This is the best obituary ever written. He actually brings not just his sister back to life whenever this song is played, but also anyone's loved ones who truly enjoyed life.
This song is a tribute to Ray Davies's older sister Rene who died of a heart attack at a dance hall at the age of 31. It's a great song from the Kinks with a fun, bouncy tone that reminds me of pop music one would hear at a dance hall or on a radio station anywhere in western Europe during the 1970s and 1980s, somewhat akin to polka.
"part of my childhood died". We all understand that. Whatever it is. Something's knocked down and bulldozed. Something tangible that represents something that's intangible. That sibling connection too, brothers and sisters' memories are shared and destroyed together. I've always been moved by this song and a tribute from a brother to a sister.
The best of the song is catchy to start with .A beat that made them distinguishable from other of the great British groups . But the lyrics are awesome too .!! Any of old dudes out there listening can certainly relate to those bygone days where they tore down some sentimental place , and put up a Bowling Alley , or whatever trendy facility they constructed amid the ruins of places we all fondly recalled .I remember my youth .Waiting to be of age to be able to get into a club or any establishment .When I became of age to be permitted into that club , the trendy place was replaced with another that catered to the newest and trendiest clubs .Eventually that fizzled out ....and the day they " knocked down the P. ' Part of me died from disappointment too .I'm certain many of you folks have seen the same scenario .But few remember the " heyday , fashion ,music " at the time ..The lyrics of Come Dancing will always be relative to future generations because their clubs / meeting places will undergo changes from the times they remember what it was like .Fashions , Music etc all change . and every generation will look at once was ,is no longer . and recall the days it was THE PLACE to be .. ,😢🥲😥
They knowledge down the Joiner's Arms in Finchley Central. I obviously didn't drink in there as a child but it was a local landmark that's now gone forever.
I am not ashamed to admit almost 40 years later, this song still makes me cry. Bless you Rene, for inspiring it. And your brother Ray for sharing you with the world.
@@gunslingergirl2579 when Ray Davies turned 13 in 1957, his older sister gave him a guitar for his birthday. That night she went out dancing and died of a heart attack.
Davies wrote this nostalgic song about his older sisters, who loved to dance. The song describes how guys would take them out dancing, only to be frustrated at the end of the night when all they would get for their efforts (and money) was a kiss on the cheek. Davies had six older sisters (and one younger brother: his Kinks bandmate Dave). For years, Ray said that the specific sister this song is about was Gwen, who was the sixth sister and seven years older than him (this fits the timeline, as a young Ray would have seen Gwen going out dancing and then sending off her dates). He later claimed that the sister in the song was Rene, who was 18 years older. According to Davies, Rene married a Canadian soldier and moved with him to Canada. He says is was an abusive and unhappy marriage, and Rene would often return to the childhood home in Muswell Hill for visits. One of these visits took place in 1957 when Ray turned 13. For his birthday, Rene bought him his first guitar: a Spanish guitar he wanted. That night, she went dancing at the Lyceum Ballroom in London. Rene had rheumatic fever when she was young, and her heart was weak. That night, she suffered a heart attack and died at the ballroom. Twenty-five years later, Ray wrote this song to memorialize her and remember her love of dancing.
wow that's so interesting Bob. So sad about Rene. I shall continue to think of her as "married and living on an estate" when I play the video though. Such a great song. 🧡
Well on a brighter note, that main riff, in my opinion, inadvertently, randomly just happens to be one of the most "tropical" sounding riffs I've ever heard, for whatever the hell reason
This song is horribly underrated. It's got a flirty girl, a horny dude, a nosy little brother, a cantankerous mother, sense of nostalgia, and a great big band sound.
Every damn time, a lump in my throat, and tears in my eyes. One of the most evocative videos, and one of the finest lyrics from a man no one less than Pete Townshend called a certifiable genius. Just a wonderful bit of nostalgia, and there's joy as well amidst the tears.
So much this. I've always loved the song and how it perfectly evoked an era I that never personally experienced, but I never saw the video before today. Fantastic.
This song sounds so pleasant, but Ray wrote it as a tribute to his sister. One of my favorite Kinks songs. That rocking guitar line in the middle from Dave always gets me.
Ray Davies is the quintessential English songwriter. What makes him one of the best ever - and I mean EVER- is the remarkable ability to speak to and for everyone regardless if they're British. Genius. and God Save The Kinks!
One of the few types of songs that can make you both happy and sad at the same time. Sad when you know the true inspiration behind it, yet happy because of how Ray turned the whole thing around joyously!
AGREED .But kids nowadays would have no clue ,whatsoever ,of what it would be to like " Come Dancing " Nor understand the lyrics !! Or a mid night curfew !! This song is truly a masterpiece . Just like my generation knew little about or cared about the ' Big Bands ' the generation prior . But.. it still brings you back to those wonderful memories . This song ( and Video ) makes cry and laugh at the same time .But , it always brings a smile to me ...and always will .
This one reminds me of my own Mom. After Dad had had passed & She got back to being herself, she always used to go out dancing in the halls where the Big Bands played. This was greatly written.
My 6 year old self was quite taken aback when my German mom brought this home on a 45 back in the 80's-along with Peter Schilling's LP. Even my 60's purist GI Dad liked this one and quite a few 80's songs. (Remember, just a mere 20 years after the British Invasion.)
