THE KINKS-LOLA (HONEST REACTION)

[@dahveed72]

I live for the "wait, what?!!" moments when the reactors realize what the song is about.

[@hmsljj]

I will always be so amused when a person new to this song suddenly has the realization of what the song is actually about. Heard it with my parents when it was first released back in the early 70s. Hysterical .....

[@CaptainNemo1701]

Yep, me too. 01.42 is the ...oh, what?...moment:)

[@alanpeterson4939]

This song perfectly illustrates how much freedom the artists had, both musically and lyrically, in the 70s.

[@billybobc123]

Ironically, the Kinks couldn't release this version in England, where it's illegal to name a corporate product in songs. Thus, for the English release, they changed "Coca-Cola" to "cherry cola". Otherwise, the tranny thing was just fine with the censors. 😅

[@redarmysoja]

Sad thing about this song, when he sang "I'd never ever kissed a woman before", when it was all over, he still hadn't ever kissed a woman.

[@christinestromberg4057]

True. :)

[@ginaarendtson9478]

That look of realization made me laugh so hard I peed a little! Priceless!

[@shannankenney7746]

Haha lmao just had the same reaction 🤣

[@julielynn10]

I was in Morocco a few years ago and introduced some friends to this song. I can still see their faces when the light dawned.

[@shawnlovering1841]

Much respect for your open heart.

[@michellezewe6148]

I will always show up for The Kinks!.....thanks RRT.

[@brownbenplumm9027]

This is one my favorite songs ever. Picture Book is another great one by the Kinks

[@joepegel]

"Apeman" is my suggestion for your next Kinks song.

[@bredincaptivity4692]

Ape Man is the titties. Might be my favorite of theirs. I waffle between that and Some Mother's Son.

[@emcsquare5045]

Love that song.

[@jamesmcnaughton9575]

Apeman is fantastic

[@jewelmrr74]

Written in 1970 and I was born in 74, I can’t remember when I heard it probably about 10 or so and I loved it and still love it 😍😂🎶🌎

[@BunniMonster]

The pic isn't half man half woman, it's Dave and Ray Davies, the guitarist and vocalist brother combo.

[@themightyfp]

BunniMonster 😮 oh 😯 thanks.

[@harlanginsberg7269]

No its not its 1/4 of each of the 4 members of the Kinks at the time both Davies Dalton and Avory

[@GaryWayneHill64]

It sure does help when listening to this song for the first time to have the lyrics at hand to get the full impact of the songs meaning, I've seen a few on You Tube who have listened to it without hearing the lyrics and it's gone right over their heads, which is a shame because they haven't got the full story .

[@willrichardson519]

Chilled Saturday long weekend... You really got me, Waterloo sunset, all day and all of the night, we are the village green preservation society, sunny afternoon, days...quite a mix

[@p.millard557]

I was born in the fifties and grew up listening to rock and pop music and I loved The kinks. Lola was one of my favourites and still is but I was never shocked by the lyrics. I have always respected people for what they are, regardless of their appearance, sexual preferences or beliefs. I am surprised of the reaction of many people now. It might be because they probably did not expect to have songs with this sort of lyrics in the sixties.

[@ratowey]

The Kinks were one of the British invasion bands of the sixties, they were very influential for a lot of bands that followed. Please react to more, I`d like to suggest Waterloo sunset

[@jackal59]

Most people don't catch the perfect double meaning of the last line. "I'm glad I'm a man, and so is Lola" can mean either that Lola is glad the singer is a man or that Lola is a man. Because he sings right before that, "I'm not the world's most masculine man," I lean slightly toward reading it as the singer is a man who is not "typically" masculine and Lola is a woman who's not typically feminine. Either way, the song is positive and transgressive as hell, and it shows what you can get away with when you can write a killer hook.

[@mistybenefield5796]

This has been a fave of mine as long as I can remember. I just enjoy how completely upbeat, trans-normative (yeah, I made that word up just now), and kinda romantic it is. There's no judgement, no typical toxic masculinity that requires protestation, or anger at Lola for being herself. Just the perspective of someone looking back fondly to recall a person who touched his heart.

[@elaine8013]

In the 70's this band crossed over more than one line. They were daring and didn't care about the backlash. Radio stations refused to play it, their record label wanted them to change lyrics. Coca-cola threatened to sue. But they sang it and most people didn't blink an eye. Oh and it was based on a true story about their manager.

[@artbagley1406]

Original lyrics included the "Coca-Cola," BUT singer jetted back to England while on-tour to re-record lyrics to satisfy copyright laws and that's how we get "tastes just like CHERRY COLA" in later versions.

