Best Christmas song ever! The Kinks originated in the early sixties and this song is from the seventies. The Kinks were part of the original British invasion, many say they were the true invaders because of being the first band to have a chart topping hit song that featured distorted guitars in their hit single "You Really Got Me" back in 1963. Needless to say it was revolutionary and changed music from being Pop to Rock. Its hard to imagine rock music without a distorted guitar sound. We all have grown accustomed it being the foundation of all rock/punk music but hearing for the first time would have blew yoour mind. Bruce Springsteen said it was the toughest thing they ever heard. He said it was like the world was Black & White and after hearing that it the world became color. The Kinks are possably the most important underrated band of all time. If not for being banned from touring in the U.S. during those crucial early years of the British Invasion an important time in the most important market had cost them the recognition that their contemporaries like The Beatles, The Who, & Rolling Stones all have received. Nonetheless, I believe a Kinks deep dive is in order. I would suggest a few tracks for consideration. Of course "You Really Got Me", "All of Day, All of the Night", "Sunny Afternoon", "Waterloo Sunset", "A Well Respected Man", "Lola", "Ape Man", "Celluloid Heros", "Do It Again" that should get the ball rolling.
I tell people I'm Not Like Everybody Else is the song that kick started punk music. I like your list. I might add Little Bit Of Emotion or really anything off the Low Budget album. Demolition also a great song bringing in some solid bass and all kinds of horns.
The kinks had hits in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. When you say this song sounds ahead of its time, you're right - the Kinks were one of the bands that inspired the first punk rockers.
Yes, I forgot about that one - based on the true story of his oldest sister who used to go out dancing there. She bought Ray his first guitar, and sadly died just days later...
@@brianshockledge3241 if I recall correctly, a 17 yro Dave Davies created distortion by slicing his amp speaker with razor blades, without which there'd be no Who! 🤗💕
@@satyadasgumbyji8956 They started as kids in late `62 (minus Moon). The idea that they`d be no Who without the Kinks is crazy. By the way I like the Kinks, seen them live.
@@brianshockledge3241 That would've been the Sht to see live. My problem with The Who is there was no need for Daltrey. Would've loved them as a 3-piece. Loved Moon & Entwhistle, but Roger, with exception of a scream here & there, just taking up space imo. Nice dude, but just a speaker for Townsend. Whatever floats your boats, friend(s)!!! ✌️🎅
Hi Stacey... Hi everyone who is commenting, or just reading... From Argentina... I wish a happy new year for you and all your loved ones...!!! -Stacey: A little over a year ago, you reacted to a Stones video ("Start Me Up") where you said that they were perhaps your favorites along with the Who... Two of my three favorite bands. You can't imagine the joy it brings to see how the new generations appreciate the same things I've been listening to for as long as I can remember. A few months later, I commented on that video of yours that if you liked the Who and the Stones so much, then you should react to the Kinks. And here I link it to what you just said: that they resonate a lot with the Who... IMHO, you have to dig up to "You Really Got Me" -1964. A crucial landmark in rock history. It totally came out of nowhere, and blew the whole scene away. It opened the doors for generation of kids to get in the garage and pound out two chords. Any band who plays guitar oriented music with power chords and distortion, can trace their roots back to “You Really Got Me”. And what is it about? First Proto-Punk song. First Hard Rock tune. First distorted guitar sound (deliberate). First Power Pop example. First Garage Music that went to N° 1 world wide. And the first use of a power chord riff to drive a song. C'mon... this starts everything! And what about another Kinks' gem: "All Day And All Of The Night"? -1964 (first Proto-Metal track). It could be said that the Kinks started almost everything... First Raga-Rock (eastern drones) with "See My Friends" -1965, wich featured first use of controlled feedback (provoked), and gay-suggested liricks. And Ray Davies did Sociological Poetry before no one. And The Kinks created the anglocentrism in Pop culture. Then they presented the first conceptual video-clip: "Dead End Street" -1966. First thematic LP: 'Face To Face' -1966. First conceptual album: 'Village Green Preservation Society' -1968. First Rock Opera: 'Arthur' -1969. The Kinks also started Vaudeville Pop trend. They introduced the seeds of Brit Pop and Indie Rock. First ecological anthem with "Apeman", and first gender self-perception himn with the transvestim ode "Lola", both from 1970. They were the first rock band to mutate into a theatrical troupe (first half of the 70s). Almost forty years of career as a band. More than thirty five official albums. And Ray Davies, surely on the podium of all-time pop songwriters, is recognized by his peers as the quintessential London poet. So how is it possible that an artistic group is so undervalued and almost unrecognized worldwide, if it has had all these achievements and great moments in the history of music under its belt? For the simple reason that they were also pioneers in an aspect that would mark them forever: the Kinks invented problems... Disastrous managerial handling, professional nonsense, internal problems between its members (including violence both on and off stage)... victims of censorship, and even extermination on both sides of the Atlantic: when they were banned from playing in the United States, in England at the same time they were being taken off the billboard for tours... and their own record company was in charge of boycotting the promotion of their catalog, just coinciding with the period of their creative peak... and at the precise moment when massive tours and festivals of British bands in the USA were exploding. Let's put it this way: Ray Davies was buried... Now, what they didn't know was that... he was seed... Cheers from Argentina. 🇦🇷
The Who's first hit was a Kinks inspired song. They are old friends. The leader of the Kinks, Sir Ray Davies, is recognized as one of the great songwriters of his time and the Kinks are one of the most influential bands in rock.
STACEY!!!! Way to go, my favorite rock and roll Christmas song. Only Ray Davies could pull off such a dark take on Christmas and make it work...and rock. The Kinks are such an underrated band, and so good live. Saw them three times, and no one was better live.
thanks stacey i adore the kinks.checkout days waterloo sunset,you really got me,sunny afternoon,and tired of waiting for you.thanks again for your wonderful reactions and happy christmas x
This is the funniest and most subversive Christmas song/video out there. Way, way too much fun, yet Ray Davies weaves a message into the music that makes you think as you laugh.