I always think about my late sister, when I hear this song It puts a smile on my face because it's such an upbeat tune I remember so many great times we had when we were kids, teens and adults! I miss you and love you so much Sherry!❤❤❤
Ray Davies is a genius, what fun this simple tune is, I play it in my band and the punters love it. I met Ray years ago (in thr 60s) when I was on the same bill.
Absolutely. The Kinks weren't the 1st to use; riff-based songs distortion, guitar solo, dual guitars, 3-chord structure, or poetic observational lyrics. But they certainly used them in a DIY formula way that changed 'rock and roll' forever. They influenced untold number of musicians and bands that gave rise to new genres; Punk, Psychedelic, the song "You Really Got Me" nearly all by itself set the standard for Heavy Metal and Hard Rock. Underrated, yes. Greatness, absolutely. Let's add: Brilliance. Genius. Influence beyond measure.
OMG, I recall the first time I heard this song and then saw this video on MTV, when they actually used to show music videos. What an amazing feeling it was for me, as a young kid, loved it so much and kept dancing to it every time. Still brings back those incredible memories of the 80s and that amazing feeling that I experienced as a teen. Love this song just as much now, if not more, as I have then.
I know the backstory to this beautifully written song and the video is also a gem. I want to shout out to how this bridged 50's 80's and big band Era which puts the listener into a tangible time warp. God I love this song for that!!!! My heart melts when listening to this ♥️
A perfect look back to the way life used to be. Loved the Kinks. Love looking back to those days described in the song. Can remember hanging out in the back of the school bus singing "When I saw her Standing There" with my schoolmates. A great time to be alive.
To me, the saddest part is at the end, when HE asks her to come dancing with him (but if I asked her, I wonder if she would)...............but she can't. I wonder how many tears he shed and how many times he smiled writing this wonderful song.
When I was a kid, my two older sisters used to use me as a dance partner to practice doing the hand jive. They've both passed away, and this song always reminds me of them.
This song also makes me think of my sister, who passed away in January this year. I spent the summer with her (she's 12 years older) back when MTV was playing this song constantly.
Just a great catchy song with a vivid story that made you care about the characters. What an amazing come back hit for the legendary Kinks who had been out of the charts for years.
Goodness gracious did I love this song and video! The ending always made me laugh with Ray standing in the balcony and glares at the girl dancing next to him, then when he tears down the Kinks poster lol! Ray was sooooooo handsome!!!!
known about the Kinks for years but really only just starting to properly appreciate their genius. I love their unashamed Britishness. One of the great bands to come out of the UK
I I have loved this song so much, for so long. Ray Davies singing about how his older sister had a fatal heat attack & died on the dance floor of her favorite place to be, just tugs my heart strings, I have loved the Kinks over 50 years ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
lady lothario I thought it funny every time a band came to Buffalo, NY they would say Hello Buffalo. Buffalo in 70s & early 80s had 10 years of concerts 4 every summer at Bills Stadium. 1 bummer Led Zeppelin cancelled when the drummer OD on Alcohol. 1 good thing they got Lynyrd Skynyrd & Allman Brothers to play. This is a true story that 1977 Blizzard people were afraid of Buffalo like people were afraid of the movie JAWS. I don't blame them we got 19 feet of snow that winter. Even now we average 10-12 feet from Lake Erie. No one knows why Buffalo gets most snow than other Citys near 5 Great Lakes. Its March 10th & were still getting snow. I have or had a lot of friends that leave Buffalo because of the weather & NY TAXES. Buffalo has a lot of IRISH & Polish folks here. JAMES PATRICK O'GRADY don't get more IRISH than that. ERIN GO BRAGH means IRELAND FOREVER
This is/ was my sister, Rose🌹 and our song. Tomorrow is the anniversary of her passing. 5/5/1958- 2/13/2020 "When they said coming dancing 💃 my sister always did". ❤
As a kid born at the start of the fifties by the sixties I loved the Kinks. I left UK and travelled to the outer islands of Papua New Guinea for several years so I completely missed this one. Hearing it recently and finally seeing the video (today) I'm impressed. God tune, words and video.
This is such a banger, and such a surprising hit too; it was a top 10 hit in the USA in 1983, but it’s very warm and organic sounding with damp and dead dry drums and prominent organ instead of synth as well as a tropical island feel to it!
Such incredible storytelling by an underrated genius. The music is so much a part of the story, the guitar solo is such a powerful transition to the modern era. Just wow.
The palais in the video is the old Ilford Palais, 246 High Street, Ilford. It was demolished in 2007 and replaced by a generic apartment building. At 0:52 the building is at 90 High Street, London at the corner of Hillfield Avenue. The building is still there and recognizable, though it is now "Ellie's Hair Studio" not "Keevans". The house scenes in the video were done in a studio.
the backstory of this song is actually very sad, the part of the sister ray davies is singing about is his own sister. she used to go to these dance offs every night and their mother would wait up for her to come home. one day she bought ray his first guitar on his 13th birthday and on the same night, his sister died by having a fatal heart attack dancing. sad story to inspire such a happy go lucky tune as only ray davies can do.
@@secretunderdogthegamer8316 One month later and I am right behind you. I remember when Mtv played this video 17 times a day - summer of 1983 and I was 12. I can't believe this is the first I've ever heard this tragically surreal story, bloody hell, wow.
governorscott Funny you should say that. I always thought of this song as The Kinks' nod to the 80's. Anyway, always loved the song and the band. The Kinks have always been wildly underrated and underappreciated!
