FEATURE:
Groovelines
The Kinks – Sunny Afternoon
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THERE are songs from…
some of music’s queens I will feature in upcoming editions of Groovelines. For this, however, I wanted to dig deep with one of The Kinks’ best-loved songs. Later this year, it will be sixty years since the band released their eponymous album. I was thinking about artists that have this run of golden albums. Where they barely put a note wrong! Who enjoyed the longest golden spell? One could argue Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds perhaps. Maybe Björk. Perhaps not The Beatles or The Rolling Stones. One of their peers, The Kinks, definitely can lay a claim. Even if their 1964 debut was not their best album, they hit their stride on their third studio album, 1965’s The Kink Kontroversy. With only the 1971 soundtrack, Percy, breaking (briefly) that spell, maybe 1973’s Preservation Act 1 was the first creative dip. Count the album up and that is eight albums across eight years where The Kinks were on top huge. The fact that they produced so much material in that time proves why they are among the most influential and respected bands ever. Led by Ray Davies’ wonderful songwriting and his observations on English life and the more eccentric side of things, they were a pleasing alternative to their peers. I think they do not get as much credit as bands like The Beatles – even though one can argue The Kinks were more consistent. Whereas The Kinks’ best albums were not quite as massive as The Beatles’, I feel that Ray Davies’ songwriting and the brilliance of The Kinks in the 1960s should be talked about more. One of the most remarkable periods of creativity and musical genius in history. I wanted to focus on a particularly special song from The Kinks. It would be great to see an animated video for this song at some point.
Appearing on 1966’s Face to Face, this came a year before the Summer of Love. I feel like there are mellow and loving vibes through Sunny Afternoon. A gorgeous and timeless song that was released on 3rd June, 1966, I can only imagine the react people had listening to the song for the first time. Alongside Dave Davies, Pete Quaife and Mick Avory, Ray Davies penned this astonishing song. One that went to the top of the charts in the U.K., the London band released a masterpiece. A song that Ray Davies wrote when he was ill. Before moving onto some features about Sunny Afternoon, this Wikipedia about how the classic came to be:
“Davies explained of the circumstances in which the song was written and recorded:
"Sunny Afternoon" was made very quickly, in the morning, it was one of our most atmospheric sessions. I still like to keep tapes of the few minutes before the final take, things that happen before the session. Maybe it's superstitious, but I believe if I had done things differently—if I had walked around the studio or gone out—it wouldn't have turned out that way. The bass player went off and started playing funny little classical things on the bass, more like a lead guitar: and Nicky Hopkins, who was playing piano on that session, was playing "Liza"—we always used to play that song—little things like that helped us get into the feeling of the song. At the time I wrote "Sunny Afternoon" I couldn't listen to anything. I was only playing the greatest hits of Frank Sinatra and Dylan's "Maggie's Farm"—I just liked its whole presence, I was playing the Bringing It All Back Home LP along with my Frank Sinatra and Glenn Miller and Bach—it was a strange time. I thought they all helped one another, they went into the chromatic part that's in the back of the song. I once made a drawing of my voice on "Sunny Afternoon". It was a leaf with a very thick outline—a big blob in the background—the leaf just cutting through it”.
I do marvel at The Kinks in the 1960s and how many superb albums they released. In 2021, Far Out provided the story behind the majestic Sunny Afternoon. A song, at least in part, inspired by Bob Dylan, I think it is one of the defining songs of the 1960s. Something that instantly connects with everyone. Showcasing Ray Davies’ knack of writing something simply and universal that stands the test of time, I wonder how many songwriters today are influenced by The Kinks and brilliant songs like Sunny Afternoon. I feel that there is a real gap for a modern artist to learn from The Kinks’ songbook:
“Sunny Afternoon’ was written by Ray Davies when he was tired, sick and lonely in London. Given the chance to write some music to express himself, there was only one track that would come out. He once said, “I’d bought a white upright piano. I hadn’t written for a time. I’d been ill. I was living in a very 1960s-decorated house. It had orange walls and green furniture. My one-year-old daughter was crawling on the floor and I wrote the opening riff. I remember it vividly. I was wearing a polo-neck sweater.” The Kinks had been gaining huge success and, while they continued to live in Britain and maintain their citizenship, Davies was not happy about his situation.
The song’s lyrics referred to the high levels of progressive taxes that the British Labour Government of Harold Wilson used to levy on high earners — something The Kinks had just become. While the backstory to the track was more political than it led on, with its breezy music and poppy rhythm, it came out of how poorly Davies felt when he was sick. Davies felt screwed by his government, having worked up the ladder to reach unchartered heights only to have his account ransacked. “The only way I could interpret how I felt was through a dusty, fallen aristocrat who had come from old money as opposed to the wealth I had created for myself.”
It’s not just a track about a rich man becoming slightly poorer, the song also mocked the affluent sections of the society and their lifestyle. This is where the brilliance of the song lies. Davies didn’t want his audience to sympathise with the misfortunes of the protagonist of the story he wanted them to be expressed but, having been a working class lad himself, he knew he’d find no empathy in his audience.