This is my favorite Christmas song because it goes against all the other Christmas songs, is funny and ROCKS! It also addresses the consumerism of the holidays while many don't have the means to live up to it.
Fantastic reaction! Pete Townshend is a huge fan of the Kinks! He has said he thinks Ray Davies should be the poet laureate of England. Pete's first hit, can't explain, was inspired by the Kinks!
If you want to dive into the legendary Kinks listen to Lola, You Really Got Me, Waterloo Sunset, Apeman, All Day and All Through the Night and my fav from the 80's Come Dancing! You won't be disappointed.
The great punk Christmas Triad, The Kinks Father Christmas, The Pogues Fairytale of New York, the Dropkick Murphy’s The Seasons Upon Us. It isn’t Christmas without those 3 songs. Punk Christmas songs are the best Christmas songs!
In the early 60s the Kinks and the Who shared the same producer, Shel Talmy, who produced both bands early hits. Shel Talmy passed away in the last few weeks. The Kinks along with the Who and the Rolling Stones were the British bands who followed the Beatles to make up the core of the British invasion, which revolutionized rock music. The Kinks have an amazing body of work.
Saying that they give you The Who vibes is dead on. They were part of The British Invasion in the 60's with The Beatles and Stones. They are in the Rock 'n Roll HOF if you want to go down their Rabbit Hole.. tons of songs to React to. I play this song every year and also watch "The Year Without a Santa Clause"(Heat/Cold Miser). Have a Merry Christmas Stacey 🤶 🎄
The Kinks started in the 1960s. They were part of the British Invasion. Beatles, Animals, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Muddy Blues, and more. This is my kind of music. I am glad you enjoyed it.
This is a very under rated band they have have so many hit songs like Low Budget Destroyer Better Things Ape man Celluloid Heroes Rock N Roll Fantasy the list goes on
Another band from the mid 60,s that I loved, and I’ve never heard this song before !!Very much part of the Swinging 60,s, The Beatles and Stones obviously thr top 2 bands ahead of the rest, but The Kinks are in the top of the rest. Sadly another band with 2 brothers in the original line up Ray and Dave Davies the couldn’t get along and split up. Ray is a song writing genius. Dave was an innovative guitarist and led the way with that “fuzz” sound from his guitar, apparently he split the speakers with a razor blade to create the sound. Ray Davies writing was always described as poetic, and very much in tune with the times. This was the era of Carnaby St and The Kings Road in London where at the weekend everyone would not just go to shop in those iconic Streets but it was a place to show off your latest glad rags and “be Seen” so you would . “ parade “ up and down usually more than once. Ray Davies wrote A Dedicated Follower of Fashion, which summed it all up perfectly. I had just moved to London as an 18 yr old in 1967, this was a must do on a Saturday, get of the tube at Sloan Square , you’d walk up one side of the street then back down on the opposite side. Hundreds of small boutiques lined both sides . You really Got Me catapulted the Kinks to the top of the charts. You’d love it.
"This song is short" LOL In the 50's & 60's top 40 radio did not want singles 3:00 long. 4:00 would never have been heard if it came out before 1968. The Kinks were in the initial British Invasion of '64. Their hit "You Really Got Me" was a monster hit for them in '64. "Lola" from '70 was another huge hit. "Waterloo Sunset" from '67 was one of the most beautiful singles of the era.
This song was one of a series of Christmas songs made by popular rock bands in the early 80s. The kinks were part of the British invasion of the 60s, along with bands like the Rolling Stones, The Who, The Beatles. Their most popular songs: You Really Got Me, Lola, Celluloid Heroes, Come Dancing, among others.
The comparison of the KInks to the Who is a good one. They both go back to the early to mid 60s and were innovators in the area of power chords in rock. They also both got better later. For the Who, the 70s was their decade. For the Kinks it was the late 60's. But the Kinks actually remained relevant through much of the 80s, that is a 20 year run that may be unmatched. But what really sets them apart is the layers in the lyrics. You can see that here (a song from the 70s). If you are not paying attention to the lyrics it could sound like a normal Christmas song. But if you start paying attention it sounds like a song about bad seeds, kids broken enough to hassle Santa Claus. But if you listen even more, they are just kids who need something more than they need toys. After all the kids main request is a job for their fathers because they need them. But if there is any fear of the song getting too sentimental they also want a machine gun to scare the kids on the street. (Using a machine gun in this way also pops up in their song King Kong, where you would think that King Kong wouldn't need a machine gun to be threatening). But that is a common feature of Kinks songs. They sound like one thing if you don't listen closely, they mean something different if you do, and they have yet another level if you really think about why the words are what they are. There are a lot of good Kinks recommendations in other comments so I won't add one here. Instead I will recommend another great rock Christmas song that doesn't get played as much as it deserves. I believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake. (of Emerson Lake and Palmer). It is nothing like this song. Just a very pretty Christmas song by a rock musician that deserves more recognition.
I was a little to young for the original run of the Kinks. (Although of course I was a fan of "You Really Got Me' and "All Day and All Night") But I was old enough to catch the Kinks late 70's-early 80's arena rock run. "Misfit", "Low Budget"-a personal Fav, "State of Confusion" and "Word of Mouth" are absolutely top notch rock n roll. I was lucky enough to see them in 1981. (With Red Rider as the opening act.)
@@tonyjanney1654 I was actually a couple of years behind you. The first Kinks album I remember coming out was Give the People What They Want. And I saw them a bit after you actually playing before Foreigner, but after Huey Lewis and The News, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and Loverboy. We did not stay for all of Foreigner because although I like them I came to see the Kinks, and the Kinks did a full show, not an opening show. And by then we had seen 4 sets. But the Kinks were great. It was actually Kinks Kronikles that sold me on the Kinks. Red Rider did Lunatic Fringe, right? Great song, but I don't think I know anything else by them..
Lola, by the Kinks, in my opinion is the best song to watch reactions to. For four-plus or five years, I've been periodically looking for these videos. I've seen EVERY single sole solitary one of them. It's paramount to pay close attention to the lyrics.
