Kinks Weeks – Waterloo Sunset … musiccitymike.net

I’ve known Music City Mike for a while and I met him through hanspostcard. I can always count on Mike commenting when I post someone not on the beaten path… guys like Garland Jefferies, The Records, Joe Ely, Robert Earl Keen, and many others. He has worked with some artists and is very knowledgeable…You can find him at https://musiccitymike.net and his YouTube site is HERE. 

“Waterloo Sunset” – The Kinks

A few years back, I was a guest blogger along with some fellow music writers where we conducted a draft to pick and write about our top ten favorite songs of all time. The Kinks’ “Waterloo Sunset” would have made it high on my list had it not been for someone else drafting it ahead of me. Given the chance to pick a Kinks’ song to write about, my choice was easy.

Why? Well, the only way to say it is that this song is perfect. And it’s not just me that feels this way! I have seen countless lists where people include “Waterloo Sunset” as one of their favorite songs. And I have also seen quite a few who boldly claim it to be the best song ever written. I have no trouble seeing their point. It’s the “Over the Rainbow” of the Rock era.

Now what makes a song perfect? First off, it grabs you the first time you hear it, you follow every word, and the melody gets implanted into your brain. There also is a simplicity to it that allows you to easily sing along. Better yet, if you are a player, said simplicity makes it easy to learn and while it allows for alternative musical arrangements, it would be sacrilege to mess with its basic structure (i.e., no jamming or extended guitar solos). Importantly, there is a poignancy to its lyrical content – not life changing, but more than just a carefree love song. All these things are packed together tightly in a nice box to make it perfect.

Some other examples of modern perfect songs in my opinion are Elton John’s “Your Song,” James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain,” Gram Parson’s “Brass Buttons,” The Replacements “Achin’ to Be,” and Squeeze’s “Up the Junction.”

What happens to me with “Waterloo Sunset” is that I hear either the original version or one of its countless covers, and I start and can’t stop listening to it over and over again. My latest incident occurred  with Robyn Hitchcock’s cover of the song for his forthcoming 1967 LP release of songs he loved from that year. I recently got to see Robyn perform the song live in front of a small crowd and the song filled the room with smiles and collective singing of the “sha-la-la’s.” And what do you think I started listening to as soon as I got to my car?

My favorite hearing of the song though was in 1989 while I was riding on Will Birch’s “Rock Tour of London” bus. The song played over the PA as we crossed the Waterloo Bridge over the river. Even without there being a sunset over the Thames, I became overjoyed hearing the song in this setting.

“Waterloo Sunset” cinematically captures an endearing sentimentality. The song’s narrator recalls this beautiful sunset that makes him say  “I don’t need no friends.” He also sings of two lovers, Terry and Julie, who are also so taken in that “They don’t need no friends.” Whether these are excuses for just being loners or just an analogy to how happy they feel doesn’t really matter. He and they “are in paradise.”

And while it’s not totally clear, I think that the narrator’s preference of nature over the hustle-bustle of nearby Waterloo Station comes from two perspectives – his view of the gorgeous sunset as well as seeing the two young lovers enjoy its splendor as well.

Musically, the song has an instantly recognizable and infectious opening riff. Dave Davies’ sharp staccato guitar intro leads into a precise plucking of notes that foreshadow the upcoming tune of the song’s lyrical refrain, a truly memorable melody. Lyrically, the writing is compact with nary a wasted word.

Ray Davies performed “Waterloo Sunset” at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics which was a crowning achievement for the song.  Plain and simple, Sir Raymond Douglas Davies penned and produced a masterpiece that people will be listening to hundreds of years from now.

Maybe someday I will return to London and take the time to witness my own Waterloo sunset.

…

Unknown's avatar

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

45 thoughts on “Kinks Weeks – Waterloo Sunset … musiccitymike.net”

  1. That’s probably best explanation of the song I’ve read. I know the song is highly regarded in many circles but I never really understood why. Man I’d love to go to London for some of those music tours!

