Great video. I had a friend explain to me that Waterloo Sunset is a sarcastic song about the "beautiful people" of London at the time, namely Julie Walters and Terrance Stamp and how their vapid activities were so breathlessly covered in the press. So the Kinks certainly had a lot of depth to their lyrics.
Your friend didn't know what he was talking about. It isn't a sarcastic song, it's heartfelt and serious and it isn't about Julie Christie (not Walters - nobody had heard of her in 1967) and Terence Stamp at all - if you don't believe look at the Wikipedia article about the song and what Ray himself said it was about.
Sunny Afternoon makes me laugh. There are people I know, who are rich, who act a bit like that. It’s a genius song in terms of lyrics. Taxman was never really my favorite of the album, although I marvel at Paul’s guitar solo. It’s so aggressive but also so balanced.
Man, this video is absolutely brilliant. It's got a lot of rewatchable value. All your observations are spot on, and the mix between Revolver's and Face to Face's art is the icing on the cake.
They wrote songs about taxes because they all grew up in working class families who supported Labour. They found themselves newly rich and were shocked when their accountants informed them the amount of taxes they were now going to have to pay. The irony here, is the very political party they supported their entire lives now set their sights on them. They were now the targets.
The subject matter of both songs were very advanced both lyrically and musically for 1966. There were very few groups other than The Beatles and The Kinks at this time that were writing songs biting of social commentary filled with hypocrisy, wit and sarcasm. Only a songwriter such as Ray Davies can incorporate a lyric such as "telling tales of drunkenness and cruelty" and make it work in a hit song! As a huge fan of The Kinks, I also prefer Sunny Afternoon over Taxman, although I do love McCartney's guitar solo in Taxman.
Excellent video! I would even say it’s…(wait for it)…on the nose. You hit every major beat, mister, detailing not only the important aspects of each band’s song up for analysis, but also giving the broader cultural and political context in which these songs were written. Keep up the good work as you vlog through musical history.
fun fact; Davies once reviewed Revolver, in which he wrote that Taxman 'sounds like a cross between the Who and Batman. It's a bit limited, but the Beatles get over this by the sexy double-tracking. It's surprising how sexy double-tracking makes a voice sound'.
I don’t think you need to be rich to be upset over paying taxes .. sometimes you work so hard and even stay overtime and work even harder and you get your check and realize that you payed even more taxes and it probably wasn’t worth staying longer like a fool .. or you can also try to better your life and work hard for a great career and end up paying so many taxes and then go broke just trying to create a great life for yourself.. it’s crazy we pay taxes on stuff wit money that we already got taxed on .. 🤦🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
10:36 You really didn't do that line justice. The lines "my girlfriend's run off with my car and gone back to her ma and pa, telling tales of drunkenness and cruelty" on their own don't make him a domestic abuser, it's the next part, "and now I'm sitting here, sipping on my ice cold beer" that reveals that he's a truly unreliable narrator and that the "drunkenness" wasn't much of a tale at all. And if that's the case, then the "cruelty"...
Do believe Sunny A is about Geo'$ Taxman and people like the Beatles attitude. Sarcastic/biting as hell as Ray D could ever be. Obviously Ray fans know that. I just think he was inspired by many situations. I dont know which came out first😅... I prefer Autumn Almanac , Very close to Sunny A!
Harrison is right about taxes. It makes sense to tax the rich more than the poor-- but an inasane progressive tax (like 90% for the top bracket!!! WTF) drives away a bunch of top talent from the country who produced them. When it comes to an act like the BEATLES especially, the amount of taxes the UK gov collected would pale in comparison to the amount of money they could've made on the Beatles if they all stayed in the UK and represented their homeland with no political hang-ups. The gov would lose some money on the taxes up front if the rate was lower-- but can you imagine if George Harrison and especially John Lennon stayed in the UK and hyped up how good it was to live in the UK? America's tax set-up was designed to poach all the best talent from all around the world, and it's still working. Where does Gordon Ramsay live? 😄 🤣 😂
Compared to the kinks, the Beatles taxman is dated due to the lyrics ‘Mr Wilson (Harold Wilson) and mr Heath (Edward three day week heath) unless you study British politics you won’t get it
I believe the Kinks should be just as famous as the Beatles, Ray never wrote a bad song. God Save the Kinks
Yeah, I think so. The kinks had really thought out songs.
David Bowie said the same thing
The 60s, in my opinion just about the best era for music - Taxman is a great song
Great video.
I had a friend explain to me that Waterloo Sunset is a sarcastic song about the "beautiful people" of London at the time, namely Julie Walters and Terrance Stamp and how their vapid activities were so breathlessly covered in the press. So the Kinks certainly had a lot of depth to their lyrics.
I’ll definitely do a video on Waterloo Sunset at some point
Your friend didn't know what he was talking about. It isn't a sarcastic song, it's heartfelt and serious and it isn't about Julie Christie (not Walters - nobody had heard of her in 1967) and Terence Stamp at all - if you don't believe look at the Wikipedia article about the song and what Ray himself said it was about.
"both groups were at the forefront of hip-hop music", could not agree more.
"hip pop music"
Muswell Hillbillies is such an underrated album.