I love the Kinks, love this song, and amazing that you said they give you The Who vibes, because The Kinks, The Who, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles emerged at exactly the same time in the early 60s, leading the British Invasion in the US, along a number of other British rockers. I love American rock bands and good ol American rock n roll, but most of my fave rock bands are from England. Great video, and Happy New Year!!
I have 37 songs by these guys on Spotify, near the top of all the acts. Some fav' Kinks tunes are: Rock 'n Roll Fantasy, Ape Man, Lola and Sunny Afternoon. Some Christmas tunes; 'The Pouges - Fairytale of New York', 'The Bangles - Hazy Shade of Winter' and 'The Royal Guardsmen - Snoopy's Christmas' Cheers.
You must hear 'Lola". The Kinks have been around since the 60's and did a lot of great songs. But,......Lola is one that you have to experience. You'll love it.
A hugely influential band. Their music is so varied. They influenced everyone from the punks to the most sensitive singer songwriters. British take on country music? Check our "Muswell Hillbilly." Dance hall/vaudeville? "Demon Alcohol." Tender ballads? Celluloid Heroes," "Days," "Waterloo Sunset." Garage rock? "All Day and All of the Night." Bowie covered them. So did The Pretenders (and Chrissy Hynde had Ray's baby, a daughter, to boot). They did it all.
The Kinks were my first concert. The ""give the people what they want" tour. 14th row. Went to see them a few years later in Lynn at the manning bowl. General admission. Was leaning up against the stage and dave davies was sweating on me. Lol. You have NO IDEA how awesome this band was live. Ray Davies was one of the best song writers ever. Anything from their live "one for the road" album. Lola especially.
Ray Davies of the Kinks wrote in this song a commentary on societal commercialism and insensitivity toward poverty using Christmas as a backdrop. People gift give and drink wine while around them is much hardship and economic suffering. He said it all with humor. He also was not saying everyone well off was bad but rather lets not forget our goid fortune in life if we have a nice Xmas and care about those who are not having a nice Christmas. In other words our goal should be to be good to oters.
Thanks for this.. my favorite "Xmas song"... so glad you watched the live version.. hope you also got the lyrics... Kinks were amazing! Please listen to more of their music... extremely diverse and talented... (yep, "Who" vibes for sure)
a lot of bands/artists have christmas songs that get forgotten because they're only heard during this time of year. some that come to mind are "ho ho ho who'd be a turkey at christmas" by elton john, "christmas at ground zero" by weird al, "riu chiu" beautifully sung a cappella by the monkees, and "santa claus and his old lady" (actually an audio sketch) by cheech and chong. there is also a series of christmas greeting records done by the beatles during their career that were sent to members of their fan club. now is as good a time as any to do reactions to these otherwise overlooked recordings.
I saw The Kinks live Feb. 27, 1985. They are a great band of the British invasion. Great show! Back then we heard this on local radio every Christmas. Another great Christmas rock song that I only discovered a few years ago is also by a British band. I kept hearing the same Christmas song on "Doctor Who" and finely found it to be by Slade - "Merry Xmas Everybody". Apparently a big hit in the UK. Never heard it here in the U.S., can't figure why it didn't catch on here. It's really good.
The Kinks started in the 60s and they do have that raw publish sound. I am not sure of the release date but of this song but probably late 70s or early 80s. The Kinks were contemporaries of the The Who, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones etc. They were very successful, especially in the 60s and 70s and are in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
The Kinks are great. I was a kid when "Father Christmas" was a hit. Another rock and roll Christmas song I didn't see mentioned in the comments is "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" by Bruce Springsteen.
The Kinks started in the 60s and I can see the comparison to the Who. I was just talking to someone today about the radio stations playing 24 hours of Christmas music and I know every song/artist. A couple of fun ones are "Christmas at Ground Zero" by Weird Al Yankovic or "Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses. Keep spreading smiles of joy!
Some of my favourite Kinks songs: Waterloo Sunset, Days, Lola, Apeman, Super Sonic Rocket Ship, Sitting in my Hotel, WonderBoy, a Well respected man Btw a band recommendation: Sparks (Ron and Russel Mael) is a great underrated band and they have a christmas song called "Thank God it's not Christmas" if you wanna check it out.
Some will say The Kinks brought about the heavy distorted guitar sound way back in the early 60s. They were definitely a forerunner of rock and roll and do have the same "bad boys, outcast" like The Who.
The Kinks, London based, since the early 60's- until the 90's. They were Rock-Blues at first, then had more introspective English Folk. By this point, like 1978, inspired by Punk, they got back to more Rock. This a strong social message, as well as humor. I only saw them Live once, but have many albums. Two brothers led the band, Ray and Dave Davies.
The Kinks are on the Mount Rushmore of British bands. Saw them in the 80s in Boston Garden. These guys could rock. They moved through multiple styles over the decades while keeping their voice. Still underrated. My favorite of the British invasion bands.
The Kinks pre-date The Who, actually; they are the other London band of that time, along with The Who and The Rolling Stones. This song and video is from 1977.
I'm hoping you dive more into The Kinks. A good place to start is the iconic "You Really Got Me". From there, there's a lot more to discover. Ray Davies is a great storyteller.
I remember my older brother having this in his collection in the late seventies and being rather enraptured by the cartoon on the single sleeve. It summed up, actually, what The Kinks were all about, essentially: Britishness. This was co-opted by a lot of groups in later years, with a fraction of the songwriting talent.
A good take on this song. The Kinks went their own way and were very original. AS others have recommended, "Lola" is their most famous song, but they were early rockers with "You Really Got Me," and "All Day and All of the Night." There's plenty to choose from.
For a rocking Christmas song try , Slade - Merry Xmas everyone...I think it's the best ever selling UK Xmas song, and hit the charts every year for decades. Noddy and the boys have been getting a Xmas bonus(royalties) off this song since 1973. It's not Christmas here in the UK, until you've heard Noddy scream 'IT'S CHRISTMAS'.😊❤
Tje Kinks have been around making hit records since the mid 1960s. They influenced just about every musician from other bands in the 1960s on to this day. Having hit songs in every decade. Father Christmas is one of my favorite modern Christmas songs and it isn't very modern anymore since it was released in the early 1980s. Lots of bands dod covers of Kinks songs including Van Halen doing You Really Got Me on their first album
You should listen to "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses. It's a great story song which spans several Christmases. "Father Christmas" is punk to the core. I love it because it goes at the holiday from a completely different perspective than we get from most Christmas songs. It shouts at you to take a little time to think of those less fortunate than you.
