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)
Two Sisters
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Percilla looked into the washing machine
And the drudgery of being wed
She was so jealous of her sister
And her liberty, and her smart young friends
She was so jealous of her sister
Sylvilla looked into the wardrobe
And the bacon and eggs
And the breakfast is served
She was so jealous of her sister
And her way of life, and her luxury flat
She was so jealous of her sister
She threw away her dirty dishes just to be free again
Her women's weekly magazines just to be free again
And put the children in the nursery just to be free again
Percilla saw her little children
And then decided she was better off
Than the wayward lass that her sister had been
No longer jealous of her sister
So she ran 'round the house with her curlers on
No longer jealous of her sister
The Kinks’ “Two Sisters” is a commentary on the aspirations, jealousies, and dreams of two sisters, Sylvilla and Percilla. The lyrics explore the mundane and monotonous routines of domestic life, highlighting the contrast between the sisters’ lifestyle. Sylvilla is envious of her sister’s lifestyle, which she perceives as free and luxurious, surrounded by smart young friends in a luxury flat, while she is left grappling with the drudgery of being wed. She looks into her mirror, her wardrobe, and her women’s weekly magazines, yearning for a way out of her life. On the other hand, Percilla is content and fulfilled with her life, finding joy in cooking bacon and eggs for breakfast and tending to her little children. However, a series of events lead to her realizing that she is better off than her sister, and she becomes no longer jealous of her sister.
The lyrics shed light on the struggles and challenges of women in the 60s, particularly the longing for freedom, something many women at the time felt they lacked. The song presents two contrasting perspectives: one longing for freedom, the other already feeling free but still grappling with the expectations of greatness. The wayward lass is juxtaposed against the fulfilled and content wife, highlighting the consequences of pursuing something as elusive as freedom. The song also touches on the themes of sisterhood, social class, and the expectations placed on women in a patriarchal society.
Line by Line Meaning
Sylvilla looked into her mirror
Sylvilla was reflecting on her life and appearance
Percilla looked into the washing machine
Percilla was doing the mundane task of laundry
And the drudgery of being wed
Both sisters were feeling the monotony of married life
She was so jealous of her sister
Sylvilla was envious of Percilla's freedom and social life
And her liberty, and her smart young friends
Percilla had more freedom and a more exciting social life than Sylvilla
She was so jealous of her sister
Sylvilla's jealousy of Percilla continued
Sylvilla looked into the wardrobe
Sylvilla was looking at her clothes
Percilla looked into the frying pan
Percilla was cooking breakfast
And the bacon and eggs
Percilla was cooking a traditional breakfast
And the breakfast is served
Breakfast was ready to be eaten
She was so jealous of her sister
Sylvilla was still envious of Percilla's lifestyle
And her way of life, and her luxury flat
Percilla's lifestyle and home were enviable to Sylvilla
She was so jealous of her sister
Sylvilla's jealousy persisted
She threw away her dirty dishes just to be free again
Sylvilla did something drastic to feel liberated
Her women's weekly magazines just to be free again
Sylvilla wanted to break free from mundane housewife activities
And put the children in the nursery just to be free again
Sylvilla was willing to sacrifice time with her children to feel free
Percilla saw her little children
Percilla was spending time with her kids
And then decided she was better off
Percilla realized she was happier with her life than Sylvilla's
Than the wayward lass that her sister had been
Sylvilla was acting recklessly and not content with her life
No longer jealous of her sister
Percilla was no longer envious of Sylvilla
So she ran 'round the house with her curlers on
Percilla was carefree and happy in her own home
No longer jealous of her sister
Percilla's envy of Sylvilla was completely gone
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RAYMOND DOUGLAS DAVIES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
S
[Verse 1]
Sylvilla looked into her mirror
Percilla looked into the washing machine
And the drudgery of being wed
She was so jealous of her sister
And her liberty and her smart young friends
She was so jealous of her sister
[Verse 2]
Sylvilla looked into the wardrobe
Percilla looked into the frying pan
And the bacon and eggs
And the breakfast is served
She was so jealous of her sister
And her way of life and her luxury flat
She was so jealous of her sister
[Bridge]
She threw away her dirty dishes just to be free again
Her women's weekly magazines just to be free again
And put the children in the nursery just to be free again
[Verse 3]
Percilla saw her little children
And then decided she was better off
Than the wayward lass that her sister had been
No longer jealous of her sister
So she ran 'round the house with her curlers on
No longer jealous of her sister
비정한세상
[Verse 1]
Sylvilla looked into her mirror
Percilla looked into the washing machine
And the drudgery of being wed
She was so jealous of her sister
And her liberty and her smart young friends
She was so jealous of her sister
[Verse 2]
Sylvilla looked into the wardrobe
Percilla looked into the frying pan
And the bacon and eggs
And the breakfast is served
She was so jealous of her sister
And her way of life and her luxury flat