'66 was a great year for rock music. So many classic, brilliant l.p.'s. Face to Face has always been my favorite but what a year for music.
Sunny Afternoon makes me laugh. There are people I know, who are rich, who act a bit like that. It’s a genius song in terms of lyrics.
Taxman was never really my favorite of the album, although I marvel at Paul’s guitar solo. It’s so aggressive but also so balanced.
haha Mr. Wilson
haha Mr. Heath
Are my favourite parts.
joe nose knocking it out of the park again. great work, nice aethetics.
Thanks!
There is a saying in pop culture circles and I wrote about it in my monthly blog: 1966 is the year everything changed.
Man, this video is absolutely brilliant. It's got a lot of rewatchable value. All your observations are spot on, and the mix between Revolver's and Face to Face's art is the icing on the cake.
I think it is a good example of the messages that music could transmit, anticipating the future
Very interesting! Good stuff! If you make more of these, I'll watch them.
They wrote songs about taxes because they all grew up in working class families who supported Labour. They found themselves newly rich and were shocked when their accountants informed them the amount of taxes they were now going to have to pay.
The irony here, is the very political party they supported their entire lives now set their sights on them. They were now the targets.
Nice job. Good to learn more about the context of the times in which both songs were written. God save the Kinks.
Taxman is a good song; Sunny Afternoon is a great song.
The subject matter of both songs were very advanced both lyrically and musically for 1966. There were very few groups other than The Beatles and The Kinks at this time that were writing songs biting of social commentary filled with hypocrisy, wit and sarcasm. Only a songwriter such as Ray Davies can incorporate a lyric such as "telling tales of drunkenness and cruelty" and make it work in a hit song! As a huge fan of The Kinks, I also prefer Sunny Afternoon over Taxman, although I do love McCartney's guitar solo in Taxman.
This was a very well done video.
Great stuff!
Excellent video! I would even say it’s…(wait for it)…on the nose. You hit every major beat, mister, detailing not only the important aspects of each band’s song up for analysis, but also giving the broader cultural and political context in which these songs were written. Keep up the good work as you vlog through musical history.
Another great video on great music!! Appreciate all the effort and love that went into this and all you do.
Thanks I appreciate it
fun fact; Davies once reviewed Revolver, in which he wrote that Taxman 'sounds like a cross between the Who and Batman. It's a bit limited, but the Beatles get over this by the sexy double-tracking. It's surprising how sexy double-tracking makes a voice sound'.
This video let me know that i wasn't the only one who ask himself about the coincidense of the Tax mension in these lyrics.
Another amazing video. Thanks for the great content, hopefully a whole lot more views come your way
Great videos, thank you 👍🏻
Taxman is the Beatles' punk song
yet another joe nose classic
Thanks for the support!
Are you gonna make a vid on Piper At The Gates Of Dawn?
I don’t think you need to be rich to be upset over paying taxes .. sometimes you work so hard and even stay overtime and work even harder and you get your check and realize that you payed even more taxes and it probably wasn’t worth staying longer like a fool .. or you can also try to better your life and work hard for a great career and end up paying so many taxes and then go broke just trying to create a great life for yourself.. it’s crazy we pay taxes on stuff wit money that we already got taxed on .. 🤦🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
Thanks for Pronouncing Davies correctly.
(No mention of Mīck's drumming. Also mispronounced.)
10:36 You really didn't do that line justice. The lines "my girlfriend's run off with my car and gone back to her ma and pa, telling tales of drunkenness and cruelty" on their own don't make him a domestic abuser, it's the next part, "and now I'm sitting here, sipping on my ice cold beer" that reveals that he's a truly unreliable narrator and that the "drunkenness" wasn't much of a tale at all. And if that's the case, then the "cruelty"...
I have read that Britain was paying off World War II debt until something like 2006. debt owed to the USA
Agreed. Britain had a lively economy and creative life in the sixties. The tax system wasn't everyone's worry.
Do believe Sunny A is about Geo'$ Taxman and people like the Beatles attitude. Sarcastic/biting as hell as Ray D could ever be. Obviously Ray fans know that. I just think he was inspired by many situations. I dont know which came out first😅... I prefer Autumn Almanac
, Very close to Sunny A!
Sunny Afternoon is about a whole lot more than taxes. Unlike Taxman
Harrison is right about taxes. It makes sense to tax the rich more than the poor-- but an inasane progressive tax (like 90% for the top bracket!!! WTF) drives away a bunch of top talent from the country who produced them. When it comes to an act like the BEATLES especially, the amount of taxes the UK gov collected would pale in comparison to the amount of money they could've made on the Beatles if they all stayed in the UK and represented their homeland with no political hang-ups. The gov would lose some money on the taxes up front if the rate was lower-- but can you imagine if George Harrison and especially John Lennon stayed in the UK and hyped up how good it was to live in the UK? America's tax set-up was designed to poach all the best talent from all around the world, and it's still working. Where does Gordon Ramsay live? 😄 🤣 😂
Compared to the kinks, the Beatles taxman is dated due to the lyrics ‘Mr Wilson (Harold Wilson) and mr Heath (Edward three day week heath) unless you study British politics you won’t get it
Informed and well presented music and era history. Thanks.