The greatness of 80s music as that there was so much variety there was no "typical 80s song." So many forks in the road to listen to that decade and it was great until 1990.
I see so many people praising this song to the skies...and I Love it. This tune was derided as a real bit of Top 40 fluff when it was first released, sort of The Kinks on the way down...I remember that. I'm glad to see that it's finally being heard as the masterpiece that it is.
@@randy5655 Nobody will be listening to this putrid song by the time I'm dead. And just in case, I've passed the hate of this trash down to my daughter.
@@aaronm.3581 young explains a lot. That isn’t a criticism against you personally. Just that you might need a bit of aging to understand this piece. And that can be true of lots of music let alone art. And, of course, it’s still up to personal taste. What I’ve found sad over the years is people denigrating others’ tastes to try to make themselves feel superior.
Song is not sad. He wrote about memories & his sister enjoying her dates, dancing & greeting her family when she got home ,maybe a little late, but still a lady. Thank you Kinks my favorite song
For me in the mid 60's the Kinks were like nothing we'd heard here in America. I could say the same for the Moody Blues and early Bee Gees. I loved the British Invasion. Come Dancing is one of my all time favorite songs and video. It's brilliant.
This is a terrific tribute to Ray' s sister .An awesome song that makes the Kinks a great contribution to rock Come Dancing has terrific lyrics and makes people happy Thanks ,big time to the band and an awesome video . Met a " gir' " l named Lolla .
A song about nostalgia that I feel nostalgic about. As a sophomore in hs, I watched this video every time it came on Mtv. I loved that it was about the Big-Band Era because my Mom had already exposed me to Jazz and Swing standards and shared with me what that culture had been like. I loved seeing that Sir Ray shows his acting chops quite well in these scenes! Thank you everyone who posted here, it's so nice to be able to connect with others who experienced growing up in the '80's!
after my beautiful sister passed away at the age of 50 i needed a way to release the anger,sadness and frustration that was inside of me, and as this song always made me think of her i could think of no other way to honour her than to blast it out and cry like a moron, thanx corrina for all the great music u inflicted upon/introduced me to. i miss u so much but i know that somewhere your thinking "what a plonker! get on with things and carry on rocking" ill see you soon xxxx
Friday night videos...my parents used to have tons of videos they taped from Friday night videos..not alotta ppl remember it..think MTV were the first ones...all the best videos from before 84 anyway
I remember seeing this video all the time on MTV when I was a young teenager in the early 80s. I heard it on the radio the other day and I just had to stop what I was doing and come find it here. Great song.
This song makes me sad. It reminds me of a roller-skating rink in our town. It was the centerpiece of the community for so long. Memories of parties, first crushes, great music. Over time the popularity waned, and it was torn down. I don't think some people realize the value of a building can have.
I returned to my home town after 20 years away and the roller rink was gone. Everything I remembered was gone. It's not my home anymore, it's some strange place.
Your example of the roller rink hits home for me too. So many buildings meant so much to so many and were amazing now replaced by parking lots and generic replacements. It's is a theme in other songs too and I feel like society, urban planners, politicians, zoners, etc need to listen to these songs in their education and orienttion. I am always disappointed when I see the NYU dorm that replaced the Palladium on 14th St. in NYC. I went only one time to see Elvis Costello and it was magnificent and then they wrecked it. Against the spirit of NYC but a lot of things are like that now - it's a thing here.
“She let’s them getaway with things she never could, But if I asked her I wonder if she would…COME DANCING!” I love how this song goes full circle from the sister’s experience in her youth to her becoming a mother and now having her turn to wait! Circle of modern life!
I can't keep my eyes dry during this song...what a tribute! By then way, for you Americans, when he says (figuratively) that his sister lives on an estate, 'estate' is British for a high rise slum...quite a bit different than you may think.
Still can't. His sister that he refers to in this song is noted as below in the Daily Mail: "Ray also lost his oldest sister Irene, or 'Rene', on his 13th birthday. She died of a heart attack just hours after giving him a life-changing birthday present - his first electric guitar."
When this song came out, I simply couldn't appreciate it for it's long reach. A few years later in college, a friend played for me The Villige Green Preservation Society, and it became one of my favorite rock albums. I soon understood Ray's genius for nostalgia. Come Dancing is masterful.
As a fellow remarked below,these songs take on new meaning as time do by. I m an old geezer now but once I was 16, dancing my 1st girl. To Really Got Me . We’re still fb friends, pushing 70.Cherish these memories , my young friends. These songs will be with you all your life.
I remember hearing this song when I was a kid in the early 1980s, but obviously I didn't know the story - or the inspiration - behind it. What a wonderful tribute
yeah at 60 I feel the same but Ray wrote this about his sister who literally died in the arms of a GI dancing in the local Palais , He had 6 sisters and of course his brother Dave . She went out dancing , had an arrest and was never revived she was 31 , he was 13 and devastated , The sister that "lives on an estate" is an other and poetic licence
I was in my early teens when this song came out. I liked it, but I can't say I appreciated it as I do now. When you're 13, time seems to stretch out endlessly and you can't imagine middle aged reminiscing. Now I look at my cousin's daughter, who is about that age, and I find myself reminiscing about when she was little and wondering how that time passed so quickly. Before long she'll be going on dates (and stressing her own parents out, I'm sure). And so many places and traditions from my own childhood are gone, and they'll never come back.
this song never fails to make me cry. it is such a beautiful song with such meaning. it reminds to be thankful for my loved ones. out of all the sad songs (none make me cry) this is the one to have a good sob to. and im happy about that. ♥️ thank u, The Kinks, for making a wonderful song, a dedication to a sister who loved to dance
1983 is the year music became a full blown obsession for me - this reminds me so much of when MTV was actually fun and turned me onto so many bands. Also this is their highest charting single in America - #6
The Best of Kinks!! Der Rhythmus, der tolle Text und das Super Video dazu! Die Combi passt 100 %, Super 5 Sterne! Schöne Jugendzeit für mich und 1000 Andere, diese Melodien gibt es heute in der Schlagerwelt nicht mehr .....
