Beatles v Kinks

[MsShirlLaverne]

The Kinks by a mile.

And apart from the music Ray Davies was (still is) sexy. The beatles had no sex appeal whatsoever between all 4 of 'em.

 

[sojourner]

I think we will have to agree to disagree. This won't go down well with some but I'm no great fan of many London accented singers and Ray is one of them. Sorry.

Nowt to be sorry for mate He weren't tremendously london though, it's not knees up mother brown

 

[chooch]

Autumn Almanac and Dead End Street are two of the worst Kinks songs imo

No no no. True warm London shabbiness. They're both corking songs, on every level I can appreciate songs.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Two importent and influential British bands around durin the same era, which one of these two does it for you?

Overwhelmingly it has to be the Kinks for me, their music, lyrics, the whole shebang.
I believe there legacy is greater than the Beatles

I like both of them.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I agree - never anywhere near as celebrated in the cultral consciousness, but Ray Davies was every bit as great a songwriter as Lennon and McCartney were combined. And, while drawing a veil over some of the dodgier late '70s/early '80s output, there are several more hours of Kinks than Beatles tuneage in existence.

In 30 years, most people won't know who the Kinks are, but the Beatles will still be known, just like Elvis.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

After looking at this thread, I'd say that the Kinks were much bigger in UK than they were elsewhere. They certainly had exposure here, but there are songs and albums mentioned on this thread that I've never heard of before.

I think the only reason I know much about them at all, is that I had a friend who was a total british music-o-phile. It's how I heard about groups like the Move, Blodwyn Pig, etc, as well.

 

[Yossarian]

In 30 years, most people won't know who the Kinks are, but the Beatles will still be known, just like Elvis.

Elvis is going to be remembered for being an innovator, and for dying on the toilet after too many pills and triple-decker grilled peanut butter sandwiches, but I'm not sure if that many people are still going to be listening to his records in 30 years time.

 

[BadlyDrawnGirl]

In 30 years, most people won't know who the Kinks are, but the Beatles will still be known, just like Elvis.

Most people don't know who Death By Milkfloat are now, but that doesn't mean they don't piss all over Oasis.

 

[William of Walworth]

The Kinks were always going to win on slightly leftfield urban

True, but we're right!

I post as a more or less retired fan of the Beatles .. I used to listen to them loads years ago, and haven't completely repudiated them, but I've moved on into much better and broader stuff ..

I was quite late to the Kinks, but I still listen to them often , whereas I haven't put on anything Beatle for several years now ...

 

[William of Walworth]

One of the best festie gigs I ever saw was Ray Davies, solo, just him and an acoustic, at the Cambridge Folk Fest (round 1999 or 2000 or sometime like that).

He had a reputation at the time of never playing old stuff and only ever playing his obscure/near-unknown recent solo stuff, but on this occasion, at least three quarters of the songs were reworked versions for acoustic of Kinks classics.

I've never seen the crowd outside the CFF beer tent go so quiet, then the cheer at the end was formidable. Everyone was impressed, was a classic gig

 

[FiFi]

I'm going to get kicked out off the thread for such a hackneyed choice, but
Waterloo Sunset is one of my favorite songs. (or maybe not cool-what would I know ).

My tuppence, for what it's worth, is that I've always thought some of the Beatles output is a little over-rated, but I enjoy anything I ever hear of the Kinks.

 

[TheDave]

For me it's The Beatles by a mile. I like the Kinks but they aren't a scratch on The Beatles in my opinion.

 

[Dubversion]

but I'm not sure if that many people are still going to be listening to his records in 30 years time.

sorry, but i think that's bollocks

 

[Orang Utan]

Good to see The Kinks winning - tunes aside, they're a much more likeable band than those toerags The Beatles

 

[118118]

yeah, the kinks are alright, kina exciting. but its kids music, really, imvho.

 

[Yossarian]

sorry, but i think that's bollocks

The music of the Beatles, however, will continue to delight people in 2050...

 

[Dubversion]

yeah, the kinks are alright, kina exciting. but its kids music, really, imvho.

The Kinks are 'kids music'.

You're fucking kidding, right?