New to your channel, The Kinks are an early example of Punk music. Check out Lola and Come Dancing. Another punk Christmas song is The Pogues, Fairy Teale of New York. Wonderful reaction, Merry Christmas!
The Kinks were a Who era band. They made great music too, some of which were often covered by later bands... so many bands from the seventies had. Van Halen for instance seemed to love covering the Kinks i.e. You Really Got me, Where have all the Good Times Gone...
Lola is the standard but Come Dancing, Misfits, (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman are only a few of the huge catalog they possess. They were part of The Who, The Bee Gees, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones era. They started in the sixties and were still relevant through the 80's. Their songs are lyrically clever and filled with great musicianship.
Love this 1 so much thanks for the request These guys are the start of Punk. Maybe the rockingest Christmas song ever. This is 1 hell of a band wait until you hear some of their hits. One of the most influential rock bands in history part of the original British invasion 1st hits were in the 60s Wait until you you hear Loal or All day and all of the night or low budget or any number of their hits Another deep rabbit hole. Their from the same period as the Who good observation and have been compared to them Im not sure but I think we may have done Shangrila in a stream which is their song but we did just the lead singer with a huge number of instruments and choir doing it. The lead singer is Ray Davies It sounds like he was a salvation Army santa thats why they took his money. Great reaction as always More Kinks please Ive got some more Christmas song I know youve never heard planned for the stream sat
Some other different Christmas songs that are classics but don't get a lot, if any radio, airplay: Pogues- Fairytale of New York Tim Minchin- White wine in the Sun. Paul Kelly - How to Make Gravy. Fairytale is the #1 Christmas song in the UK. The others are by Australian artists that are considered national treasures there.
Another rock n roll classic from the Kinks is “Victoria”. A real tear jerker is “Celluloid Heroes”. Loads of amazing songs over quite a few decades. Enjoy!!
The Kinks and The Who are similar in their songwriting, talent, and attitude. The Kinks are one of the greatest British Bands (Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Zeppelin, Who).
Hi Stacy I have a great Christmas song for you. It's called "walking in the air" which comes from a beautiful half horse animated English show about a boy who builds a snowman and comes alive. The song was later made into a longer rocked out song from Nightwish. You will love both versions of the song, but watch the cartoon it will bring out emotions. I hope you see and listen to it. It will mean alot. Merry Christmas Stacy.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Best Christmas song ever! The Kinks originated in the early sixties and this song is from the seventies. The Kinks were part of the original British invasion, many say they were the true invaders because of being the first band to have a chart topping hit song that featured distorted guitars in their hit single "You Really Got Me" back in 1963. Needless to say it was revolutionary and changed music from being Pop to Rock. Its hard to imagine rock music without a distorted guitar sound. We all have grown accustomed it being the foundation of all rock/punk music but hearing for the first time would have blew yoour mind. Bruce Springsteen said it was the toughest thing they ever heard. He said it was like the world was Black & White and after hearing that it the world became color.
The Kinks are possably the most important underrated band of all time. If not for being banned from touring in the U.S. during those crucial early years of the British Invasion an important time in the most important market had cost them the recognition that their contemporaries like The Beatles, The Who, & Rolling Stones all have received. Nonetheless, I believe a Kinks deep dive is in order. I would suggest a few tracks for consideration. Of course "You Really Got Me", "All of Day, All of the Night", "Sunny Afternoon", "Waterloo Sunset", "A Well Respected Man", "Lola", "Ape Man", "Celluloid Heros", "Do It Again" that should get the ball rolling.
Also my favorite Christmas song. Lola is one of the funniest songs ever. The Kinks kicked ass, so many good songs, and you hit on most of the best.
I tell people I'm Not Like Everybody Else is the song that kick started punk music. I like your list. I might add Little Bit Of Emotion or really anything off the Low Budget album. Demolition also a great song bringing in some solid bass and all kinds of horns.
@@jimgeorge9476 I agree! Love that track! Low Budget is a killer album. I do believe you will find the Kinks musical DNA in every Punk Rock band.
@@yang-it-yin7002 Listen to the song Black Messiah. It's a reggae song with a dixie-land band brass section for the middle 8. Who does that?
You should check out Let Me Sleep ( It’s Christmastime) by Pearl Jam.
The kinks had hits in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. When you say this song sounds ahead of its time, you're right - the Kinks were one of the bands that inspired the first punk rockers.
🎓
"Come dancing" is another great song of the Kinks from 1983.
Good video too
That and Do It Again showed they still had it in the 80s
Yes, I forgot about that one - based on the true story of his oldest sister who used to go out dancing there. She bought Ray his first guitar, and sadly died just days later...
When people ask, "Beatles or Stones?" the correct answer is KINKS!!!
🤘🎅 🎸
YEA BUDDY!!!! They are my favorite British Invasion band! Don’t get me wrong I love the Beatles and Stones!
Nah, it`s The Who.
@@brianshockledge3241 if I recall correctly, a 17 yro Dave Davies created distortion by slicing his amp speaker with razor blades, without which there'd be no Who!
🤗💕
@@satyadasgumbyji8956 They started as kids in late `62 (minus Moon). The idea that they`d be no Who without the Kinks is crazy. By the way I like the Kinks, seen them live.
@@brianshockledge3241 That would've been the Sht to see live. My problem with The Who is there was no need for Daltrey. Would've loved them as a 3-piece. Loved Moon & Entwhistle, but Roger, with exception of a scream here & there, just taking up space imo. Nice dude, but just a speaker for Townsend. Whatever floats your boats, friend(s)!!!
✌️🎅
Hi Stacey... Hi everyone who is commenting, or just reading...