[@shakti7457]

This came out in 1970! "Trans" wasn't even a word, back then! As far as mainstream music, it was ahead of it's time!

[@deborahcornell171]

How are we feeling right now? I'm pretty good 'cause you just posted 3 reactions in a row to classic songs I love!💙 Try "All Day & All of the Night", "You Really Got Me" and "A Well Respected Man" for how The Kinks sounded a few years earlier at the start of the British Invasion. Btw, got a real kick out of the double-take you did when you realized the direction the story was going in. I was waiting for it, lmao! You were bopping along so smoothly to the music then the light bulb went off. That was cute.

[@rufscooby1]

considering when it was put out...it was fantastic and great

[@antonballard9431]

Great reaction sir! I knew what was coming in the lyrics lol - I thought your expression was dope! You have a new subscriber sir bless you

[@byronmitchell3784]

You are right, this is a wonderful tune. Love the vocals and rocking melody. The Kinks!

[@teresagormley903]

Love is Love

[@kevinlay9902]

Apeman is also on this album. Another great Kinks song. There are a few different possibilities to Lola's personal story. My favorite Kinks song is Waterloo Sunset. Right now my favorite kinks album is Muswell Hillbillies.

[@sukie584]

Kevin Lay I think it’s the B side to Lola

[@pinksandgirl4943]

Waterloo Sunset is the quintessential English song tract of many a Londoner.

[@sukie584]

Dureen Mufferi it’s a beautiful song. I think The Kinks were the most British of all the bigger British Invasion bands.

[@kevinlay9902]

@@sukie584 The Kinks US career was cut short after management issues. The Kinks were banned from travelling into the US for years during the height of their musical production. This fact is attributed to their music and lyrics remaining very British.

[@sukie584]

@@kevinlay9902 yes. I meant in their in sound/music, feel and subjects.

[@hilsx7518]

Just a funny encounter encapsulated with humour, clever lyrics and no judgement attached

[@aremedy4785]

Written by Ray Davies, one of the great British songwriters of the 60s - 80s with his band The Kinks. Also recommended: Waterloo Sunset and (my favourite) Days.

[@kevinflood7495]

Great reaction bro, genuine 100%

[@caralayne503]

This was based on a real incident that happened to the band’s manager, whom Got drunk & was dancing with a transvestite & found out the hard way & bugged out ... and weird, this was def the song but the versions i have of Lola are harder, stronger heavier guitar even so im thinking this is a remaster possibly.. the original is just as good of course, i like it better even, its labeled under “mono” version... love this, A Well Respected Man, You Really Got Me, All Day & All of the Night, Come Dancing... . Love the Kinks, great band! 🖤💁🏻‍♀️

[@visualanimal5634]

The Kinks were known to release sightly different lp mixed version in the US but that may not be the case with this album. Also, this version has the original Coca Cola lyric, which is on the original stereo copies but was changed to cherry cola for the mono if i am remembering that correctly.

[@caralayne503]

Visual Animal on Apple music it is still listed as the Coca Cola version... but the lyrics have both coca cola & cherry mentioned 🙂

[@pinksandgirl4943]

@@caralayne503 I've seen an interview with Ray that backs up that story... I'll take it from the horse's mouth.

[@TheOriginalFILIBUSTA]

Heck, all of "Village Green". Peak period.

[@cyberash3000]

was he in blackpool when it happened?

[@josephberg1586]

:-) Welcome to New Orleans :-D Sometimes this could be Your soundtrack of the night :-)

[@undergroundwarrior70]

The song "Lola" is loosely based on what happened to the manager of The Kinks when he went into a nightclub. The song (and album) was released in 1970. I was 14 back then. I saw The Kinks 3 times in concert; 1977, 1980, and around 1983 or 1984.

[@garycoker1990]

lol the look you gave was priceless when you knew what the song was about

[@pinksandgirl4943]

Ray Davies is a most influential song writer among his peers. Many younger bands started off covering Kinks classics. The drawing on cover is a combo of the band members in 1970. Another great song that is a thinker is 'Catch me now I'm falling' from 1979. But my honest favorite is the song written to his brother Dave, called 'Rock and Roll Fantasy' of the Misfits album (which is my personal favorite album). All in all I suggest you ENJOY!

[@rufscooby1]

you got it..thanks for the vid!

[@redken1962]

Groundbreaking in its day and a great song too.

[@limoselect]

The Mélody os fabulous. In the 60, it take a lot of ball to write a story like that!

