrown in weeds and in tatters
As we grow old, we might realize that the things we once cherished might now be in ruins, with nothing but weeds to show for it
To the fields we are scattered
Life can take us to unexpected places, leaving us scattered far away from the place where we started
From the day we are born
Since the day we were born, our paths have been scattered, and our journey in life is a pursuit to make sense of it all
To grow wild and sleep rough
Our journey in life can sometimes be harsh, just like the wild, leaving us rough and unpolished
Till from the earth we are torn
Our life on earth is a temporary moment that will come to an end when we are returned to the earth
And a soul that is free
When we die, the soul that leaves our body is free to wander and remain in the spiritual realm
Can live on eternally
The soul that leaves our body lives eternally, even when our physical bodies are gone
And the spirit can live on
The spirit that moves us can always live on, even when our bodies are scattered and separated
Though it's scattered in the world beyond
Our spirit can travel to places beyond our imagination, leaving us scattered in the world beyond
And I've been out of my mind
When we lose someone we love, it's hard to maintain our sanity and composure, leaving us feeling out of our mind
Ever since she's been gone
The absence of someone we love can leave us feeling incomplete and scatterbrained, even after they're gone
I look around that empty room
When we lose someone, we feel their absence more in the familiar spaces we shared, leaving the room empty and lifeless
No sight nor sound
Even though the person we lost is gone, we still seek their presence and essence, leaving us with no sight nor sound
She's left so soon
The person we lost might have left us before their time, leaving us feeling cheated and defeated by life
She's out of view
Even though the person we lost is out of sight, they remain in our mind and heart, never to be forgotten
But the I find
Even though the person we lost is gone, we can still find the memories they left behind
Those scattered clues she left behind
The person we lost left behind some clues to their existence, leaving us to cherish and remember them
A photograph with a smiling face
The photograph left behind by the person we lost carries a memory of their happy face, leaving us nostalgic
A cigarette stubbed out on the fireplace
The cigarette stubbed out by the person we lost carries the essence of their presence, leaving us longing for more
A coffee cup with her lipstick stains
The coffee cup left behind by the person we lost carries a trace of their essence, leaving us feeling close to them
I guess I'll never see her again
Even though the memories of the person we lost are still strong, the realization of never seeing them again can be painful
Now my life is all scattered
When we lose someone we love, our life can become scattered, and our sense of purpose can become blurred
I feel older, I feel fatter
Losing someone we love can age us and leave us feeling out of shape physically and emotionally
I feel the blues coming on
When we lose someone we love, depression can creep in, leaving us feeling down and hopeless
We get bruised
Life can leave us battered and bruised, and losing someone we love can leave an emotional wound that takes time to heal
We get battered
Emotional grief after losing someone we love can make us feel battered, leaving us feeling lost and unmoored
But we'll pick up the pieces that scattered
Even though losing someone we love can leave us feeling shattered and broken, we can still pick up the pieces and move on
And with emotional glue
Healing from the emotional scars of losing a loved one can take time and effort, and emotional glue helps mend broken parts
We're gonna stick together, body and mind
Going through the emotional journey of losing someone we love, it's important to stick together and rely on the support of family and friends for comfort
Ever since she went away
The absence of the person we lost can leave us feeling like a part of us went away with them.
I've been alone to contemplate
Losing someone we love can leave us stranded and alone, giving us the space to contemplate life and our purpose
Time and space and why world's move
The loss of someone we love can make us ponder the concept of time, space and our place in the world
While sitting in my solitude
Amidst the pain and grief of losing someone we love, we can find solace in solitude, giving us the space to mourn
I've watched the stars and wondered why
As we try to make sense of life after losing someone we love, we can find ourselves gazing at the stars, wondering what comes next
They're scattered up there in the sky
The stars in the sky might be scattered but still shine bright, reminding us that even though we're scattered, we can still remain significant
And is she up there out of view
Losing someone we love can make us wonder if they're still out there, looking over us from the sky
On some higher platitude
The concept of an afterlife can bring comfort and solace, making us believe that the person we lost is on a higher platitude
I wish I knew
The uncertainty of what comes next after losing someone we love can be overwhelming, leaving us with a wish to know
Wish I could prove
Losing someone we love can make us feel like we need proof of their existence beyond the physical, leaving us to wish we could prove it
The reason why this life on earth
As we try to make sense of the loss of someone we love, we wonder what the purpose of life on earth is
Is scattered like the universe
The uncertainty and unpredictability of life can make it feel as scattering as the vast universe, leaving us feeling insignificant
I'm scattered here and scattered there
The loss of someone we love can leave us feeling scattered and lost, as we try to make sense of the gaping hole in our lives
Bits of me scattered everywhere
Losing someone we love can make us feel like a part of us is gone, leaving us feeling incomplete and grieving
We survive somewhat battered
Going through life can be hard, and we might come out of it somewhat battered and broken
To a new life, a new dawn
As we journey through life, we might find ourselves starting anew, with the prospect of a new beginning and a new dawn
IN the end what will it matter
In the end, what will matter is not the things we acquired, but the memories we shared, the love we gave, and the lives we touched
There'll only be my ashes to scatter
In the end, all that will remain of us is a pile of ashes or a memory, leaving us to contemplate our legacy
And all the logical answers
Even though we might seek logical answers to make sense of life, sometimes the answers can only come from the heart and the soul
To a worrying mind
A worrying mind can keep us from finding peace and happiness, leaving us feeling scattered and lost
Will be scattered in time
Answers to our questions about life and purpose might take time to reveal, leaving us to feel scattered in the meantime
Beaten and battered
Life can beat us and leave us battered, but we can still find the strength to pull through
To the earth you are scattered
When we die, our physical bodies return to earth, leaving no evidence of our existence other than memories and legacies
You're going home so what does it matter
No matter how scattered we might feel in life, in the end, we're all going home and finding peace and rest, leaving us with the thought that it might not matter in the end.