From Argentina... I wish a happy new year for you and all your loved ones...!!!
-Stacey: A little over a year ago, you reacted to a Stones video ("Start Me Up") where you said that they were perhaps your favorites along with the Who... Two of my three favorite bands. You can't imagine the joy it brings to see how the new generations appreciate the same things I've been listening to for as long as I can remember.
A few months later, I commented on that video of yours that if you liked the Who and the Stones so much, then you should react to the Kinks. And here I link it to what you just said: that they resonate a lot with the Who...
IMHO, you have to dig up to "You Really Got Me" -1964. A crucial landmark in rock history. It totally came out of nowhere, and blew the whole scene away.
It opened the doors for generation of kids to get in the garage and pound out two chords. Any band who plays guitar oriented music with power chords and distortion, can trace their roots back to “You Really Got Me”.
And what is it about?
First Proto-Punk song. First Hard Rock tune. First distorted guitar sound (deliberate). First Power Pop example. First Garage Music that went to N° 1 world wide. And the first use of a power chord riff to drive a song.
C'mon... this starts everything!
And what about another Kinks' gem: "All Day And All Of The Night"? -1964 (first Proto-Metal track).
It could be said that the Kinks started almost everything...
First Raga-Rock (eastern drones) with "See My Friends" -1965, wich featured first use of controlled feedback (provoked), and gay-suggested liricks.
And Ray Davies did Sociological Poetry before no one.
And The Kinks created the anglocentrism in Pop culture.
Then they presented the first conceptual video-clip: "Dead End Street" -1966.
First thematic LP: 'Face To Face' -1966. First conceptual album: 'Village Green Preservation Society' -1968.
First Rock Opera: 'Arthur' -1969.
The Kinks also started Vaudeville Pop trend.
They introduced the seeds of Brit Pop and Indie Rock.
First ecological anthem with "Apeman", and first gender self-perception himn with the transvestim ode "Lola", both from 1970.
They were the first rock band to mutate into a theatrical troupe (first half of the 70s).
Almost forty years of career as a band.
More than thirty five official albums.
And Ray Davies, surely on the podium of all-time pop songwriters, is recognized by his peers as the quintessential London poet.
So how is it possible that an artistic group is so undervalued and almost unrecognized worldwide, if it has had all these achievements and great moments in the history of music under its belt? For the simple reason that they were also pioneers in an aspect that would mark them forever: the Kinks invented problems... Disastrous managerial handling, professional nonsense, internal problems between its members (including violence both on and off stage)... victims of censorship, and even extermination on both sides of the Atlantic: when they were banned from playing in the United States, in England at the same time they were being taken off the billboard for tours... and their own record company was in charge of boycotting the promotion of their catalog, just coinciding with the period of their creative peak... and at the precise moment when massive tours and festivals of British bands in the USA were exploding.
Let's put it this way:
Ray Davies was buried...
Now, what they didn't know was that...
he was seed...
Cheers from Argentina. 🇦🇷
The Who's first hit was a Kinks inspired song. They are old friends. The leader of the Kinks, Sir Ray Davies, is recognized as one of the great songwriters of his time and the Kinks are one of the most influential bands in rock.
🎯
Most underrated band of the 60s British invasion.
One of kind. Thier social commentary is beyond reproach. Not just this song, but many.
ABSOLUTELY TRUE!!!
The Kinks, it's a crime that they never became as big has The Beatles. Soooooo many exquisite tunes.❤
STACEY!!!! Way to go, my favorite rock and roll Christmas song. Only Ray Davies could pull off such a dark take on Christmas and make it work...and rock. The Kinks are such an underrated band, and so good live. Saw them three times, and no one was better live.
thanks stacey i adore the kinks.checkout days waterloo sunset,you really got me,sunny afternoon,and tired of waiting for you.thanks again for your wonderful reactions and happy christmas x
This track was 1977. The Kinks have been around since 1963 and are one of the most influential rock bands of all time.
This is the funniest and most subversive Christmas song/video out there.
Way, way too much fun, yet Ray Davies weaves a message into the music that makes you think as you laugh.
This is my favorite Christmas song because it goes against all the other Christmas songs, is funny and ROCKS! It also addresses the consumerism of the holidays while many don't have the means to live up to it.
Fantastic reaction! Pete Townshend is a huge fan of the Kinks! He has said he thinks Ray Davies should be the poet laureate of England. Pete's first hit, can't explain, was inspired by the Kinks!
Pretty much every great rock musician is a fan of The Kinks
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If you want to dive into the legendary Kinks listen to Lola, You Really Got Me, Waterloo Sunset, Apeman, All Day and All Through the Night and my fav from the 80's Come Dancing! You won't be disappointed.
Apeman is underappreciated, imo.
Kinks came since 60's
Paranoia the Destroyer is a must
Great list. I'd add Victoria also.
Oh yeah Apeman is awesome
The great punk Christmas Triad, The Kinks Father Christmas, The Pogues Fairytale of New York, the Dropkick Murphy’s The Seasons Upon Us. It isn’t Christmas without those 3 songs. Punk Christmas songs are the best Christmas songs!
Love the Seasons Upon Us! SO funny!
Loved to hear more Kinks from you. "Wicked Annabella, A Well Respected Man, You Really Got Me, Sunny Afternoon. " So many classics.
My all time favorite Christmas song. The kinks can really tell a story worth their music and this song is really so heartfelt.
In the early 60s the Kinks and the Who shared the same producer, Shel Talmy, who produced both bands early hits. Shel Talmy passed away in the last few weeks. The Kinks along with the Who and the Rolling Stones were the British bands who followed the Beatles to make up the core of the British invasion, which revolutionized rock music. The Kinks have an amazing body of work.
The kinks were a band included in the Britsh invasion along with the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and the Who, and had a career that spanned decades.
Saying that they give you The Who vibes is dead on. They were part of The British Invasion in the 60's with The Beatles and Stones. They are in the Rock 'n Roll HOF if you want to go down their Rabbit Hole.. tons of songs to React to.
I play this song every year and also watch "The Year Without a Santa Clause"(Heat/Cold Miser).
