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Product Description
Product Description
Compilation album by the legendary British rock group, who came to prominence during the British Invasion in the 1960s. The album features all of the band's biggest and most popular songs, including 'Waterloo Sunset', 'You Really Got Me', 'Sunny Afternoon', 'Lola', and many more. Also included are several solo tracks by the band's frontman Ray Davies.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By K. C. Wood
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Ray Davies is a remarkable songwriter whose songs captured so much of growing up in the 60s and 70s. His recent rendition of Waterloo Sunset at the Olympics Closing Ceremony was, in my humble opinion, the highlight and was much more fitting than some of the songs that were performed. This is a fine compilation made interesting by the second cd 'London Songs' but I have to agree with the previous review in that the omission of 'Celluloid Heroes' is a serious error by whoever compiled this. I'd also have liked to have had the version of 'Lola' with its original line 'I met her in a pub down in old Soho where they drink champagne that tastes just like Coca Cola' instead of the changed version for the BBC with 'Cherry Cola' - hence 4 stars instead of 5.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Watching Ray Davies get out of a taxi at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games in London and walk across the stage to sing his classic song 'Waterloo Sunset' was a truly defining moment. This was his Gold Medal. This is a man who has influenced modern music considerably. He and his brother Dave invented the rock riff in 'You Really Got Me', Ray has chronicled us English over the years in dozens of songs including 'Sunny Afternoon' and 'Dead End Street'. He invented the rock opera in'Arthur', written a Number One single about a transvestite in 'Lola' and so on. 20 or so hit records, 30 albums and a back catalogue that most modern bands would crawl over broken glass to own.
The Very Best of The Kinks and Ray Davies doesn't include any new material - and it blatantly has been released off the back of his Olympics Finale appearance - but it does provide a window into Ray's and his band's world. It includes nearly all the classic hits plus songs centred around London, his hometown. The order of the songs (apart from those relating to London) are in a strange order - or effectively no order at all. That's disappointing because they could have done hits, London songs and Ray Davies' songs in chronological order.
However, as an introduction to probably one of the most underated bands of all time, it is great value. You get 45 songs for under £10 - half of which are Kinks hits. Some who are new to The Kinks (this album is in the Top 20 as I write this review) may at first find the none hits material difficult to follow - but it's important to persevere. A song like 'Holloway Jail' may sound depressing stuff but the lyrics and mood of the song are very powerful - just needs a few listens. Ray went through a phase where he seemed to lose interest in writing hit singles, so these songs are not so 'catchy' shall we say.
Anyway, if you are new to The Kinks and enjoyed 'Waterloo Sunset' on Sunday night, this is as good an introduction to The Kinks as you will get. Ray - thanks for a moving performance on Sunday night - 'Waterloo Sunset' is not only your finest moment but also the song that defines London so very well.
The Very Best of The Kinks and Ray Davies doesn't include any new material - and it blatantly has been released off the back of his Olympics Finale appearance - but it does provide a window into Ray's and his band's world. It includes nearly all the classic hits plus songs centred around London, his hometown. The order of the songs (apart from those relating to London) are in a strange order - or effectively no order at all. That's disappointing because they could have done hits, London songs and Ray Davies' songs in chronological order.
However, as an introduction to probably one of the most underated bands of all time, it is great value. You get 45 songs for under £10 - half of which are Kinks hits. Some who are new to The Kinks (this album is in the Top 20 as I write this review) may at first find the none hits material difficult to follow - but it's important to persevere. A song like 'Holloway Jail' may sound depressing stuff but the lyrics and mood of the song are very powerful - just needs a few listens. Ray went through a phase where he seemed to lose interest in writing hit singles, so these songs are not so 'catchy' shall we say.
Anyway, if you are new to The Kinks and enjoyed 'Waterloo Sunset' on Sunday night, this is as good an introduction to The Kinks as you will get. Ray - thanks for a moving performance on Sunday night - 'Waterloo Sunset' is not only your finest moment but also the song that defines London so very well.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By H. Bruce
Format:Audio CD
Okay I've only given this four stars because it is just another compilation but at least there are some of Ray's solo stuff here. Personally growing up Waterloo Sunset, Victoria, All day and all of the night etc were, in my opinion, at LEAST as good as anything The Beatles or Stomes released, Ray Davies is truly one of the greatest songwriters ever and anybody looking for a starter can do a lot worse. One song missing though is the mightl Celluloid Heroes - check it out guys and become Dedicated followers of fashion.
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3.7 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
old timer
You can't get enough of the kinks I have this on record,tape,CD and now on my kindle love it love it.
Published 13 days ago by Norah Headley n headley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kinks
Great cd, with every track that you could wish for from The Kinks and Ray Davies. As it says on the cover,The Very Best of.
Published 1 month ago by tintin
5.0 out of 5 stars
How do you really buy their best?
I remember the early 70's when the 6th or 7th "best of the Kinks" compilation had already been released leaving me thinking that their label, "Pye" were really milking it a bit. Read more
Published 3 months ago by David E. Carter
5.0 out of 5 stars
Waterloo sunset
Great album with great songs certainly brings some memories back some really great kink classics this has been a really good buy at good price
Published 3 months ago by Mrs. M. Chapman
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun Listening
Purchased this after listening to Waterloo Sunset this year. I have never been much of a group follower but hadn't realized how many of the Kinks songs I had enjoyed over the... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Jennifer Lang
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you like the Kinks, you will really love this
Great collection of songs that transported me back to the 1960s/early 70s. I am a fan of the Kinks so you might think I'd just like anything they do but - not so. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Trish
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ray Davies at his Very Best
Superb compilation by probably the greatest living British song writer and that's no exaggeration! Classic Kinks songs along with some excellent Ray solo work. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Richard Powell
5.0 out of 5 stars
great value
covers all the well known songs and some new to me - would recommend to anyone interested in the 60's music
Published 4 months ago by J. Matthews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Where is celluloid heroes? - missing a musical masterpiece.
If you are getting this to listen to the kinks for the first time please buy it with Everybodys in Showbiz... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mr. Harold A. Cameron
4.0 out of 5 stars
Surprising!
Thought I knew a bit about the Kinks, but this compilation opened up areas of the band I hadn't been aware of - particularly around the "Muswell Hillbillies" period, where... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Tordal
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