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)
Susannah's Still Alive
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Still wears the locket 'round her neck.
She's got a picture on the table
Of a man who is young and able.
Oh, Suzannah's gonna cry,
Oh, Suzannah's still alive.
Whiskey or gin, that's alright,
When there's nothing in her bed at night
Hopin' that somebody gets in.
Doesn't matter what she does,
She knows that she can't win.
Oh, Suzannah's gonna cry.
She's got a doll with one eye,
That always cries when she gets some sleep
She's waiting for a soldier to come home,
But she'll cry and never die.
Oh, Suzannah's gonna cry,
Oh, Suzannah's still alive.
Whiskey or gin, that's alright,
When there's nothing in her bed at night
She sleeps with the covers down,
Hopin' that somebody gets in.
Doesn't matter what she does,
She knows that she can't win.
Oh, Suzannah's still alive.
Oh, Suzannah's gonna cry,
Oh, Suzannah's still alive.
Oh, Suzannah's still alive.
The Kinks's song "Susannah's Still Alive" tells the story of a woman named Suzannah who is living a lonely and sad life. She is described as "bedraggled" but still wears a locket around her neck with a picture of a man who is young and able, implying that she is holding onto a past love. Suzannah seems to be struggling with alcoholism, as she turns to whiskey or gin when there is nothing in her bed at night. She sleeps with the covers down, hoping that someone will come and fill the empty space beside her. Despite her efforts, she knows that she can't win and will continue to cry and feel alone.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of Suzannah's sadness and yearning for connection. The repeated line "Oh, Suzannah's gonna cry" emphasizes her emotional pain. The doll with one eye that always cries when she gets some sleep is a powerful metaphor for her own sadness that she cannot escape from. Additionally, the line "She's waiting for a soldier to come home" suggests that her longing for human connection may stem from a loved one who is away fighting in a war.
Overall, "Susannah's Still Alive" is a poignant and melancholy depiction of loneliness and longing for connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, Suzannah's bedraggled but she Still wears the locket 'round her neck.
Despite her worn-out state, Suzannah still clings to sentimental things, as evidenced by the locket she wears.
She's got a picture on the table Of a man who is young and able.
Suzannah keeps a picture of a man who was once fit and able, probably someone she cared about.
Oh, Suzannah's gonna cry, Oh, Suzannah's still alive.
Suzannah is still breathing, but the emotional pain she's experiencing is enough to drive her to tears.
Whiskey or gin, that's alright, When there's nothing in her bed at night She sleeps with the covers down, Hopin' that somebody gets in.
Suzannah drowns her sorrows in alcohol and sleeps alone, but secretly desires someone to keep her company at night.
Doesn't matter what she does, She knows that she can't win. Oh, Suzannah's gonna cry.
Despite her best efforts, Suzannah feels like she's constantly losing at life, which only contributes to her sadness.
She's got a doll with one eye, That always cries when she gets some sleep She's waiting for a soldier to come home, But she'll cry and never die.
Suzannah clings to childhood comforts like a doll, but its melancholic presence is a constant reminder of the hopelessness and pain she continues to feel as she waits for a soldier's return.
Oh, Suzannah's still alive. Oh, Suzannah's gonna cry, Oh, Suzannah's still alive. Whiskey or gin, that's alright, When there's nothing in her bed at night She sleeps with the covers down, Hopin' that somebody gets in. Doesn't matter what she does, She knows that she can't win. Oh, Suzannah's still alive. Oh, Suzannah's gonna cry, Oh, Suzannah's still alive. Oh, Suzannah's still alive.
Throughout the song, the repeated refrain emphasizes that despite all her pain and sorrow, Suzannah is still alive, still hoping, and still crying.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVE DAVIES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
비정한세상
But she still wears the locket 'round her neck
She's got a picture on the table
Of a man who is young and able
Oh, Susannah's gonna cry
Oh, Susannah's still alive
Whiskey or gin, that's alright
When there's nothing in her bed at night She sleeps with the covers down
Hopin' that somebody gets in
Doesn't matter what she does
She knows that she can't win
She's got a doll with one eye
That always cries when it gets some sleep
She's waiting for a soldier to come home
But she'll cry and never die
Kelly CM
Oh, Susannah's bedraggled
But she still wears the locket 'round her neck
She's got a picture on the table
Of a man who is young and able Oh, Susannah's gonna cry
Oh, Susannah's still alive
Whiskey or gin, that's alright
When there's nothing in her bed at night She sleeps with the covers down
Hopin' that somebody gets in
Doesn't matter what she does
She knows that she can't win Oh, Susannah's gonna cry She's got a doll with one eye
That always cries when it gets some sleep
She's waiting for a soldier to come home
But she'll cry and never die Oh, Susannah's gonna cry
Oh, Susannah's still alive
Whiskey or gin, that's alright
When there's nothing in her bed at night She sleeps with the covers down
Hopin' that somebody gets in
Doesn't matter what she does
She knows that she can't win Oh, Susannah's still alive Oh, Susannah's gonna cry
Oh, Susannah's still alive
Oh, Susannah's still alive
Love Dave <3
World of Jerry Travis
Man, as a 14 year old i used to thrash this tune out relentlessly on my walkman in the mid 80's. Profound!
jaht3z
I was doing the same thing at that age, only it was the 6o's and I had one of those portable record players and a stack of 45s
maxhr
I don’t know that I ever even heard it until now sadly.
*****you
thrash lol
Ann Duncan
Love Dave's voice Love the Kinks.
Stephen T
Lovable song… How are you doing Ann?
Joe Ceonnia
I absolutely love this Band!! Kinks Forever
bernie parent
Love Dave's vocals .
Shakimono Veras
Masterpiece Mick is pure genius on those drums
RedGoldGreen-Dub1975
Great song ❤