Have a Merry Christmas Stacey 🤶 🎄
One of my favorite Christmas songs... The Kinks were contemporaries of The Who, both originating in the 60s.
The Kinks started in the 1960s. They were part of the British Invasion. Beatles, Animals, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Muddy Blues, and more. This is my kind of music. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Muddy Blues 😆
This is a very under rated band they have have so many hit songs like Low Budget Destroyer Better Things Ape man Celluloid Heroes Rock N Roll Fantasy the list goes on
Another band from the mid 60,s that I loved, and I’ve never heard this song before !!Very much part of the Swinging 60,s, The Beatles and Stones obviously thr top 2 bands ahead of the rest, but The Kinks are in the top of the rest. Sadly another band with 2 brothers in the original line up Ray and Dave Davies the couldn’t get along and split up. Ray is a song writing genius. Dave was an innovative guitarist and led the way with that “fuzz” sound from his guitar, apparently he split the speakers with a razor blade to create the sound. Ray Davies writing was always described as poetic, and very much in tune with the times. This was the era of Carnaby St and The Kings Road in London where at the weekend everyone would not just go to shop in those iconic Streets but it was a place to show off your latest glad rags and “be Seen” so you would .
“ parade “ up and down usually more than once. Ray Davies wrote A Dedicated Follower of Fashion, which summed it all up perfectly. I had just moved to London as an 18 yr old in 1967, this was a must do on a Saturday, get of the tube at Sloan Square , you’d walk up one side of the street then back down on the opposite side. Hundreds of small boutiques lined both sides . You really Got Me catapulted the Kinks to the top of the charts. You’d love it.
One of my all time favorites, and the Kinks never disappoint. React to another Christmas songs by The Pogues called Fairytale of New York.
Pete Townshend looks up to Ray Davies and The Who tried to sound like The Kinks when they recorded 'I Can't Explain.'
"This song is short" LOL In the 50's & 60's top 40 radio did not want singles 3:00 long. 4:00 would never have been heard if it came out before 1968. The Kinks were in the initial British Invasion of '64. Their hit "You Really Got Me" was a monster hit for them in '64. "Lola" from '70 was another huge hit. "Waterloo Sunset" from '67 was one of the most beautiful singles of the era.
This song was one of a series of Christmas songs made by popular rock bands in the early 80s. The kinks were part of the British invasion of the 60s, along with bands like the Rolling Stones, The Who, The Beatles. Their most popular songs: You Really Got Me, Lola, Celluloid Heroes, Come Dancing, among others.
The comparison of the KInks to the Who is a good one. They both go back to the early to mid 60s and were innovators in the area of power chords in rock. They also both got better later. For the Who, the 70s was their decade. For the Kinks it was the late 60's. But the Kinks actually remained relevant through much of the 80s, that is a 20 year run that may be unmatched.
But what really sets them apart is the layers in the lyrics. You can see that here (a song from the 70s). If you are not paying attention to the lyrics it could sound like a normal Christmas song. But if you start paying attention it sounds like a song about bad seeds, kids broken enough to hassle Santa Claus. But if you listen even more, they are just kids who need something more than they need toys. After all the kids main request is a job for their fathers because they need them. But if there is any fear of the song getting too sentimental they also want a machine gun to scare the kids on the street. (Using a machine gun in this way also pops up in their song King Kong, where you would think that King Kong wouldn't need a machine gun to be threatening). But that is a common feature of Kinks songs. They sound like one thing if you don't listen closely, they mean something different if you do, and they have yet another level if you really think about why the words are what they are.
There are a lot of good Kinks recommendations in other comments so I won't add one here. Instead I will recommend another great rock Christmas song that doesn't get played as much as it deserves. I believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake. (of Emerson Lake and Palmer). It is nothing like this song. Just a very pretty Christmas song by a rock musician that deserves more recognition.
I was a little to young for the original run of the Kinks. (Although of course I was a fan of "You Really Got Me' and "All Day and All Night")
But I was old enough to catch the Kinks late 70's-early 80's arena rock run. "Misfit", "Low Budget"-a personal Fav, "State of Confusion" and "Word of Mouth" are absolutely top notch rock n roll. I was lucky enough to see them in 1981. (With Red Rider as the opening act.)
@@tonyjanney1654 That would've been the Sht, friend!
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@@tonyjanney1654 I was actually a couple of years behind you. The first Kinks album I remember coming out was Give the People What They Want. And I saw them a bit after you actually playing before Foreigner, but after Huey Lewis and The News, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and Loverboy. We did not stay for all of Foreigner because although I like them I came to see the Kinks, and the Kinks did a full show, not an opening show. And by then we had seen 4 sets. But the Kinks were great. It was actually Kinks Kronikles that sold me on the Kinks.
Red Rider did Lunatic Fringe, right? Great song, but I don't think I know anything else by them..
Good call on The Who comp Stacey! The Kinks were part of the early British Invasion wave along with The Beatles, The Stones and your guys The Who 👍
Wait till she hears Lola.
Destroyer is a another good tune!
Check out The Drop Kick Murphy's,"The Season's Upon Us".. A funny Christmas song and video is awesome.😎
Lmao! For sure.
yes, Lola.
Was thinking the same thing. 😂
Lola, by the Kinks, in my opinion is the best song to watch reactions to. For four-plus or five years, I've been periodically looking for these videos. I've seen EVERY single sole solitary one of them. It's paramount to pay close attention to the lyrics.
I love the Kinks, love this song, and amazing that you said they give you The Who vibes, because The Kinks, The Who, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles emerged at exactly the same time in the early 60s, leading the British Invasion in the US, along a number of other British rockers. I love American rock bands and good ol American rock n roll, but most of my fave rock bands are from England. Great video, and Happy New Year!!
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Thank you!! I haven't heard in so long!! Happy Christmas!
I have 37 songs by these guys on Spotify, near the top of all the acts. Some fav' Kinks tunes are: Rock 'n Roll Fantasy, Ape Man, Lola and Sunny Afternoon.