So, he portrayed him as “a scoundrel who fought with his girlfriend after a night of drunkenness and cruelty.” Referring to the line in the song, “I got a big fat mama trying to break me”, Davies said, it “alludes to the government, the British Empire, trying to break people. And they’re still doing it. How are we going to get out of this f—ing mess?” On the contrary, the song may also have hinted to the simpler joys of life, like “lazing on a sunny afternoon in the summertime.”
Ray Davies was always a man who worked far beyond his years and it seemingly drifted into his vocal tone too. “I did it in one take and when I heard it back, I said, ‘No, let me do it properly,’ but the session was out of time. So that was the vocal,” he explained. “I heard it again the other day. I was 22 but I sound like someone about 40 who’s been through the mill. I really hang on some of the notes. A joyous song, though, even if it’s suppressed joy. I had real fun writing that.”
He said, “I once made a drawing of my voice on ‘Sunny Afternoon’. It was a leaf with a very thick outline—a big blob in the background—the leaf just cutting through it.” The song may well have some complex originations but it is also one of the most sincere and authentic cuts from the band. Much of that may be down to the song’s spontaneous recording sessions: “‘Sunny Afternoon’ was made very quickly, in the morning, it was one of our most atmospheric sessions. I still like to keep tapes of the few minutes before the final take, things that happen before the session. Maybe it’s superstitious, but I believe if I had done things differently—if I had walked around the studio or gone out—it wouldn’t have turned out that way.” The singer speaks candidly about the circumstances surrounding the studio at the time.
“The bass player went off and started playing funny little classical things on the bass, more like a lead guitar: and Nicky Hopkins,” continued Davies, “Who was playing piano on that session, was playing ‘Liza’—we always used to play that song—little things like that helped us get into the feeling of the song. At the time I wrote ‘Sunny Afternoon’ I couldn’t listen to anything. I was only playing The Greatest Hits of Frank Sinatra and Dylan’s ‘Maggie’s Farm’—I just liked its whole presence, I was playing the Bringing It All Back Home LP along with my Frank Sinatra and Glenn Miller and Bach—it was a strange time. I thought they all helped one another, they went into the chromatic part that’s in the back of the song.”
‘Sunny Afternoon’, which was released as a single on June 3rd, 1966, was the third and final number one hit for The Kinks in the UK. More than that, it remains one of the go-to songs for any lazy afternoon, sunny or otherwise”.
Produced by Shel Talmy, Sunny Afternoon has been compared to Taxman by The Beatles. That song appeared on 1966’s Revolver. Maybe a fertile time for songwriters feeling exploited by the taxman – and the high level of progressive tax taken by Labour’s Prime Minister Harold Wilson -, there is that balance of romantic summery breeze and something more stifling and anxiety-ridden. Perhaps not as overtly beautiful and care-free as Waterloo Sunset, I have always thought about Sunny Afternoon as being purely care-free. The more you listen and dig, the more other layers and elements come to life:
“The chorus, with its catchy melody, adds a touch of irony to the song. The line “Save me, save me, save me from this squeeze” portrays a plea for help, but it is followed by the humorous image of a “big fat mama tryna break me.” It highlights the absurdity of the situations we sometimes find ourselves in and the need for escapism.
In the second verse, the song takes a more personal turn as the protagonist’s girlfriend leaves him, taking his car with her. He finds solace in simply “lazin’ on a sunny afternoon,” sipping on his ice-cold beer. It reflects the bittersweet nature of life, where even in the face of hardships, we can find moments of peace and contentment.
What makes “Sunny Afternoon” truly special is its relatability. We have all experienced financial struggles or heartbreak at some point in our lives. The Kinks capture these universal emotions through their clever lyrics and catchy melodies, making the song timeless.
Aside from its lyrical depth, the song also showcases The Kinks’ musical talents. The band’s signature sound, with Ray Davies’ distinct vocals and Dave Davies’ skillful guitar playing, shines through in “Sunny Afternoon.” The addition of piano and harmonium, played by Nicky Hopkins, adds an extra layer of richness to the song.
Being a music teacher, I often use “Sunny Afternoon” as a teaching tool. Not only does it provide a great example of songwriting and arrangement, but it also sparks meaningful discussions about the socio-economic themes addressed in the lyrics. My students always enjoy dissecting the meaning behind the song and analyzing its musical elements.
In conclusion, “Sunny Afternoon” by The Kinks is more than just a catchy tune; it is a poignant reflection on the complexities of life. Its timeless appeal lies in its relatability and musical craftsmanship. Whether you’re a fan of The Kinks or discovering the song for the first time, “Sunny Afternoon” is sure to leave a lasting impression”.
A departure in terms of style and a move away from the Rock-driven sound of previous work, Billboard were among those to praise the more offbeat musical style and politically relevant lyrics. Through the lens of an aristocrat who loses a lot because of taxation, it is biting as it is calming and singalong. Ray Davies has expressed his surprise that the song is so popular and has been taken to heart through the years. The classic was featured in and was the title song of West End musical Sunny Afternoon. The year after Sunny Afternoon and Face to Face arrived, The Kinks released Something Else by the Kinks. Maybe sitting alongside 1968’s The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society as their best work, I think that Sunny Afternoon is one of the best things they ever recorded. With a vocal and composition that sounds distinctly '60s in nature, the lyrics and situation of the song can relate to any time period. The brilliance of Ray Davies’ songwriting! Put this magnificent song on and…
SING at the top of your lungs.