Ray Davies is a TREASURE!
This is the best obituary ever written. He actually brings not just his sister back to life whenever this song is played, but also anyone's loved ones who truly enjoyed life.
6
M
Sweet
Yes brother well expressed. Amazing band Amazing song 🎵. Jah herb Jah Jerry Jah love Jah Ray Davies Tucson Arizona Sonoran desert 🏜🦒🍄🌵
Amen
Ray is one of the most gifted songwriters…the way he can tell a whole life story in 3 1/2 minutes, full of English imagery and dry wit
Absolutely killer song!
love this song. i play it all the time..
Nice tribute to his late sister. ❤
This song is a tribute to Ray Davies's older sister Rene who died of a heart attack at a dance hall at the age of 31. It's a great song from the Kinks with a fun, bouncy tone that reminds me of pop music one would hear at a dance hall or on a radio station anywhere in western Europe during the 1970s and 1980s, somewhat akin to polka.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge
Sounds sad
OMG, I had to look this up, and on his 13th birthday, when she had just given him his first guitar!
It always gives me shivers when he imagines her grown up with daughters of her own.
Not at all
Very English and bloody brilliant
Very English. Note use of "pally" and "car park."
"part of my childhood died". We all understand that. Whatever it is. Something's knocked down and bulldozed. Something tangible that represents something that's intangible. That sibling connection too, brothers and sisters' memories are shared and destroyed together. I've always been moved by this song and a tribute from a brother to a sister.
No doubt!
The best of the song is catchy to start with .A beat that made them distinguishable from other of the great British groups . But the lyrics are awesome too .!! Any of old dudes out there listening can certainly relate to those bygone days where they tore down some sentimental place , and put up a Bowling Alley , or whatever trendy facility they constructed amid the ruins of places we all fondly recalled .I remember my youth .Waiting to be of age to be able to get into a club or any establishment .When I became of age to be permitted into that club , the trendy place was replaced with another that catered to the newest and trendiest clubs .Eventually that fizzled out ....and the day they " knocked down the P. ' Part of me died from disappointment too .I'm certain many of you folks have seen the same scenario .But few remember the " heyday , fashion ,music " at the time ..The lyrics of Come Dancing will always be relative to future generations because their clubs / meeting places will undergo changes from the times they remember what it was like .Fashions , Music etc all change . and every generation will look at once was ,is no longer . and recall the days it was THE PLACE to be .. ,😢🥲😥
I wish I could have had that connection with sister I love this song it's awesome that love and tribute with this song 💗
They knowledge down the Joiner's Arms in Finchley Central. I obviously didn't drink in there as a child but it was a local landmark that's now gone forever.
There's now a Dunkin' Donuts on the empty lot where we used to play tackle football. "part of my childhood died".
I am not ashamed to admit almost 40 years later, this song still makes me cry.
Bless you Rene, for inspiring it. And your brother Ray for sharing you with the world.
Yup only thing is only a few of us know about her.
@@sargentwaag1483 About who? What's the deal?
@@gunslingergirl2579 Ray Davies sister was a victim of domestic abuse. This song is about his sister & how she loved to dance.
Me too bro
@@gunslingergirl2579 when Ray Davies turned 13 in 1957, his older sister gave him a guitar for his birthday. That night she went out dancing and died of a heart attack.
Davies wrote this nostalgic song about his older sisters, who loved to dance. The song describes how guys would take them out dancing, only to be frustrated at the end of the night when all they would get for their efforts (and money) was a kiss on the cheek.
Davies had six older sisters (and one younger brother: his Kinks bandmate Dave). For years, Ray said that the specific sister this song is about was Gwen, who was the sixth sister and seven years older than him (this fits the timeline, as a young Ray would have seen Gwen going out dancing and then sending off her dates). He later claimed that the sister in the song was Rene, who was 18 years older. According to Davies, Rene married a Canadian soldier and moved with him to Canada. He says is was an abusive and unhappy marriage, and Rene would often return to the childhood home in Muswell Hill for visits.
One of these visits took place in 1957 when Ray turned 13. For his birthday, Rene bought him his first guitar: a Spanish guitar he wanted. That night, she went dancing at the Lyceum Ballroom in London. Rene had rheumatic fever when she was young, and her heart was weak. That night, she suffered a heart attack and died at the ballroom. Twenty-five years later, Ray wrote this song to memorialize her and remember her love of dancing.
wow that's so interesting Bob. So sad about Rene. I shall continue to think of her as "married and living on an estate" when I play the video though. Such a great song. 🧡
Wow that's fantastic knowledge and insight.....thanks mate
a plot twist that made me cry
Wow. I have loved this song all my life and never really thought about the meaning.
Thank you internet....sometimes you actually are not horrible.