Some Christmas tunes; 'The Pouges - Fairytale of New York', 'The Bangles - Hazy Shade of Winter' and 'The Royal Guardsmen - Snoopy's Christmas'
Cheers.
One of my all time favorite Christmas songs - great analysis...have an awesome Holiday season!!
You must hear 'Lola". The Kinks have been around since the 60's and did a lot of great songs. But,......Lola is one that you have to experience. You'll love it.
A hugely influential band. Their music is so varied. They influenced everyone from the punks to the most sensitive singer songwriters. British take on country music? Check our "Muswell Hillbilly." Dance hall/vaudeville? "Demon Alcohol." Tender ballads? Celluloid Heroes," "Days," "Waterloo Sunset." Garage rock? "All Day and All of the Night." Bowie covered them. So did The Pretenders (and Chrissy Hynde had Ray's baby, a daughter, to boot). They did it all.
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The Kinks were my first concert. The ""give the people what they want" tour. 14th row. Went to see them a few years later in Lynn at the manning bowl. General admission. Was leaning up against the stage and dave davies was sweating on me. Lol. You have NO IDEA how awesome this band was live. Ray Davies was one of the best song writers ever. Anything from their live "one for the road" album. Lola especially.
Ray Davies of the Kinks wrote in this song a commentary on societal commercialism and insensitivity toward poverty using Christmas as a backdrop. People gift give and drink wine while around them is much hardship and economic suffering. He said it all with humor. He also was not saying everyone well off was bad but rather lets not forget our goid fortune in life if we have a nice Xmas and care about those who are not having a nice Christmas. In other words our goal should be to be good to oters.
Thanks for this.. my favorite "Xmas song"... so glad you watched the live version.. hope you also got the lyrics... Kinks were amazing! Please listen to more of their music... extremely diverse and talented... (yep, "Who" vibes for sure)
Love your reactions…so cute and delightful…glad I found your channel..
a lot of bands/artists have christmas songs that get forgotten because they're only heard during this time of year. some that come to mind are "ho ho ho who'd be a turkey at christmas" by elton john, "christmas at ground zero" by weird al, "riu chiu" beautifully sung a cappella by the monkees, and "santa claus and his old lady" (actually an audio sketch) by cheech and chong. there is also a series of christmas greeting records done by the beatles during their career that were sent to members of their fan club. now is as good a time as any to do reactions to these otherwise overlooked recordings.
The Kinks are known for their unique lyrics. You should listen to their songs 'Lola' and 'Sunny afternoon'.
I saw The Kinks live Feb. 27, 1985. They are a great band of the British invasion. Great show! Back then we heard this on local radio every Christmas. Another great Christmas rock song that I only discovered a few years ago is also by a British band. I kept hearing the same Christmas song on "Doctor Who" and finely found it to be by Slade - "Merry Xmas Everybody". Apparently a big hit in the UK. Never heard it here in the U.S., can't figure why it didn't catch on here. It's really good.
The Kinks started in the 60s and they do have that raw publish sound. I am not sure of the release date but of this song but probably late 70s or early 80s.
The Kinks were contemporaries of the The Who, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones etc. They were very successful, especially in the 60s and 70s and are in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
It was released in 1977
@ thanks, sounds about right. Also, I knew someone would know. Love it.
Saw them at the Academy of Music NYC late in 77and they handed out singles before the show. Prince of the Punks was the flip side
Remember the kids who got nothing, while you're drinkin' down your wine. Great greater greatest.
The Kinks are great. I was a kid when "Father Christmas" was a hit. Another rock and roll Christmas song I didn't see mentioned in the comments is "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" by Bruce Springsteen.
The Kinks wrote a lot of songs about the class divide in England. I love the line "give all the toys to the little rich boys"
All of the Schoolboys in Disgrace album is golden
My favorite too! And I have just about everything including Ray and Dave solo projects
Their song "Celluloid Heroes" is a beautiful tribute to old Hollywood stars. "Ape Man" is a cool protest song.
Best Christmas song ever made.
The Beatles
Rolling Stones
The Who
The Kinks
The Big 4 British(Invasion) bands in the 60's imo. The Kinks catalogue is extensive with a good variety
The Kinks largely invented the two-note power chord. You can hear it to great effect in You Really Got Me, and Tired of Waiting.
I haven't heard that song in a while. It is a lot of fun and I enjoyed your reaction a lot!
even Van Halen ... covered one of their songs ! 🧑🎄
The kinks are a60s band
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This is my all time favorite Christmas song ever!! Another great song by them is Lola. ❤
Lister to I Believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake. Awesome
100%
Yes. Then listen to King Crimson and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. 🙂
The second best Christmas song ever, right after 'Fairytale of New York' by the Pogues.
hi Stacey loved your reaction to a underrated Christmas song classic!!!😍😘
The Kinks started in the 60s and I can see the comparison to the Who. I was just talking to someone today about the radio stations playing 24 hours of Christmas music and I know every song/artist. A couple of fun ones are "Christmas at Ground Zero" by Weird Al Yankovic or "Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses. Keep spreading smiles of joy!
Some of my favourite Kinks songs: Waterloo Sunset, Days, Lola, Apeman, Super Sonic Rocket Ship, Sitting in my Hotel, WonderBoy, a Well respected man
Btw a band recommendation: Sparks (Ron and Russel Mael) is a great underrated band and they have a christmas song called "Thank God it's not Christmas" if you wanna check it out.
Some will say The Kinks brought about the heavy distorted guitar sound way back in the early 60s. They were definitely a forerunner of rock and roll and do have the same "bad boys, outcast" like The Who.
The Kinks, London based, since the early 60's- until the 90's. They were Rock-Blues at first, then had more introspective English Folk. By this point, like 1978, inspired by Punk, they got back to more Rock. This a strong social message, as well as humor. I only saw them Live once, but have many albums. Two brothers led the band, Ray and Dave Davies.
A rock n roll Christmas classic. One of my favorites. Check out Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses
Great choice because I could never get my family to sing along with me on this one. Merry Christmas
The Kinks are on the Mount Rushmore of British bands. Saw them in the 80s in Boston Garden. These guys could rock. They moved through multiple styles over the decades while keeping their voice. Still underrated. My favorite of the British invasion bands.
