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)
This Time Tomorrow
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a spaceship somewhere sailing across an empty sea
This time tomorrow, what will we know?
Will we still be here watching an in-flight movie show?
I'll leave the sun behind me
And I'll watch the clouds as they sadly pass me by
Seven miles below me
This time tomorrow, what will we see?
Field full of houses, endless rows of crowded streets
I don't know where I'm going, I don't want to see
I feel the world below me looking up (looking up), looking up at me
Leave the sun behind me
And watch the clouds as they sadly pass me by
I'm in perpetual motion
And the world below doesn't matter much to me
This time tomorrow, where will we be?
On a spaceship somewhere sailing across any empty sea
This time tomorrow, where will we be?
This time tomorrow, what will we see?
This time tomorrow
The Kinks' This Time Tomorrow is a reflective song about the uncertainty of the future and the transience of life. The singer wonders about where they will be and what they will know "this time tomorrow." They ponder the possibility of being on a spaceship, sailing across an empty sea, and watching an in-flight movie show. The line "I'll leave the sun behind me and I'll watch the clouds as they sadly pass me by" signifies the journey they might embark on and the change that comes with it. They can see the world seven miles below as they fly away from it, and it does not seem as vast and significant as they once thought it to be.
The lyrics raise an existential question about the purpose of life, where the singer is unsure about where they're going and what they want to see. They feel the world below them looking up at them, perhaps with envy or admiration, but for the singer, it doesn't matter much as they're in perpetual motion. It is as if the singer is seeking meaning in their life, but they are still uncertain about what that might be. The repetition of "this time tomorrow, where will we be?" and "this time tomorrow, what will we see?" emphasizes the uncertainty and unpredictability of life.
Line by Line Meaning
This time tomorrow, where will we be?
What will our future hold by this time tomorrow?
On a spaceship somewhere sailing across an empty sea
Will we be traveling through the vast unknown of space?
This time tomorrow, what will we know?
What will be our understanding of the world during that moment?
Will we still be here watching an in-flight movie show?
Or will we be experiencing other forms of entertainment on our journey?
I'll leave the sun behind me
As I depart, I'll be leaving the warmth of the sun.
And I'll watch the clouds as they sadly pass me by
Observing the natural beauty of the clouds but feeling a sense of detachment.
Seven miles below me
Looking down from a high altitude.
I can see the world and it ain't so big at all
Realizing the vastness of the world but also its smallness in a grander perspective.
This time tomorrow, what will we see?
What will our surroundings look like during that specific moment?
Field full of houses, endless rows of crowded streets
Will we be surrounded by the hustle and bustle of civilization?
I don't know where I'm going, I don't want to see
Feeling lost and unsure of what's ahead but not wanting to witness any further uncertainty.
I feel the world below me looking up (looking up), looking up at me
Sensing that the world is aware of my presence above it.
Leave the sun behind me
Again, departing from the warmth and light of the sun.
And watch the clouds as they sadly pass me by
Continuing to observe the natural beauty of the clouds but with a lingering sadness about it.
I'm in perpetual motion
Always moving forward and progressing.
And the world below doesn't matter much to me
Feeling disconnected from the world below, regardless of its significance or lack thereof.
This time tomorrow, where will we be?
Repeating the initial question as a reminder of the uncertainty of the future.
On a spaceship somewhere sailing across any empty sea
Reiterating the possibility of embarking on a journey through uncharted territory.
This time tomorrow, where will we be?
Continuing to ponder the endless possibilities of future locations and experiences.
This time tomorrow, what will we see?
Repeating the question about future surroundings to emphasize the mystery of it all.
This time tomorrow
This moment of the future being discussed and the endless possibilities it holds.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Raymond Douglas Davies
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jsmith294
This time tomorrow, where will we be?
On a spaceship somewhere, sailing across an empty sea
This time tomorrow, what will we know?
Will we still be here, watching an in-flight movie show?
I'll leave the sun behind me, and I'll watch the clouds as they sadly pass me by
Seven miles below me, I can see the world and it ain't so big at all
Well, this time tomorrow, what will we see?
Fields full of houses, endless rows of crowded streets
I don't know where I'm going, I don't want to see
I feel the world below me, looking up at meLeave the sun behind me, and I'll watch the clouds as they sadly pass me by
And I'm in perpetual motion, and the world below doesn't matter much to me
Well, this time tomorrow, where will we be?
On a spaceship somewhere, sailing across an empty sea
Well, this time tomorrow, where will we be?
This time tomorrow, what will we see?
This time tomorrow
@ninajackson6752
This didn’t come recommended you searched for this
@imranhakimie1110
Totally agreed mate
@maroonpastry965
Yessss
@rben3692
After the Lexus commercial.
@jonathanbowling2904
It'll probably be recommended by this time tomorrow B-)
@leafsalami7583
Guilty as charged
@EDDIEM0NS00N
When people ask me the usual question of "who do you prefer: Beatles or Rolling Stones?", I always reply with "The Kinks"
@thechaosfamily8811
The educated response.
@kamalisimo5025
@@thechaosfamily8811 what about the kinks and the who
@thechaosfamily8811
@@kamalisimo5025 the who's quadraphenia is the only comparable album for me, to the kinks catalog. Whos next and Tommy were close, yet for me the wholesome, arrogant, and rebellious nature of the kinks is absolutely British and absolutely one of a kind.