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)
Sittin' on My Sofa
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, oh, oh, sitting on my sofa,
Sipping at my soda,
Sitting on my sofa.
All alone, sitting on my sofa,
Oh, oh, oh, sitting on my sofa,
Sipping at my soda,
You got all your friends,
I got a TV set.
You got your cars,
And this boy's never had anything.
Now I'm stuck here, sitting on my sofa,
Oh, oh, oh, sitting on my sofa,
Sipping at my soda,
Sitting on my sofa.
You got all your friends,
I got a TV set.
You got your cars,
And this boy's never had anything.
Now I'm stuck here, sitting on my sofa,
All alone, sitting on my sofa,
Sipping at my soda,
Sitting on my sofa.
Oh, oh, oh, sitting on my sofa,
Oh...
The Kinks’s “Sittin’ on My Sofa” is a song that speaks to isolation and loneliness. With opening lyrics, “All alone, sitting on my sofa, sipping at my soda,” the song reflects on an experience of feeling disconnected and left out of the world around us. The repetition of “sitting on my sofa” becomes a motif for the singer’s inactivity and disengagement. The line “You got all your friends, I got a TV set” highlights a comparison between the singer’s lack of community and the material wealth of others, suggesting that he views friendship as a more valuable asset. The line “And this boy's never had anything” suggests a subtle tone of bitterness directed at the world around him. The chorus repeats the verses, emphasizing the feeling of being stuck and trapped in the same place. Overall, the song is a commentary on the modern condition of isolation and the longing for human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
All alone, sitting on my sofa,
Feeling lonely and isolated, sitting on the couch with no company.
Oh, oh, oh, sitting on my sofa,
Repeating the same feeling of loneliness and sadness.
Sipping at my soda,
Drinking a soda, perhaps as a way to pass the time or distract from negative thoughts.
Sitting on my sofa.
Continuing to sit and feel down without anything changing.
You got all your friends,
Observing that others have social connections and supportive relationships.
I got a TV set.
Contrasting the lack of social connection with the presence of television as a way to fill the void.
You got your cars,
Pointing out material possessions that others have, possibly as a means to cope with not having them oneself.
And this boy's never had anything.
Reflecting on personal lack of access to material wealth and opportunities.
Now I'm stuck here, sitting on my sofa,
Feeling trapped and hopeless, with little motivation to change the current situation.
All alone, sitting on my sofa,
Repeating the same feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Sipping at my soda,
Continuing to drink the soda.
Sitting on my sofa.
Continuing to sit and feel down without anything changing.
Oh, oh, oh, sitting on my sofa,
Repeating the same feelings and situation without resolution.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVE DAVIES, RAYMOND DOUGLAS DAVIES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@petersoliz5982
All alone, sitting on my sofa,
Oh, oh, oh, sitting on my sofa,
Sipping at my soda,
Sitting on my sofa.
All alone, sitting on my sofa,
Oh, oh, oh, sitting on my sofa,
Sipping at my soda,
Sitting on my sofa.
You got all your friends,
I got a TV set.
You got your cars,
And this boy's never had anything.
Now I'm stuck here, sitting on my sofa,
Oh, oh, oh, sitting on my sofa,
Sipping at my soda,
Sitting on my sofa.
You got all your friends,
I got a TV set.
You got your cars,
And this boy's never had anything.
Now I'm stuck here, sitting on my sofa,
All alone, sitting on my sofa,
Sipping at my soda,
Sitting on my sofa.
Oh, oh, oh, sitting on my sofa,
Oh...
@koolkatvintage1960
What an amazing band and song.
@ForARide
Such an underrated song
@albertomena8305
Sentado en mi sofá (inolvidable) los fabulosos kings🎶🎵🎶🎵
@larryr.2225
This is amazing! Thank you so much for posting this lost masterpiece.
@galericulus9736
Another great "B" side. Along with "I'm Not like everybody else", "Where have all the good times gone?", "I need you" and others.
@dariowiter3078
Hey idiot! You have to capitalize the first letter of every word of a song, motion picture, book, poem, or piece of art, you illiterate dummy! 😠😠😠😠😠
@JukkaS.Hakkarainen
This was one of the songs of the only Kinks- LP we got in the sixties. About 1 million memories bursting... :)
@carspiv
A goddamned B-SIDE. Sick. One of the coolest songs ever is a 50-year old B-SIDE. Take THAT, 21st Century "music."
@spursgog835
carspiv So true
@RDDHopsing77
............................and this boy never had anything ! and I'm stuck here. sittin' on my sofa.................................
with me mate carspiv. Oh Oh Oh