She was so jealous of her sister
[Bridge]
She threw away her dirty dishes just to be free again
Her women's weekly magazines just to be free again
And put the children in the nursery just to be free again
[Verse 3]
Percilla saw her little children
And then decided she was better off
Than the wayward lass that her sister had been
No longer jealous of her sister
So she ran 'round the house with her curlers on
No longer jealous of her sister
Astorte
Sybilla looked into her mirror
Priscilla looked into the washing machine
And the drudgery of being wed
She was so jealous of her sister
And her liberty, and her smart young friends
She was so jealous of her sister
Sybilla looked into the wardrobe
Priscilla looked into the frying pan
And the bacon and eggs
And the breakfast is served
She was so jealous of her sister
And her way of life, and her luxury flat
She was so jealous of her sister
She'd throw away her dirty dishes
Just to be free again
Her Woman's Weekly magazines
Just to be free again
And put the children in the nursery
Just to be free again
Priscilla saw her little children
And then decided she was better off
Than the wayward lass that her sister had been
No longer jealous of her sister
So she ran 'round the house with her curlers on
No longer jealous of her sister
Caroline A
@Harry Lime If you believe that at least 99% of women should strive to raise children and that's all they're good for, then you don't actually believe that other ways exist for women to lead meaningful lives. This way of thinking is outdated, close-minded, bigoted, and a double standard – men's social value isn't solely attached to whether or not they have kids or a family. And nowadays, this isn't the case for women either, but it seems you haven't gotten with the program.
I find this song to be an interesting artifact of its time. It attempts to understand the female perspective, but it falls short in such a way that it actually participates in harmful narratives that silence women and their desires. It does recognize that domestic life is unfulfilling, demeaning drudgery which requires a woman to forgo her liberties. However, it maintains that a woman's plight is worth it because it's for the sake of the children. The "think of the children" argument never applies to husbands and fathers, of course, but is selectively applied to women because socially-defined gender roles dictate that raising the children is a woman's responsibility. Because God forbid a woman tries pursue her goals AND be a decent mother. Because that's entirely impossible, and those things are mutually exclusive, right? And God forbid that parents are equally invested in the upbringing of their children! So shame on Priscilla for being jealous of her sister! She's not thinking of the children! Shame on her for wanting even for a moment a life that's more than washing dishes and cooking and running around the house.
While the song tries to sympathize with housewives, it makes no attempt to sympathize with the unmarried woman. Savilla however-you-spell-it is written off as a "wayward" deviant for what? Having "smart young friends" and exercising her liberties? And she's depicted as vain, looking in the mirror and in her wardrobe because of course she is. How vain of her to be living her life the way she wants to and not the way that society prescribes her to!
The conclusion of the song is a real humdinger. It doesn't empower the married sister to reclaim her liberties even in small ways. It doesn't even make a case for why having children can be fulfilling in its own right. Instead, it condemns the woman to a life of servility, while also telling her that by living this way she is fighting the good fight. She's "better off" than those other women, because she knows what counts: the kids! And a life for a woman that doesn't center uniquely around the kids would be foolish and frivolous, right? So, once Priscilla reminds herself of this, the jealousy dissipates, along with all of the other legitimate reasons as to why she was dissatisfied and unhappy in the first place. Those plus her aspirations and sense of self just magically disappear.
But, then again, according to you I've entirely misinterpreted the song because I'm too dim to understand it or contextualize it. Since yours is the "definitive" interpretation, I invite you to share it and enlighten me.
Alex Block
Hard to believe these 5 classic albums (Face to Face, Something Else, Village Green, Arthur, Lola) were considered disappointments. Loads of bands would kill for that awesome streak of excellence and the best part is all those albums are filled with songs. They are one of my favorite bands for such a long time!
Laughing Stock
Actually, 6 LPs - Muswell Hillbillies is also a masterpiece.
Nicholas Yarembinsky
@Laughing Stock actually the Percy Soundtrack came before that and I thinks it’s another great one to do make that 7 Great LPs
Lost Machinima
Says who? According to Wikipedia these albums were generally well-received by critics, although they did not sell very well (marketing is what really drives sales).
Ed Helvey
They didn't get too much attention from radio stations though.
Jonathan Abbott
No disappointment's here. Agreed on all fronts.
DR Folsom
A masterpiece of Ray Davies' songwriting and Nicky Hopkins' harpsichord playing. Sublime.
Valdir Bergamo Bergamo
The more I listen to Kinks, the more I admire their works. This mix of Psychedelic and Progressive rock shows us that the group evolved nicely. Thanks a lot !
Laughing Stock
A fucking masterpiece. Ray was so far ahead of the game. England's finest songsmith by a village green country mile.
Alf Ching
What Happened Too Great Song Writers After 1969.Good Job we Once Had Em