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)
Willesden Green
The Kinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I tried to make my home in Golders Green
But I gotta get that train
And go back home again
Oh how I miss the folks back home in Willesden Green
You know, I tried, I really tried to settle in this big city
And I always thought I could make it all on my very own
To that little, that little semi-detached
That's the folks, yeah, the folks back home
In Willesden Green
The Kinks's song Willesden Green describes the singer's attempt to settle down in different parts of London, from Fulham Broadway to Golders Green, but ultimately missing his home in Willesden Green. The song captures a sense of nostalgia and homesickness for the singer's roots, despite the allure of the big city and the desire for independence. The lyrics convey the idea that sometimes, no matter how hard one tries to escape their past or present circumstances, there will always be an instinctual pull towards home.
The song can be interpreted as a commentary on the experience of many immigrants who move to big cities in search of better opportunities, but who still feel a deep attachment to their hometowns and communities. It highlights the tension between the desire for independence and the longing for a sense of belonging. Additionally, the song touches on larger themes related to the concept of home, community, and identity.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I tried to settle down Fulham Broadway
The singer attempted to make a home in Fulham Broadway.
And I tried to make my home in Golders Green
The singer also tried to make a home in Golders Green.
But I gotta get that train
Despite these attempts, the singer must catch a train.
And go back home again
The artist is returning to their true home.
Oh how I miss the folks back home in Willesden Green
The artist misses the people they know in their hometown of Willesden Green.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
WILLIAM TELL
I didn't know John Dalton was singing this either! Dalton was a relatively longtime bassist of the Kinks (1969-1976) but they never inducted him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 with the other Kinks, despite the fact that he plays bass on some pretty key tracks like Victoria, Lola, Apeman, and he also played bass on Dead End Street back in 1966 substituting for Peter Quaife who had been injured in a car accident. They should correct Dalton's omission.
GreenhouseEffectMusic
John is the bassist for the amazing "Golden era" of albums from Arthur to Misfits,.
Stephanie Dutton
A very unkinks song that I love. They should have let John do more solo stuff - he is great. Love to all Kinks fans
GreenhouseEffectMusic
Dirty Little Secret; PERCY is secretly one of the BEST Kinks albums !! this thing is loaded with classics from start to finish and ends with what has to be rock's all time Hilarious Grande finale !!
Kenji Fuse
It's nice that Dalton is back singing and playing Kinks songs with the group, The Kast Off Kinks. Check them out!
cdl1952
Great song!!!Sounds like Bobby Bare's "Detroit City from 63. Love the Kinks!
Steve Sturges
If I remember rightly from this book on the Kinks I read years ago, Ray brought the song in and basically said'"John, this one has you written all over it".. It could have been a mild take the piss, as John was proper working class and had tattoos on his arms "depicting scenes of the Crucifixion" according to Ray...
The deadpanned monologue is the middle to me, is legendary, "something keeps calling me, yeah, to that little semidetached" ... and considering all the places Ray writes about are not much more than a stone's throw from each other in North London the whole song is a bit of a wind up in general..
Steve Sturges
@GreenhouseEffectMusic The humour and genius of Ray..... lol
GreenhouseEffectMusic
All my life,.. dating to the 1970's "this" was the hilarious Ray doing Elvis thang ,.. i only found out the hard truth not long ago
elirosen1391
I never knew it was John Dalton singing. Always assumed it was Ray.