The Kinks pre-date The Who, actually; they are the other London band of that time, along with The Who and The Rolling Stones. This song and video is from 1977.
The Kinks have been around since the Beatles and the Stones and they were ahead of their time.
These guys were awesome! I saw them four times.
Always an amazing and fun show.🎸
I'm hoping you dive more into The Kinks. A good place to start is the iconic "You Really Got Me". From there, there's a lot more to discover. Ray Davies is a great storyteller.
Great choice Stacey, your the first one I have seen review this song , your awesome I always enjoy your reviews 😊
The progressive FM Rock Stations in the USA played this every Christmas ..No one else in broadcast will play it because it is not sanitized .
I remember my older brother having this in his collection in the late seventies and being rather enraptured by the cartoon on the single sleeve. It summed up, actually, what The Kinks were all about, essentially: Britishness. This was co-opted by a lot of groups in later years, with a fraction of the songwriting talent.
Kinks were part of British Invasion with Beatles. One of best live bands seen them at MSG in the 80’s
My favourite group in the middle and late sixties.Two contrasting more songs for you by the Kinks are ''Come Dancing'' and Celluloid Heroes''.
A good take on this song. The Kinks went their own way and were very original. AS others have recommended, "Lola" is their most famous song, but they were early rockers with "You Really Got Me," and "All Day and All of the Night." There's plenty to choose from.
For a rocking Christmas song try , Slade - Merry Xmas everyone...I think it's the best ever selling UK Xmas song, and hit the charts every year for decades.
Noddy and the boys have been getting a Xmas bonus(royalties) off this song since 1973.
It's not Christmas here in the UK, until you've heard Noddy scream 'IT'S CHRISTMAS'.😊❤
My favorite Christmas song of all time.
Tje Kinks have been around making hit records since the mid 1960s. They influenced just about every musician from other bands in the 1960s on to this day. Having hit songs in every decade.
Father Christmas is one of my favorite modern Christmas songs and it isn't very modern anymore since it was released in the early 1980s.
Lots of bands dod covers of Kinks songs including Van Halen doing You Really Got Me on their first album
Stacey!!! I told you once already! Little Drummer Boy by Bing & Bowie. And Little Drummer Boy by Pentatonix. I guarantee you’ll love both!
You should listen to "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses. It's a great story song which spans several Christmases.
"Father Christmas" is punk to the core. I love it because it goes at the holiday from a completely different perspective than we get from most Christmas songs. It shouts at you to take a little time to think of those less fortunate than you.
Why do u care what she thinks. Putting someone up on a pedestal makes you look small. Lol
They are a blast live!!!👌👍✌️😁
New to your channel, The Kinks are an early example of Punk music. Check out Lola and Come Dancing. Another punk Christmas song is The Pogues, Fairy Teale of New York. Wonderful reaction, Merry Christmas!
The Kinks were a Who era band.
They made great music too, some of which were often covered by later bands... so many bands from the seventies had. Van Halen for instance seemed to love covering the Kinks i.e. You Really Got me, Where have all the Good Times Gone...
Robert Earl Keen Merry Christmas from the family is nice little holiday number.
Bonjour Stacey 🥰 🥰🥰!!! It's been a long time since I heard this song!! so cool Thank you you are perfect as always!!! 🩷
Lola is the standard but Come Dancing, Misfits, (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman are only a few of the huge catalog they possess. They were part of The Who, The Bee Gees, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones era. They started in the sixties and were still relevant through the 80's. Their songs are lyrically clever and filled with great musicianship.
Love this 1 so much thanks for the request These guys are the start of Punk. Maybe the rockingest Christmas song ever. This is 1 hell of a band wait until you hear some of their hits. One of the most influential rock bands in history part of the original British invasion 1st hits were in the 60s Wait until you you hear Loal or All day and all of the night or low budget or any number of their hits Another deep rabbit hole. Their from the same period as the Who good observation and have been compared to them Im not sure but I think we may have done Shangrila in a stream which is their song but we did just the lead singer with a huge number of instruments and choir doing it. The lead singer is Ray Davies It sounds like he was a salvation Army santa thats why they took his money. Great reaction as always More Kinks please Ive got some more Christmas song I know youve never heard planned for the stream sat
Stacy with your energy and elegance it's time for you to explore the Ramones, I want to be sedated
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in London in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies.
Some other different Christmas songs that are classics but don't get a lot, if any radio, airplay:
Pogues- Fairytale of New York
Tim Minchin- White wine in the Sun.
Paul Kelly - How to Make Gravy.
Fairytale is the #1 Christmas song in the UK. The others are by Australian artists that are considered national treasures there.
Another rock n roll classic from the Kinks is “Victoria”. A real tear jerker is “Celluloid Heroes”. Loads of amazing songs over quite a few decades. Enjoy!!
Oh yeah!! "Celluloid Heroes" for sure!
Let's not forget Waterloo Sunset when discussing classic Kinks tunes, as well as my personal favorite, 20th Century Man.
PS if you want to watch Victoria, make sure it’s the live version!
ua-cam.com/video/Wejgyx3e4rY/v-deo.htmlsi=5kgDhlIn60aahh9H
This is the live version of Victoria - it rocks!
A CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED xmas song..
The Kinks were formed in 1963, they are worth diving into i would reccomend Lola as a good starting point.
The Kinks and The Who are similar in their songwriting, talent, and attitude. The Kinks are one of the greatest British Bands (Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Zeppelin, Who).
1964 is when the Kinks formed. They are contemporaries with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
Hi Stacy I have a great Christmas song for you. It's called "walking in the air" which comes from a beautiful half horse animated English show about a boy who builds a snowman and comes alive. The song was later made into a longer rocked out song from Nightwish. You will love both versions of the song, but watch the cartoon it will bring out emotions. I hope you see and listen to it. It will mean alot. Merry Christmas Stacy.
Ray Davies ranks among the best lyricist in rock. Pure brilliance.
Absolutely