Friday, March 19, 2010

"Waterloo Sunset"--The Kinks (1967)




This song made it to Number #2 on the British Pop Charts. I heard it recently in a romantic-comedy film made in London called, oddly, "French Film" (2009) . The cover song over the end titles of that film was done by The Rushes, a newer group. This got me wanting to find the original song. For some reason I'd never heard it.

"The Kinks" were well-known in America at this time because of "You Really Got Me" and other hits. However, they were restricted from playing in America for four years due to immigration issues possibly involving some violence between two band members. This song, therefore, never got the airplay it deserved in the USA.

This video (by EastEndMods) features footage and pictures of modern Waterloo Station and scenes of the beautiful Julie Christie and the still-active Terence Stamp from the moody gothic film "Far From the Madding Crowd" from the year before this song was released. Ray Davies of The Kinks considered this version a landmark for the group.

Ray Davies (From Uncut magazine January 2009): "It came to me first as a statement about the death of Merseybeat. But I realized that Waterloo was a very significant place in my life. I was in St. Thomas' Hospital when I was really ill as a child, and I looked out on the river. I went to Waterloo every day to go to college as well. The song was also about being taken to the Festival of Britain with my mum and dad. I remember them taking me by the hand, looking at the big Skylon tower, and saying it symbolized the future. That, and then walking by the Thames with my first wife (Rasa, who left Ray, taking his two daughters, in 1973) and all the other dreams that we had. Her in her brown suede coat that she wore, that was stolen. And also about my sisters, and about the world I wanted them to have. The two characters in the song, Terry and Julie, are to do with the aspirations of my sisters' generation, who grew up during the Second world War and missed out on the '60s.
Sometimes when you're writing and you're really on good form, you get into the frame of mind where you think, I can relate to any of these things. It's something I learned at art school-let all the ideas flow out. But if you listen to the words without the music, it's a different thing entirely. The lyrics could be better. But they dovetail with the music perfectly."

10 comments:

  1. I was just ten when this was released. Had no idea what the lyrics were about then but I liked it none the less. Now over 40 years later I still stop and make a point of listening to it.

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  2. In my humble opinion Waterloo Sunset is one of the finest pop songs ever written. I have loved it ever since I first heard it, working my way through Mod influences while in the sixth form at school (17-18 years old, a quarter of a century ago!)

    Thanks for the background info Doug - a great way to start Saturday!

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  3. This is an old favourite of mine too Doug, unfortunately I am old enough to remember this being released as a single and the great promo film that went with it, but which I can't now find on YouTube. The Kinks were one of the best bands of the 60s I think, proto punk in the early days and a few years ahead of The Velvet Underground. Thanks for posting Doug

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  4. That's great to hear Jim. Glad you enjoyed this as much as I.

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  5. There is something about a great song that evokes memories of youth, Ian---I have a few of my own and they have this same feeling you describe--a moment of time working backwards to a place where we we were fully part of the youth culture around us.

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  6. I have similar feelings about hearing a great old song, AA---glad to hear it again if its half-forgotten, but suddenly fully aware that a good span of time has past.

    I agree with you about The Kinks. I have one of their greatest hits albums and many tunes I was unfamiliar with do sound ahead of their time. There's a live cover of "You Really Got Me" from the 1980's that I think is fantastic. "Living on a Thin Line" is another favorite and there are many others. Wish we could film that original film on You Tube. Thanks for dropping by.

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  7. This was not my favorite song of theirs. I am not sure why the Kinks never seemed to get the recognition as other bands did.How many garage bands are there that don't play the guitar riffs from All Night and You Really Got me?They had the whole world singing about a transvestite and very few people realized it. I could go on for hours about their greatness. I think my favorite song by them is Come Dancing. I really enjoyed it when it first came out. Now it makes me look back to my younger "wilder" days. Long live the Kinks!!!!!

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  8. Since initially reading your post I have spent the last 45 minutes on you tube listening to the Kinks. Thank you for reminding what a great group they are!!!

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  9. So true about all the garage bands who got their inspiration from the Kinks songbook, Fred.

    "Come Dancing" is one of my favorites as well, a nice memory from 1980 or so. I've gone back to so many of their songs I took for granted with a new appreciation that it would be hard to name one I really liked above the rest.

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  10. You are more than welcome Fred. Glad I could inspire you to review such a fine band!!

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