He wrote her a happy ending, one she didn’t get in real life
Listening in 2024 still. Great memories of MTV days.
A true fan is always here…. Just saying
Well on a brighter note, that main riff, in my opinion, inadvertently, randomly just happens to be one of the most "tropical" sounding riffs I've ever heard, for whatever the hell reason
Steel drum, I should think.
I always thought it was a Tejano / Caribbean band until I looked it up.
This song is horribly underrated. It's got a flirty girl, a horny dude, a nosy little brother, a cantankerous mother, sense of nostalgia, and a great big band sound.
And it's it's about the person that bought Ray Davies his very first guitar. Sadly she died before he learned to play.
He had to love her. Good brother
What utter rubbish! It's not underrated in the slightest!
sounds like the early 50's- which was big in the 70's
it's not underrated stupid
Absolutely love everything about the Kinks and Ray Davies!
Love the Kinks. Ray Davies is such an under-rated songwriter and lyricist.
Not for those who know the subtleties of his writing. He is revered by them.
Ray is one of the Great Ones for sure.
not to mention performer showman and singer
So right 😃
I saw them in Cedar Rapids Iowa back in the day 😀
Every damn time, a lump in my throat, and tears in my eyes. One of the most evocative videos, and one of the finest lyrics from a man no one less than Pete Townshend called a certifiable genius. Just a wonderful bit of nostalgia, and there's joy as well amidst the tears.
Ray could really write em
I can't get through the first verse without that lump in my throat....
Dylan has also called Ray Davies a "genius"
So much this. I've always loved the song and how it perfectly evoked an era I that never personally experienced, but I never saw the video before today. Fantastic.
I’m the same - Ray has captured the nostalgia of youth like no-one else. I’ve got tears after watching this too, and I’m 67.
This song sounds so pleasant, but Ray wrote it as a tribute to his sister. One of my favorite Kinks songs. That rocking guitar line in the middle from Dave always gets me.
Only Kinks could manage that so seamlessly.
It's "Louie Louie" EVERYBODY uses it.
The kid jamming out playing air guitar on a badminton racquet in his room - that's just smashing
The end of innocence…that’s what he’s describing. Very sad…but beautiful as well. A fitting tribute to his sister, who died when Ray was just 13.
Not only one of the best kinks songs, but one of the best songs ever! We have been blessed that Ray Davies has lived amongst us
Ray Davies is the quintessential English songwriter. What makes him one of the best ever - and I mean EVER- is the remarkable ability to speak to and for everyone regardless if they're British.
Genius.
and God Save The Kinks!
One of the few types of songs that can make you both happy and sad at the same time. Sad when you know the true inspiration behind it, yet happy because of how Ray turned the whole thing around joyously!
Exactly
God this guy could write 'em. He could really write 'em.
This song is a master piece. timeless classic
AGREED .But kids nowadays would have no clue ,whatsoever ,of what it would be to like " Come Dancing " Nor understand the lyrics !! Or a mid night curfew !! This song is truly a masterpiece . Just like my generation knew little about or cared about the ' Big Bands ' the generation prior . But.. it still brings you back to those wonderful memories . This song ( and Video ) makes cry and laugh at the same time .But , it always brings a smile to me ...and always will .
@@jski7355 True, but times do change.
This one reminds me of my own Mom. After Dad had had passed & She got back to being herself, she always used to go out dancing in the halls where the Big Bands played. This was greatly written.
Agreed
@Matt McCarel I'm still on loop 😂
I always loved this song when I was a kid and I still do but now I realize how sad it is. Such an underrated gem from the 80s from a great band.
Remember when songs not only brought back memories, but, ALSO told a story, and, evoked feelings, THIS is a prime example!
I saw The Kinks live twice. What I miss? Everybody sat there and shut the fuck up and enjoyed.
My 6 year old self was quite taken aback when my German mom brought this home on a 45 back in the 80's-along with Peter Schilling's LP. Even my 60's purist GI Dad liked this one and quite a few 80's songs. (Remember, just a mere 20 years after the British Invasion.)
I always think about my late sister, when I hear this song It puts a smile on my face because it's such an upbeat tune I remember so many great times we had when we were kids, teens and adults!
I miss you and love you so much Sherry!❤❤❤
Ray Davies is a genius, what fun this simple tune is, I play it in my band and the punters love it. I met Ray years ago (in thr 60s) when I was on the same bill.
😍🥳😊COME DANCING!!!
It's only natural
The time when videos could tell a story. I love The Kinks. Best band ever listen....Come dancing!!
Just about the most underrated band of all time..Greatness!!
So true.
And considering they were so prolific ...
i so love the kinks
Good call!
Absolutely. The Kinks weren't the 1st to use; riff-based songs distortion, guitar solo, dual guitars, 3-chord structure, or poetic observational lyrics. But they certainly used them in a DIY formula way that changed 'rock and roll' forever. They influenced untold number of musicians and bands that gave rise to new genres; Punk, Psychedelic, the song "You Really Got Me" nearly all by itself set the standard for Heavy Metal and Hard Rock. Underrated, yes. Greatness, absolutely. Let's add: Brilliance. Genius. Influence beyond measure.
One of the iconic bands of my childhood. Didn't realize it until much later.
OMG, I recall the first time I heard this song and then saw this video on MTV, when they actually used to show music videos. What an amazing feeling it was for me, as a young kid, loved it so much and kept dancing to it every time. Still brings back those incredible memories of the 80s and that amazing feeling that I experienced as a teen. Love this song just as much now, if not more, as I have then.
