The Kinks songs that remind Ray Davies of his parents
When it came to the brilliance of The Kinks, one must put it all down to their lead singer, guitarist and primary songwriter, Ray Davies. With Davies at the helm, backed by his younger brother, Dave, the band became one of the most significant British acts of the 21st century.
In fact, Davies’ influence has been far-reaching ever since The Kinks’ heyday. The fact that his lyrics often focused on the minutiae of English culture with a scathing wit later led to the nickname ‘The Godfather of Britpop’, the genre that would take that poetic outlook and ramp it up to new heights.
During an interview with the LA Times, Davies reflected on a number of songs from the Kinks back catalogue and noted the tunes that remind him of his parents. When it comes to his mother, Davies picked out the Kinks classic ‘Waterloo Sunset’ from 1967, easily of the band’s most iconic tunes.
“Unlike many other rockers, I always cared what my parents thought of my music,” he said. “I was writing songs for older people.” Davies explained that he once played the tune for his mother and his older sister Rose, who received it well. Their reception buoyed the singer throughout the Kinks’ career.
“[It] says a lot about people of [my mother’s] postwar generation living in austerity in London,” Davies added. “I was a strange kid, not very sociable, but I think with this song she finally understood me a bit.” It’s touching to hear of music bringing a mother and his son closer together after years of not understanding one another; a testament to the power of the medium.
When it comes to a song that reminds Davies of his father, though, perhaps the story is less shiny than ‘Waterloo Sunset’ and his mother. He selected the 1971 track ‘Alcohol’, giving us a clue as to the life that his father lived and perhaps further knowledge of the track’s inspirations.
Davies called his father a “true Kinkophile”, so it’s clear that he holds admiration for him, despite his penchant for the hard stuff. “[He] would have related to this tale of the decline of a philanderer,” he said, so perhaps the story of Davies’ father’s love for booze is not as sad as it might have been at first light.
Check out both ‘Waterloo Sunset’ and ‘Alcohol’ below to get a taste of Ray Davies’ relationship with his parents.