Now that youve found your paradise
This is your kingdom to command
You can go outside and polish your car
Or sit by the fire in your shangri-la
Here is your reward for working so hard
Gone are the lavatories in the back yard
Gone are the days when you dreamed of that car
You just want to sit in your shangri-la

Put on your slippers and sit by the fire
Youve reached your top and you just cant get any higher
Youre in your place and you know where you are
In your shangri-la
Sit back in your old rocking chair
You need not worry, you need not care
You cant go anywhere
Shangri-la, shangri-la, shangri-la

The little man who gets the train
Got a mortgage hanging over his head
But hes too scared to complain
cos hes conditioned that way
Time goes by and he pays off his debts
Got a tv set and a radio
For seven shillings a week
Shangri-la, shangri-la, shangri-la, shangri-la, shangri-la, shangri-la

And all the houses in the street have got a name
cos all the houses in the street they look the same
Same chimney pots, same little cars, same window panes
The neighbors call to tell you things that you should know
They say their lines, they drink their tea, and then they go
They tell your business in another shangri-la
The gas bills and the water rates, and payments on the car
Too scared to think about how insecure you are
Life aint so happy in your little shangri-la
Shangri-la, shangri-la la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

Put on your slippers and sit by the fire
Youve reached your top and you just cant get any higher
Youre in your place and you know where you are
In your shangri-la
Sit back in your old rocking chair
You need not worry, you need not care
You cant go anywhere
Shangri-la, shangri-la, shangri-la, shangri-la, shangri-la, shangri-la

yeh - totally McFly, that.

 

[118118]

Music to get excited about. Like sugar

Fair enough though, I just mean the above.

 

[Dubversion]

I'd argue that the Kinks were more 'adult' than the Beatles by a considerable margin, in terms of subject matter, style and attitude. They weren't just "You Really Got Me".

 

[118118]

Yeah, tbh I may be that thick. But, you disagree that, at least the popularity of the Kinks, is down to the fact that there music is exciting? Can that be extrapolated beyond their singles? Unsurprisingly, I don't know.

Cheers

 

[phildwyer]

"The little man who gets the train
Got a mortgage hanging over his head
But hes too scared to complain
cos hes conditioned that way."

FFS, what a wanker. I suppose we should all be rock stars so we don't need mortgages eh? Wanker.

 

[118118]

Whoa, steady Phil

I think dubversion may have a point that the beatles were popular because of their adult nature, whereas the kinks the opposite.

 

[Dubversion]

I don't begin to understand your point? Are you saying that the Kinks are more exciting than the Beatles, and therefore not as good?

And the rockier / garagy Kinks stuff is only a small part of their output

 

[Jambooboo]

As great as The Kinks were, the Beatles musical output and influence and legacy means that they were a far superior band IMO.

Anyone can tell you who the members of The Beatles were, but off the top of my head I can only think of the Davies brothers in The Kinks. I imagine many would be the same - which I think says something. Twas only Britpop that put The Kinks back on the musical map.

There are a few amazing Kinks songs, while there are a shitload of amazing Beatles tracks.

 

[Dubversion]

I think dubversion may have a point that the beatles were popular because of their adult nature, whereas the kinks the opposite.

no, that's pretty much the opposite of what I said.

 

[Dubversion]

As great as The Kinks were, the Beatles musical output and influence and legacy means that they were a far superior band IMO.

Nope.

Anyone can tell you who the members of The Beatles were, but off the top of my head I can only think of the Davies brothers in The Kinks.

hpw absurd. people remembering your name is surely no indication of quality - I know the names of all sorts of awful awful popstars, does that make them good?

Twas only Britpop that put The Kinks back on the musical map.

nonsense.

 

[118118]

and therefore not as good?

its like sugar and caffine... sugar gets one hyper, but, caffine gets one talking/more productive. Which is better?

Whether one likes their garagier/rockiet stuff, if we can agree what it is, is just a matter of taste.

Gotta run tbh. This is messing up my degree...

 

[geminisnake]

Breathe deep Dub, breathe deep mate

 

[Dubversion]

sometimes I do despair of people's reading skills though

 

[Jambooboo]

Nope.

It's true you know!

hpw absurd. people remembering your name is surely no indication of quality - I know the names of all sorts of awful awful popstars, does that make them good?

But you're admittedly talking about 'popstars' who are associated and therefore famed by their name, rather than bandmembers who are not.

And I imagine that many of the popstars you refer to are from the 1980's to the present day, whereby the cult of celebrity, (often bought) media hype and instant fame has emerged.

nonsense.

It's not really!

That Urban is a supposedly-leftfield (and very middle class) London-based site always meant that The Kings would be put on a higher pedestal than the Northern working class Beatles.