Wait, MTV played music videos? What are those? Anyway, thanks for sharing that memory!
@@ChadBest-ug8uo 😀😀😀
Amazing time to be a teen. No regrets. I'll go to my grave knowing I lived during one of the best decades.
@@unlimitedrabbit Amen to that. Same, no regrets and loved that it was our youth during that time. The best era. Thank you.
@@photoshoott2022 Thank *you.* Always a treat to reflect on a better time.
I know the backstory to this beautifully written song and the video is also a gem. I want to shout out to how this bridged 50's 80's and big band Era which puts the listener into a tangible time warp. God I love this song for that!!!! My heart melts when listening to this ♥️
A perfect look back to the way life used to be. Loved the Kinks. Love looking back to those days described in the song. Can remember hanging out in the back of the school bus singing "When I saw her Standing There" with my schoolmates. A great time to be alive.
From a time of many wonderful songs, this may be the sweetest. A Masterpiece, instant memories
I just read the story about this song. It made me tear up. What a thoughtful and dignified gift for the memory of your sister.
Yeah, once you know the story, the song takes on a whole new light.
Still loving in 2023
To me, the saddest part is at the end, when HE asks her to come dancing with him (but if I asked her, I wonder if she would)...............but she can't. I wonder how many tears he shed and how many times he smiled writing this wonderful song.
When I was a kid, my two older sisters used to use me as a dance partner to practice doing the hand jive. They've both passed away, and this song always reminds me of them.
I am sorry about that,
The song was written as a tribute to Ray Davies' big sister, who died in her early 20s.
Hmmmm...my sister died in 2021 and this song does remind me of her. In a good way.
This song also makes me think of my sister, who passed away in January this year. I spent the summer with her (she's 12 years older) back when MTV was playing this song constantly.
I'm sorry for that loss...it must feel bittersweet to watch this video.
My sister loves to dance, and every time this song plays, I think of her. Love you, Sandy.
I was in the super market yesterday. This came on. I swear half the people in there were singing. Truly a great song.
It's part of the music station played at Lowe's Home Improvement.
Did they knock down the supermarket shortly afterwards?
@@indiglo1971 They did not. They were just there for the dancing.
If I was there, I would too. *Loudly* Maybe get someone to dance with me.
Just a great catchy song with a vivid story that made you care about the characters. What an amazing come back hit for the legendary Kinks who had been out of the charts for years.
Goodness gracious did I love this song and video! The ending always made me laugh with Ray standing in the balcony and glares at the girl dancing next to him, then when he tears down the Kinks poster lol! Ray was sooooooo handsome!!!!
What a fantastic, imaginative, romantic, nostalgic emotional song. Pure genius.
known about the Kinks for years but really only just starting to properly appreciate their genius. I love their unashamed Britishness. One of the great bands to come out of the UK
Kinks. Underrated.
Wrong.
I
I have loved this song so much, for so long. Ray Davies singing about how his older sister had a fatal heat attack & died on the dance floor of her favorite place to be, just tugs my heart strings, I have loved the Kinks over 50 years ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
This song always makes me think about my Dad. he was born in '32 and was into swing and jazz. He loved this song. Thanks Ray
Ray looks great as the spivvy bloke❤️😊👍
I saw the Kinks, the Clash and the Ramones opened for them...awesome power rock experience.
You're a piece of rock n roll history.
That sounds like basically the greatest thing ever. Lucky man.
lady lothario I thought it funny every time a band came to Buffalo, NY they would say Hello Buffalo. Buffalo in 70s & early 80s had 10 years of concerts 4 every summer at Bills Stadium. 1 bummer Led Zeppelin cancelled when the drummer OD on Alcohol. 1 good thing they got Lynyrd Skynyrd & Allman Brothers to play. This is a true story that 1977 Blizzard people were afraid of Buffalo like people were afraid of the movie JAWS. I don't blame them we got 19 feet of snow that winter. Even now we average 10-12 feet from Lake Erie. No one knows why Buffalo gets most snow than other Citys near 5 Great Lakes. Its March 10th & were still getting snow. I have or had a lot of friends that leave Buffalo because of the weather & NY TAXES. Buffalo has a lot of IRISH & Polish folks here. JAMES PATRICK O'GRADY don't get more IRISH than that. ERIN GO BRAGH means IRELAND FOREVER
cool, but i saw ray get shot on frenchman street!
Ground control to Major Tom, lucky you!
This is/ was my sister, Rose🌹 and our song.
Tomorrow is the anniversary of her passing.
5/5/1958- 2/13/2020
"When they said coming dancing 💃 my sister always did". ❤
Condolences,mate.
So sorry brother
🫂❤️❤️
Thank you@@pythonprogrammer7354
@@chivasporvida1997Thank you
Beautiful reminiscence. To tell a story in a couple of minutes in a
song better than many movies do
in 2 hours plus is a great gift.
That was a pretty great thing you said.
And for a few minutes, while he sings the song, his sister gets to be alive and have the happy life she didn’t get
I haven't heard this song in at least 30 years and I love it. I get it now, absolutely wonderful song and video.
As a kid born at the start of the fifties by the sixties I loved the Kinks. I left UK and travelled to the outer islands of Papua New Guinea for several years so I completely missed this one. Hearing it recently and finally seeing the video (today) I'm impressed. God tune, words and video.
