The first time around it was The Strokes. The amount of covers of The Strokes I had suggested the idea to me, so it seemed natural I feature them first. Next Up were The Velvet Underground. My favourite band and a hugely influential band to all sorts of musicians they seemed the perfect choice for the next edition.
And now, The Kinks. One of my very favourite bands, when I first started reading blogs it surprised me how many American bloggers liked The Kinks and how many American bands admired them and covered them. I know they had a lot of success in the US as part of the British Invasion and I wasn't really surprised by people liking You Really Got Me, All Day And All of The Night and Lola, they are great songs that sold well in the US.
But songs like Waterloo Sunset, Dead End Street, Autumn Almanac and Days surprised me with their popularity. These songs, and plenty of others, seem to me to be quintessentially English songs, everything from the music hall influences to the lyrics seem rooted in Englishness. I know it's possible to like music that comes from a different culture, but The Kinks are more than that I think. So I guess it's a tribute to the lyrics of Ray Davies more than anything that these songs became so popular to people who have no experience of what they're about. That's not to anyway attempt to diminish the brilliance of Dave Davies guitar playing and general musicianship. Here's a nice quote from Pete Townshend:
"The Kinks were ... quintessentially English. I always think that Ray Davies should one day be poet laureate. He invented a new kind of poetry and a new kind of language for pop writing that influenced me from the very, very, very beginning."
Let's start with the video for Dead End Street. This is one of the first music videos and it, and the song, were pretty much ripped off wholesale by Oasis for The Importance Of being Idle.
Now, onto the covers. Covers by The Kinks first, of which there aren't many. I know they covered Dancing In The Streets, but I don't have a copy of it.
Louie, Louie by The Kinks (originally by Richard Berry and The Pharaohs). Apparently it was while trying to figure out the chords to this that Ray Davis wrote You Really Got Me.
And now I'm going to cheat a bit. The next three songs were all written by Ray Davies but were first performed by other artists. So they may not be covers in the strictest sense, but it's a good excuse to have more songs by The Kinks here.
I Go To Sleep (Demo) by The Kinks (originally recorded by Peggy Lee)
Dandy by The Kinks (originally recorded by Herman's Hermits)
A House In The Country by The Kinks (originally recorded by The Pretty Things) The Pretty Things got to number 50 in the UK with this, the last time they troubled the chart compliers.
These covers have all been featured before on Covers for Sunday:
Everybody's Going To Be Happy by Queens Of The Stone Age. One of my favourite covers of The Kinks, it's very close to the original and shows Queens Of The Stone Age's range very well.
David Watts by The Jam. The first cover of The Kinks I ever heard. The lead vocals on this are done by Bruce Foxton rather than Paul Weller.
Moments by Spoon
Set Me Free by Spoon. I've said it before, I'd gladly by a double album by Spoon with just covers of The Kinks on it.
Nothin' In This World Can Stop Me Worryin' Bout That Girl by The Morning Benders.
Tell Me Now So I Know by Holly Golightly
Now, finally, here are your Covers for Sunday, featuring the songs of The Kinks:
Waterloo Sunset by Cornershop. This captures the song perfectly I think, the Indian instruments fit very well with the overall feel of the song.
Waterloo Sunset by David Bowie.
Better Things by Dar Williams
Victoria by The Kooks.
Days by Of Montreal.
Lola by The Raincoats
You Really Got Me by Bruce Springsteen. The sound quality on this is a little shaky at first, but it's fine once the song starts. This is a great live cover.
I Go To Sleep by Soulwax. Some covers change almost everything about the original but still sound great, like an evolution of the original. Soulwax do that here, they make the song their own without losing anything of the original's charm.
I Go To Sleep by The Pretenders. Maybe the most famous cover of a song by The Kinks and probably one of The Pretenders five most famous songs.
Strangers by Jason Bajada (feat: Anna Ruddick & Maia Davies from Ladies of The Canyon). I've featured Jason Bajada before, covering Wolf Parade. This live cover isn't up to those, admittedly high, standards, but it is still good.
Too Much On My Mind by Glenn Page
Til The End Of The Day by Christopher Allan Diadora
You Really Got Me by Van Halen. This seems to be a famous cover, but I had no idea it existed until I started researching this post.
I Go To Sleep by Sia
Dead End Street by Backyard Tire Fire
Waterloo Sunset by Elliott Smith
Dead End Street by Elliott Smith
Chances are you've heard both of these Elliott Smith covers before, if not you've been missing out. I think Elliott Smith would be a great musician for a future Covers for Sunday edition like this.
Strangers by Norah Jones. If you're like me you're probably not a fan of Norah Jones. This may not change your mind, it hasn't changed mine, but it remains an excellent cover.
Strangers by Portugal The Man
This Is Where I Belong by Ron Sexsmith. Strange coincidence, yesterday I finished reading Speaking With the Angel, a collection of short stories edited by Nick Hornby and named after a Ron Sexsmith song. Well worth buying & reading as well.
Days by Guster
Waterloo Sunset by Robyn Hitchcock
Act Nice And Gentle by The Black Keys
Victoria by Ema And The Ghosts
Nothin' In This World Can Stop Me Worryin' Bout That Girl by Feist
Art Lover by Holly Ramos
The Village Green Preservation Society by Kate Rusby
Days by Kirsty MacColl
Nothin' In This World Can Stop Me Worryin' Bout That Girl by Mark Lanegan
Situation Vacant by Spoon. More Spoon goodness, a great cover of a lesser known song.
Come Dancing by The Walkmen. I love The Walkmen, Canadian Girl is a favourite of mine. Come Dancing was The Kinks first single to reach the Top-20 of the UK charts in 10 and a half years.
Tired Of Waiting by Green Day. I had no idea Green Day had covered The Kinks, and if I'd been told I doubt I'd have guessed this was the song they'd covered. It is a good cover though.
Dead End Street by The Jam. As the first cover of The Kinks I ever heard was by The Jam this will be the last song for tonight.
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Excellent!
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