[@bwana-ma-coo-bah425]

The guy that wrote this also wrote the music that turns your computer off when it powers down. Took some guts to write it. Check out I'm an ape man. and picture book.

[@artistmorgan]

good audience participation song

[@sukie584]

Now you have to do Walk In The Wild Side by LOU Reed. Manson murders 69.Lola is 1970. The man in the photo is Ray Davies of The Kinks

[@1183newman]

Ray Davies was a musical genius

[@eugenieareizaga8030]

Much respect for your open heart. "Apeman" is my suggestion for your next Kinks song. This is one my favorite songs ever. Picture Book is another great one by the Kinks

[@edwardrutledge2765]

How do you get that old without hearing Lola?

[@nancikuba42]

Charles Manson was in 1968/69. I remember that too living in L.A.

[@rufscooby1]

classic "Dont kiss and tell" story! LOL

[@iainweller452]

This song was way ahead of its time

[@brittanygarrison8030]

1:45 your face lol. I miss when we used to be able to just chill and laugh.

[@jeffmartin1026]

This song was banned on the radio for years even when "Walk On The Wild Side was being played. My Kinks suggestion is Ducks On The Wall.

[@bytor21122112]

1:38 LOL

[@chaipup7045]

This song was banned by the BBC in the UK due to the reference to Coca Cola. Ray Davies was in America when the song came out and had to fly back and record new lyrics, saying cherry cola instead.

[@anthonyv1719]

Need to do the live version, and of course there other classic You Really Got me...

[@wilfbentley6738]

I think my fave from the Kinks is "You Really Got Me".

[@williamdeypres1122]

Reached No. 2 in the UK charts in 1970. Ladyboys look like women and its easy to get confused. The Kinks were one of Britain's top groups in the 60's and 70's . Love 'em. Try 'All Day and All of the Night" a number one smash.

[@rufscooby1]

she just looked that good..lol

[@sjames1955]

The picture on the album cover is half Ray Davies and half Dave Davies who are the brothers behind the Kinks. This version is actually rare because he says Coca Cola. For release in America on time Ray had to take the Concorde from NYC to London and back overnight to change it to say cherry cola on the Master. On the way back to New York he sat next to Warren Beatty. He just made the contractual deadline. Incidentally, you hated his voice on Big Sky. He can sing but he takes on different characters and the one telling the story of Big Sky was not a rock star. The Kinks are great and Sir Ray Davies is one of the best song writers of the second half of the 20th century. He was knighted by Prince Charles for his contribution to music and the Kinks were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame many years ago.

[@krisswatzell7934]

Don't kill me, I don't know the words LMAO

[@sammybeck7794]

During the Heyday of this song my baby sister hated it with a purple passion. Her name is Lola.

[@87ventus]

Hi great reaction i always felt the same..if he was into it cool..but don't fool.. It a betrayal like a married person lying about being single....so i understand where you cooking from but he seemed ok at the end with lola... 'well respected man' it's always a great song by the kinks.✌

[@patrickvarine8476]

1:41 Yeah. It's like that. hahahaha

[@rossrmorrison]

Tune...sir...tune

[@fidge54]

Got to have the lyrics with you for Kinks joints. Trust me

[@ErisRising]

This song was made to be reacted to.

[@submandave1125]

Almost lost it when you were grooving along and suddenly stopped dead in your tracks with the "walks like a woman but talks like a man" line.

[@johngeer4557]

Now this song gets a 8.5 from me, Kinks are one of the great band. Try "everybody else" another free spirit song that is timeless.

[@leylaevans9116]

haven't heard them sing coca cola in years only cherry cola

[@alexandercope]

Imagine 52 years ago a No1 on the Charts Gay? Transgender love song??? Blew a lot of minds. Still a great song.

[@carrolluwlclariceusv2814]

"Apeman" is my suggestion for your next Kinks song. I will always show up for The Kinks!.....thanks RRT.

[@ScootLoops616]

I'm not the worlds most masculine man but I know what I am, and I'm glad I'm a man and so is Lola!

[@patmanchester8045]

It should have given a hint at his meeting Lola in Soho, where gender fluidity was accepted before a lot of the rest of the world.

[@rufscooby1]

try destroyer by the kinks, or around the dial, or come dancing, all great kinks songs

[@billybobc123]

My favorite line (because it's so ambiguous)..."I know what I am, and I'm glad I'm a man, and so is Lola". Is Lola glad he's a man, or is Lola a man? Do we know the answer, or do we just think we do?

[@daviddixon6408]

This song was released in 1970 and was very controversial at that time as you can imagine.