This is such a banger, and such a surprising hit too; it was a top 10 hit in the USA in 1983, but it’s very warm and organic sounding with damp and dead dry drums and prominent organ instead of synth as well as a tropical island feel to it!
Such incredible storytelling by an underrated genius. The music is so much a part of the story, the guitar solo is such a powerful transition to the modern era. Just wow.
The palais in the video is the old Ilford Palais, 246 High Street, Ilford. It was demolished in 2007 and replaced by a generic apartment building. At 0:52 the building is at 90 High Street, London at the corner of Hillfield Avenue. The building is still there and recognizable, though it is now "Ellie's Hair Studio" not "Keevans". The house scenes in the video were done in a studio.
The kinks are such an underrated band. Rock on, timeless!!!!!
The Kinks are not underrated. The term underrated is overrated.
I totally agree with you
Well I don't know about that they can't be overrated unless you just dislike them and don't like hearing that music
I agree with you 110%
Yes Rock on
the backstory of this song is actually very sad, the part of the sister ray davies is singing about is his own sister. she used to go to these dance offs every night and their mother would wait up for her to come home. one day she bought ray his first guitar on his 13th birthday and on the same night, his sister died by having a fatal heart attack dancing. sad story to inspire such a happy go lucky tune as only ray davies can do.
Holy shit! I'll never hear this song the same again.
What!!! Wow!!!🥲
100% correct. Happy song, very tragic backstory
Oh wow, I didn't know that! Thanks for sharing!
@@secretunderdogthegamer8316 One month later and I am right behind you. I remember when Mtv played this video 17 times a day - summer of 1983 and I was 12. I can't believe this is the first I've ever heard this tragically surreal story, bloody hell, wow.
Not a typical 80’s song and yet one of my favorites. I always love the horn section near the end.
governorscott Funny you should say that. I always thought of this song as The Kinks' nod to the 80's. Anyway, always loved the song and the band. The Kinks have always been wildly underrated and underappreciated!
The greatness of 80s music as that there was so much variety there was no "typical 80s song." So many forks in the road to listen to that decade and it was great until 1990.
The 80s were really the last decade when every musician wanted to sound different from each other. So much variety in music during that era!
amen to that
I agree
I see so many people praising this song to the skies...and I Love it. This tune was derided as a real bit of Top 40 fluff when it was first released, sort of The Kinks on the way down...I remember that. I'm glad to see that it's finally being heard as the masterpiece that it is.
It has outlived it's critics.
@@randy5655 I'm a very young critic of this horrible excuse for music.
@@aaronm.3581 And I hope you dislike it for many, many years.
@@randy5655 Nobody will be listening to this putrid song by the time I'm dead. And just in case, I've passed the hate of this trash down to my daughter.
@@aaronm.3581 young explains a lot.
That isn’t a criticism against you personally. Just that you might need a bit of aging to understand this piece. And that can be true of lots of music let alone art. And, of course, it’s still up to personal taste.
What I’ve found sad over the years is people denigrating others’ tastes to try to make themselves feel superior.
Song is not sad. He wrote about memories & his sister enjoying her dates, dancing & greeting her family when she got home ,maybe a little late, but still a lady. Thank you Kinks my favorite song
The Kinks are fantastic!!! 💕🎸😎
For me in the mid 60's the Kinks were like nothing we'd heard here in America. I could say the same for the Moody Blues and early Bee Gees. I loved the British Invasion. Come Dancing is one of my all time favorite songs and video. It's brilliant.
We desperately need a third British invasion. American radio needs help.
@@greggriffin8020 It better happen fast I'm 70 yrs old. lol
@@greggriffin8020 Based on what I've found tuning around on my Internet radio British radio today isn't much better.
This is a terrific tribute to Ray' s sister .An awesome song that makes the Kinks a great contribution to rock Come Dancing has terrific lyrics and makes people happy Thanks ,big time to the band and an awesome video . Met a " gir' " l named Lolla .
A song about nostalgia that I feel nostalgic about. As a sophomore in hs, I watched this video every time it came on Mtv. I loved that it was about the Big-Band Era because my Mom had already exposed me to Jazz and Swing standards and shared with me what that culture had been like. I loved seeing that Sir Ray shows his acting chops quite well in these scenes!
Thank you everyone who posted here, it's so nice to be able to connect with others who experienced growing up in the '80's!
I'm listening in 2024
❤
after my beautiful sister passed away at the age of 50 i needed a way to release the anger,sadness and frustration that was inside of me, and as this song always made me think of her i could think of no other way to honour her than to blast it out and cry like a moron, thanx corrina for all the great music u inflicted upon/introduced me to. i miss u so much but i know that somewhere your thinking "what a plonker! get on with things and carry on rocking" ill see you soon xxxx
I have this on a VHS, taped back when this song was still on the charts. I'd set up Dad's VCR to record the Friday night videos. Good times.
Chris P Bacon that would be cool to see!
Friday night videos...my parents used to have tons of videos they taped from Friday night videos..not alotta ppl remember it..think MTV were the first ones...all the best videos from before 84 anyway
Shane Biancardi cool...
nerd!
Silly Goose more of a big goofy dork here!
I remember seeing this video all the time on MTV when I was a young teenager in the early 80s. I heard it on the radio the other day and I just had to stop what I was doing and come find it here. Great song.
