The Kinks (1963–1996; 2018-present) is an English pop-rock group that came … Read Full Bio ↴The Kinks (1963–1996; 2018-present) is an English pop-rock group that came out of the British R&B scene of the early 1960s. Formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray Davies and Dave Davies in 1964 and categorised in the United States as a "British Invasion" band, the Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock groups of the era. In 1990, their first year of eligibility, the original four members were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Later, in November 2005, they were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame. Among numerous other honours, they received the Ivor Novello Award for "Outstanding Service to British Music" in 2006. The Kinks reunited in June 2018, with the Davies brothers and drummer Mick Avory.

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)

See My Friends
The Kinks Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

See my friends,
See my friends,
Layin' 'cross the river,

See my friends,
See my friends,
Layin' 'cross the river,

She is gone,
She is gone and now there's no one left
'Cept my friends,
Layin' 'cross the river,

She just went,
She just went,
Went across the river.

Now she's gone,
Now she's gone,
Wish that I'd gone with her.

She is gone,
She is gone and now there's no one left
'Cept my friends,
Layin' 'cross the river,

She is gone and now there's no one else to take her place
She is gone and now there's no one else to love
'Cept my friends,
Layin' 'cross the river,

See my friends,
See my friends,
Layin' 'cross the river,

See my friends,

See my friends,
Layin' 'cross the river

Overall Meaning

The Kinks's song "See My Friends" is a melancholic reflection on loss and the inevitability of death. The song's repeated refrain of "See my friends, layin' 'cross the river" alludes to the River Styx from Greek mythology, which separates the living world from the underworld. The singer has lost someone they love – presumably a romantic partner – who has crossed this river into the realm of the dead. The singer expresses regret for not having gone with them, suggesting a desire for their own death so as to be reunited with their loved one.

The verse "She is gone and now there's no one else to take her place; She is gone and now there's no one else to love" is especially poignant, highlighting the uniqueness of the person who has died and the extent of the singer's loss. The repeated use of the phrase "See my friends" adds another layer of meaning to the song. At first, it seems to suggest that the singer is surrounded by friends who are still alive and supporting them through their grief. However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that the friends the singer is referring to are also dead and have joined their loved one on the other side of the river. The singer might be expressing a sense of comfort in the idea that their friends are now with their loved one, or a sense of hope that they will one day be reunited with them all.

Line by Line Meaning

See my friends
I remember my friends

See my friends
I still have my friends around me

Layin' 'cross the river
Who are now gone forever

She is gone
The woman I loved is no longer here

She is gone and now there's no one left
There is no one else in my life except my friends

'Cept my friends
Only my friends are still with me

Went across the river
She has passed away and gone to the afterlife

Wish that I'd gone with her
I wish I was with her in the afterlife

Now she's gone
The woman I loved is forever gone

She is gone and now there's no one else to take her place
No one else can replace the love that she gave me

She is gone and now there's no one else to love
I feel alone without the love of my life

See my friends,
Through my memories, I still have my friends with me

Layin' 'cross the river,
Even though they have passed away

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION, Kassner Associated Publishers Ltd
Written by: Raymond Douglas Davies

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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