[@williamchavez7186]

Lola never says she is a man but near the end, Ray Davies says I'm not the world's most masculine man, but I know what I am and I'm glad I'm a man and so is Lola la la lala lola

[@nancikuba42]

This was in 1970. Even i couldn't get it when I was 13/14 yrs old. I'm 65 now & I'm gay

[@Mpshfromlowell64]

The song was based on an actual event in which one of songwriter Ray Davies’ friends spent an evening hitting on a girl who had a five o’clock shadow, but he was too drunk to notice it. The song itself is deliberately ambiguous as to whether Lola is a woman or a man…..

[@billdemudd6697]

The pic is the two bros in the group,two halves Ones theatrical,the others a rocker A lot of our enjoyment of music is projection? Mates in uk navy,tell of having to be alert in certain ports! I was in the uk army,no probs there

[@fidge54]

"I know what I am and I'm glad I'm a man....and so is Lola!"

[@mrtyreus0]

I wish you'd wear your phones inside of your hoodie. It would sound so much better.

[@themightyfp]

I agree 😞 ✌️

[@commentingonly7337]

"I'm pretty sure I enjoyed it." Nah man. You didn't care for it which is totally chill tho. "Can this guy actually sing?" Is a quote from that vid

[@themightyfp]

This one was good though.

[@patgallagher6762]

Love the kinks ,another great track is lazing on a sunny afternoon ,can you react to queen's cool cat ,please ,stay safe ,thanks from Liverpool x

[@ltrane81]

This def a jam but them lyrics will catch ya off guard 😂😂 & this was in the late 60s too

[@heliotropezzz333]

The image you are referring to (that you thought was Charles Manson) looks like an image of Ray Davies, lead singer and songwriter of The Kinks. Half his face looks like his normal self (perhaps a bit feminised, it's hard to see the detail) and the other half has more masculine features such as a moustache and possibly a beard.

[@jonnno2439]

Please react to You Really Got Me, and then Waterloo Sunset by the KInks, and see what diverse songs the KInks have come up with

[@If6turnsouttobe9]

That was great... " wait.. what?? " cool reaction... I dated a girl named Lorna I called her Lola.. shed never geard.. when she did... that was dead.

[@yang-it-yin7002]

Nice Review! The Kinks possible the most under rated band of all time. There influence across decades and music genres is unmatched. Lola is a great song and I do believe the B-Side of that 45-single is another classic Apeman I think it would be pretty cool to have and A-Side to B-Side review, I think it is worth doing. I have a link of Apeman performed in 1970 on top of the pops: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3bIoWltltB8pJY

[@patmanchester8045]

the picture is not of Lola, it is of one of the kinks.

[@patdonnelly9392]

This song was written about 1970. And you had Lou Reed singing about transvestites around the same time. David Bowie, New York Dolls and Jagger are doing their thing. And these kids today think THEY are ORIGINAL for what reason, exactly??

[@pollorojas5130]

this is a slow down version

[@litonyayo1666]

DESTROYER!!!

[@davewilson435]

The Kinks have been doing it for so long and doing it so good you tend to take Ray Davies brilliant songwriting for granted. Take it way back and give "Sunny Afternoon" a listen.

[@fidge54]

Nah man, That pic is half Ray Davies and half his brother Dave

[@aaronmaybe497]

It seems like the song is a bit slow in this video

[@TheJohnnywbred]

Ironically I can make an argument that the Kinks are one of the most politically conservative groups out there. And from the group the brought us the classic Lola. The Kinks are great.

[@fidge54]

Yea man, listen to it again with the lyrics...Got to it with Ray Davies songs

[@bignorbert1136]

Your face the moment you realised! Walks like a man? Mmmm! Good stuff.

[@προπαππούς]

I strongly suggest: the New York Dolls, “Personality Crisis”

[@lindachrisman915]

Try Alcohol by the Kinks

[@rufscooby1]

try "destroyer" by the kinks

[@patmanchester8045]

No this is not a person with both sexual organs ( 'half man half woman" Lola is not a Transgender, She is a Transvestite a cross dresser. Great song.

[@GinMae]

Hey, RRT - Kinks were always pretty "progressive" -- it's supposed to be humorous... and yet, "inclusive" - for people who are not threatened by other sexualities... "live & let live" --according to lyrics, he was pretty naive and didn't realize who he was dealing with -- but when he DID, he kind of didn't care... not his thing, but he still appreciated "Lola" for who she was...

[@drwho9209]

Written to be ambiguous, even their Band name was considered provocative