To an atomic mind
The atomic mind refers to man's finite and physical existence, which might not be enough to make sense of the complexities of life
Scattered here while you travel time
Meanwhile, life can leave us feeling scattered as we travel through time, trying to make sense of it all
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Leonardo Moncada
Like a seed that is sewn
All the children are scattered
By a breeze that is blown
Now the crops are all scattered
We are torn, we are shattered
Now some of us are barmy and battered
And the fields where we gathered
Are overgrown in weeds and in tatters
Through it all we were scattered
To the fields we are scattered
From the day we are born
To grow wild and sleep rough
Till from the earth we are torn
And a soul that is free
Can live on eternally
And the spirit can live on
Though it's scattered in the world beyond
And I've been out of my mind
Ever since she's been gone
I look around that empty room
No sight nor sound
She's left so soon
She's out of view
But the I find
Those scattered clues she left behind
A photograph with a smiling face
A cigarette stubbed out on the fireplace
A coffee cup with her lipstick stains
I guess I'll never see her again
Now my life is all scattered
Ever since she's been gone
I feel older, I feel fatter
I feel the blues coming on
We get bruised
We get battered
But we'll pick up the pieces that scattered
And with emotional glue
We're gonna stick together, body and mind
Ever since she went away
I've been alone to contemplate
Time and space and why world's move
While sitting in my solitude
I've watched the stars and wondered why
They're scattered up there in the sky
And is she up there out of view
On some higher platitude
I wish I knew
Wish I could prove
The reason why this life on earth
Is scattered like the universe
I'm scattered here and scattered there
Bits of me scattered everywhere
To the fields we are scattered
Then from the dust we are born
We survive somewhat battered
To a new life, a new dawn
IN the end what will it matter
There'll only be my ashes to scatter
And all the logical answers
To a worrying mind
Will be scattered in time
Beaten and battered
To the earth you are scattered
You're going home so what does it matter
To an atomic mind
Scattered here while you travel time
Prof.Dr.Ir. Mimit Primyastanto, MP
3. Verily, in the heavens and the earth are signs for the believers.
4. And in your creation, and what He scattered (through the earth) of moving (living) creatures are signs for people who have Faith with certainty.
5. And in the alternation of night and day, and the provision (rain) that Allah sends down from the sky, and revives therewith the earth after its death, and in the turning about of the winds (i.e. sometimes towards the east or north, and sometimes towards the south or west etc., sometimes bringing glad tidings of rain etc., and sometimes bringing the torment), are signs for a people who understand.
6. These are the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, revelations, etc.) of Allah, which We recite to you (O Muhammad ) with truth. Then in which speech after Allah and His Ayat will they believe?
7. Woe to every sinful liar, (Q.S. 45 : 4-7)
Kevin Hicks
I think Scattered may arguably be Ray's crowning achievement in songwriting. Such honesty, sadness, and ultimately,acceptance, in a song that deals with all of the pain and uncertainty we feel, as, one after another, we all travel down a path we all must take and the futility of worrying about it. All of this couched in an incredibly crafted pop gem. Holy cow. This is as good as anything Dylan, Simon, Lennon, Townshend etc. Ever did. God save the Kinks
Martin Carlos
Your description is as perfect as the song's lyrics. The Kinks are Number One.
PD K
I'm binging Davies today and I believe your sentiment is not only spot on but applies to MOST of his work. Such humanity underscores everything he does...with extreme craft.
Mark DeVito
Kevin Hicks it’s a remarkable song
Shay Howe
My long-held opinion: The Kinks are the most consistently underrated rock band in existence.
Jeffry Hammel
God, I always felt that way. It was so good to see the two brothers smiling. Tell me, are they both still around? They are such special songwriters, just like Paul, Elton, and Mick.
Barry A Rose
This is a brilliant song. I recently lost my mother, and I know Ray recently lost two of his older sisters. This song makes me happy and sad at the same time, and it never fails to move me. Thank you Ray Davies for this and all your incredible music.
matthew stetson
Scattered was recorded after their Mom had passed. One very beautiful song.
Richard Solis
Great song..lost my mum too..last yr...ray helps make it lil better..
GreenhouseEffectMusic
There is not one bad song from the Kinks ,...and that is rare to really say ,..of any band ,.. their authenticity and dignity ,...no band can top them ,... the pure honesty ,.. LOVE THE KINKS FOREVER !!