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)
Slum Kids
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we never stood a chance.
We were dragged up from the gutter,
From the wrong side of the tracks.
So how dare you criticize,
When you don't know what it's like
To be dragged up from the gutter,
Why do rich kids get all the breaks,
While the poor slum kids have to work, sweat, struggle and slave?
Why, Lord, there's so much injustice in this world?
Slum kids never stand a chance.
Look at all the slum kids all around you,
Oh, they never stood a chance.
We were dragged up from the gutter,
From the wrong side of the tracks.
Why do rich kids get all the breaks,
While the poor slum kids have to work, sweat, struggle and slave?
Why, Lord, there's so much injustice in this world?
Slum kids never stand a chance.
Look at all the slum kids all around you,
Oh, they never stood a chance.
We were dragged up from the gutter,
From the wrong side of the tracks.
So how dare you criticize,
When you don't know what it's like
To be dragged up from the gutter,
From the wrong side of the tracks.
The Kinks's song Slum Kids is a poignant commentary on the challenging conditions that face children brought up in poverty-stricken environments. The singer describes themselves and their peers as being from the 'wrong side of the tracks', dragged up from the gutter, and having never stood a chance. The song challenges the listener to consider the difficulties and lack of opportunities faced by those living in slums, and the injustice inherent in a society that privileges the rich and marginalizes the poor.
The singer's angry tone highlights the disparaging treatment often received by those who are raised in slums. In the second verse, they question why rich kids get all the breaks, while poor children are left to work hard and struggle. The rhetorical question "why, Lord, there's so much injustice in this world?" is an expression of despair at the prevalence of inequality and the difficulty of overcoming the odds for those born into less fortunate circumstances. The song concludes with a powerful plea not to judge others before understanding their experiences, and recognizing the obstacles they have faced.
Line by Line Meaning
We're just slum kids, and we know it,
We come from poverty and accept our upbringing for what it is.
And we never stood a chance.
The lack of opportunity due to our social status made it difficult to succeed in life
We were dragged up from the gutter,
We grew up in poverty and were raised in terrible conditions.
From the wrong side of the tracks.
We were located in neighborhoods or streets that are considered undesirable.
So how dare you criticize,
People who have not experienced poverty should not criticize or judge the situation.
When you don't know what it's like
People who have not experienced poverty cannot comprehend the level of hardship.
Why do rich kids get all the breaks,
We question why those who have had more advantages in life continue to receive them.
While the poor slum kids have to work, sweat, struggle and slave?
We ask why we have to work so hard just to survive.
Why, Lord, there's so much injustice in this world?
We are questioning why there is inequality and unfairness in the world.
Slum kids never stand a chance.
We believe that our social status is a barrier that prevents us from succeeding.
Look at all the slum kids all around you,
We urge people to notice the reality of poverty in their surroundings.
Oh, they never stood a chance.
We reiterate that poverty is a difficult obstacle to overcome.
We were dragged up from the gutter,
We repeat that our upbringing was difficult due to our social status.
From the wrong side of the tracks.
We emphasize that we come from undesirable neighborhoods.
So how dare you criticize,
We repeat that people who have not experienced poverty should not criticize or judge the situation.
When you don't know what it's like
We remind people that they cannot comprehend poverty without experiencing it themselves.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RAY DAVIES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fender Guitars
The Kinks epic album pretty much displays the genius of Ray even going beyond the normal Ray as he calls out the "Future world " Utopia of 2016, 17, 18,...
MeloLand
This song is a masterpiece!
MindFlowersDotInfo
I've never heard this Kinks song before!
It was not included in my Preservation I&II CD set I had. (US)
Thank you for posting this!
It thematically reminds me of Father Christmas a bit.
P. M. Adamson
This was not on Preservation Act 2 and I suspect the inclusion of "Scum of The Earth" covered that aspect in the story. I first heard this song on the Kinks live show broadcast on new years Eve (I thin k in 1977 but not sure) This version is clearly a studio version which may have appeared on a compilation somewhere. Will need to find that out but don't wohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preservation_Act_2rry, you were not short changed on your preservation CD, we didn't get it in the Uk either. Having listened again I think this was the Live version with cheering faded out at the end. I think it was 1974.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preservation_Act_2
toxicgraphix
this is the same chords as ' bring it on home to me " by Sam Cooke. but countless other ancient blues troubadours, folkies, pop and rock and roll superstars, have used the same chords over and over, what the Kinks are saying is ...yes we know that, and we are going to prove it! .. and in the context of preservation acts, brings it on home to you ....
Pete S
Kinks Gallon of Gas sounds similar
schwaahly
A Classic Dave's backing vocals are by far the best ever
Ted Gartner
Great guitar tone.
Hihi Aurel narmadashankar
A top ten kinks 🎵 song
NotOrdinaryInGames
Wait..... so this song is not available for purchase?