Oh yea love the Kinks still love listening to them wore out two cassette tapes back in the 80s
One of the best songs I ever heard... Beautiful!!!!! The Kinks are amazing.......!!!!!! Now... I will go dancing.........!!!!! Amazing siong!!!!!!! 😊
This song makes me sad. It reminds me of a roller-skating rink in our town. It was the centerpiece of the community for so long. Memories of parties, first crushes, great music. Over time the popularity waned, and it was torn down. I don't think some people realize the value of a building can have.
I returned to my home town after 20 years away and the roller rink was gone. Everything I remembered was gone. It's not my home anymore, it's some strange place.
Your example of the roller rink hits home for me too. So many buildings meant so much to so many and were amazing now replaced by parking lots and generic replacements. It's is a theme in other songs too and I feel like society, urban planners, politicians, zoners, etc need to listen to these songs in their education and orienttion. I am always disappointed when I see the NYU dorm that replaced the Palladium on 14th St. in NYC. I went only one time to see Elvis Costello and it was magnificent and then they wrecked it. Against the spirit of NYC but a lot of things are like that now - it's a thing here.
I've heard this song at least 100 times, and it still gives me the same pleasure every time I hear it.
“She let’s them getaway with things she never could,
But if I asked her I wonder if she would…COME DANCING!”
I love how this song goes full circle from the sister’s experience in her youth to her becoming a mother and now having her turn to wait! Circle of modern life!
I can't keep my eyes dry during this song...what a tribute!
By then way, for you Americans, when he says (figuratively) that his sister lives on an estate, 'estate' is British for a high rise slum...quite a bit different than you may think.
Still can't. His sister that he refers to in this song is noted as below in the Daily Mail:
"Ray also lost his oldest sister Irene, or 'Rene', on his 13th birthday. She died of a heart attack just hours after giving him a life-changing birthday present - his first electric guitar."
A very great song from the KINKS...... hear it soooo very gladly!!!!!!!! Thank's Ray forever.......
My FAVORITE Kinks song
You know what, I'd say this may very well be the best song ever written. I love it every single time I hear it, no matter what.
And so far, there is not one "underrated" comment, as in, this song is so underrated, Ray Davies is so underrated, etc.
Played it 3 times already today. One of the finest songs ever written. Ray Davies - SO under-rated.
When this song came out, I simply couldn't appreciate it for it's long reach. A few years later in college, a friend played for me The Villige Green Preservation Society, and it became one of my favorite rock albums. I soon understood Ray's genius for nostalgia. Come Dancing is masterful.
had to listen to this song 6 times a day while stocking shelves at walgreens and holy sheet i can no longer stand it....
I'm So High on Life ❤️ I have had the privilege of listening to best music EVER throughout the decades 🎶🎵
As a fellow remarked below,these songs take on new meaning as time do by. I m an old geezer now but once I was 16, dancing my 1st girl. To Really Got Me . We’re still fb friends, pushing 70.Cherish these memories , my young friends. These songs will be with you all your life.
Ray was a fantastic songwriter.The lyrics on this track are something else!Hope he & Dave are getting on!
This is a happy sad song. Very nostalgic.
I remember hearing this song when I was a kid in the early 1980s, but obviously I didn't know the story - or the inspiration - behind it. What a wonderful tribute
You really have to be past a certain age to appreciate this song.
Myself, at 60, it's like an obituary for most everything I've ever known.
yeah at 60 I feel the same but Ray wrote this about his sister who literally died in the arms of a GI dancing in the local Palais , He had 6 sisters and of course his brother Dave . She went out dancing , had an arrest and was never revived she was 31 , he was 13 and devastated , The sister that "lives on an estate" is an other and poetic licence
They paved paradise and put in a parking lot
🛑
I was in my early teens when this song came out. I liked it, but I can't say I appreciated it as I do now. When you're 13, time seems to stretch out endlessly and you can't imagine middle aged reminiscing. Now I look at my cousin's daughter, who is about that age, and I find myself reminiscing about when she was little and wondering how that time passed so quickly. Before long she'll be going on dates (and stressing her own parents out, I'm sure). And so many places and traditions from my own childhood are gone, and they'll never come back.
Not only is Ray an amazing songwriter but a real character too
this song never fails to make me cry. it is such a beautiful song with such meaning. it reminds to be thankful for my loved ones. out of all the sad songs (none make me cry) this is the one to have a good sob to. and im happy about that. ♥️ thank u, The Kinks, for making a wonderful song, a dedication to a sister who loved to dance
Interesting that this is a memoriam of his sister but it's written as if she's still with him. Rather lovely I think.
1980 roller skating at Skate City in Aurora Colorado @ 14 years old loving life, then as I do now listening to the Kinks!!!
1983 is the year music became a full blown obsession for me - this reminds me so much of when MTV was actually fun and turned me onto so many bands.
Also this is their highest charting single in America - #6
An absolute all time classic from a genius songwriter.
ONE OF THE ""GREAT"" STORY VIDS OF ALL TIME!!!😃😃😃
The big band playing and Ray Davies dancing with that suit is priceless!
Leave it up to the Brits when it comes to beautiful nostalgic music.❤
Thank You!
True, buT they got inspired from America!!! 😉
The Best of Kinks!! Der Rhythmus, der tolle Text und das Super Video dazu! Die Combi passt 100 %, Super 5 Sterne! Schöne Jugendzeit für mich und 1000 Andere, diese Melodien gibt es heute in der Schlagerwelt nicht mehr .....
This was my absolute favorite music video from MTV era. Also, the drummer is amazing.