    Like

    Reply

  2. A great description of the song! Kind of like Randy, I like the song but don’t consider it his pinnacle but you are surely right in saying many people do & it really resonates in a huge way with them. To create one song like that is an accomplishment; Ray’s penned several.

    Like

    Reply

      1. No….I don’t think so…it could have been hanspostcard. I did draft Big Star ahead of you on one.

        Like

  4. I love the story that is told in this song. ‘Waterloo Sunset’ is a sung by an observer who is at home watching the dirty river, busy people and taxis going by as he gazes out his window at the world and he is in awe from looking at the Waterloo sunset.  He does it so often that he knows what is happening in the streets below and that Terry meets Julie every Friday night.  He admires their courage in crossing the river, but he does not dare go out.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  5. I know the feeling:
    “As long as I gaze on
    Waterloo sunset
    I am in paradise.”
    I don’t know how many times I’ve posted a photo of the same view from the same spot…I am in paradise. It takes about 15 seconds for this song to grab me and it doesn’t let go. You said it all – and so did Ray.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. Mike from City Music Mike – wow, here’s a name I hadn’t heard in a long time. Hope all is groovy, Mike!

    I certainly like your pick, not only because it makes me feel good someone has covered another song by The Kinks I actually know, but one of my all-time favorites.

    Have you ever heard Peter Gabriel’s cover of it? If not, hope you’ll check it out!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    2. Wow – I had not heard Peter’s interpretation. It’s gorgeous. It’s like I said about “perfect” songs – they are so open to simple unique arrangments. I think I may create a Spotify playlist of all the different covers.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  11. Beautiful song. Spectacular in its simplicity. I haven’t heard it in probably 20+ years, but hearing it again now reconfirms why I loved the Kinks so much growing up! It’s not my favorite, my ears are more attuned to the Kinks grittier side, but it is really lovely and demonstrates the depth of the band.

    Growing up, nobody understood why my answer to “The Beatles or The Sones?” was The Kinks and The Who… This delightful tune is a good reminder!

    Thank you Max for hosting this Kinks “retrospective”!! With so much music out there, it’s easy to forget our musical past. This week has brought back sooo many fond memories of better days gone by! My hat is off to you and all the fantastic contributors that chipped in, it’s been an awesome trip down memory lane!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. I recebtly said to some friends, if the only music we had were the Beatles, Stones, Who & Kinks it would still be a beautiful world. In reality, The Kinks sure do deserve more priase than they have received.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  12. Mike, great write-up. Your affection for it shines through. The first, live video is exquisite. Sound quality #1. I am with you on this being a perfect song. I loved seeing Ethan Hawke perform it in “Juliet Naked.” Perfect moment in cinema for me.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  15. Mike, very well written, in a way that literally expands my understanding of the song. This song has everything, Ray’s voice has an unforced wistful wavery sound that adds to the perfection.

    Nigh on two years ago when in London we went on a Hoho bus trip (No , NOT that kind of Ho ho, a Hop On Hop Off bus- wherever you are on the route, you can step off and look at the landmark that catches your eye and hop back on another Company bus when you’re ready.) On this trip, we finally DID get to drive past Waterloo Station. The reality was not up to the expectations I’ve had in my head for 57 years, but hey, the place could’ve looked like the Taj Mahal and it still wouldn’t have lived up to the picture in my mind. That is what a perfect song can do.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  16. Thats a pretty cool feeling you got from this song back in 1989. Amazing how music can impact anyone at a certain time and stay with them forever. Great stuff.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  19. classic song, no question, and a key record of the 60’s. I was hoping for a Waterloo Sunset on saturday as I was in London to see the Back to The Future musical and was walking back over the River Thames pedestrian bridge to the South Bank for Waterloo Station. Sadly it was an overcast day, more of an early Autumn Almanac 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment