The Kinks - Sunny Afternoon Reaction

[@gvcalcar]

Thanks for the reaction. The video is not official and distracts from the song. Though the sound is cheery, the text is not... he sings about the taxes ruining him, his girlfriend leaving him, taking the car and big fat mama trying to break him, which is the English Government with all their regulations at that time. The only thing he can enjoy is the sun. It was a huge hit in the summer of 1966 when England became World Champion football.

[@terrythekittieful]

'Wonderboy',...that's my go to Kinks track. Ray Davies is a legend,...forget the Stones, the Kinks were the real serious challenge to the Beatles in the 60's.

[@headpeace1018]

Life is short and I understand not everybody has the time to listen to every Kinks album but if one did one would quickly realise Ray Davies is one of England's song writing geniuses and not like the Beatles at all. Paul Weller of The Jam learned a lot from The Kinks. How talking about your own circumstances and personal environment can translate to anyone scratching about on their own home ground all over the world.

[@harlanginsberg7269]

Two more Kinks songs that must be hit Shangri-La and 20th Century Man. Both of these songs are pure genius.

[@fractuss]

I flippin' love "Oklahoma USA".

[@sandgrownun66]

This is 1966, before Yoko Ono was in the news. She and John Lennon, first met in late 66.

[@charlesappleby8049]

I'm surprised that this song was unknown to you, it is one of their better known numbers here in the UK. Aside from the sunny weather the video doesn't really represent the meaning of the song, which in my opinion is a dig at the Government of the day picking the pockets of the successful with their ludicrously high tax rates, a la Taxman by The Beatles. The opening line says it all really. "Save me from this squeeze, I've got a big fat mamma trying to break me" The lady in question being the taxman, anyway that's how I've always interpreted it. Great song from a great band.

[@johnnyW1966]

The video is not an 'official video' meant to go with the song ( pop videos didn't really exist at this time, apart from the odd promo film such as used by the Beatles.) This is just a film of London in the sixties, attached to the song, so don't try to equate the film to the lyrics of the song.

[@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis.]

Another great reaction, thank you for revisiting The Kinks, they're a great band, with many different sounds.

[@hanierfamily]

We're really enjoying discovering more of them. Thanks.

[@richardhinman3046]

This song is one of many Kinks songs that show the British "music-hall" style influence.

[@rayutube]

Sunny Afternoon 1966 Lazy Sunday Afternoon (Small Faces) 1968 Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon (Queen) 1975. Again, the Kinks influence.

[@hanierfamily]

We love Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon. Short and sweet. And it's so fun.

[@randydoak6638]

You kind of missed the story of the song Too distracted by the video I guess. The taxman’s taken all my dough And left me in my stately home Lazing on a sunny afternoon And I can’t sail my Yacht He’s taken everything I’ve g All l’ve got’s a sunny afternoon He goes on to say that his girlfriend left him. It’s a portrait or a dissolute wealthy slacker fallen on hard times.

[@ghichens3418]

Yes ! great old tune ! memorys from childhood ! Only thing I was too young to be sipping on an ice cold beer ! Now I cant remember where I put my ice cold beer ! Great vid from the day aswell Cheers !

[@diogenesagogo]

So many songs ... You don't appear to have covered many so I'll make a quick list: You Really Got Me, All Day & All Of The Night (my fave), Lola (iconic), Dead End Street, See My Friend, Dandy, Well Respected Man (both funny), Days ... & many, many more. Davis' lyrics are always spot on & often witty.

[@djtwo2]

plus AUTUMN ALMANAC

[@hanierfamily]

We know the first 3 you suggested very well! We will add the rest.

[@martinquarton184]

Enjoy you guys.

[@pepelemoko2820]

A touch of class guys. The Kinks never fail to inspire and surprise. I don't know what Ray's thoughts were but it has a summer of love vibe and the beginnings of women's liberation from the victorian era but not long after the second world war. Crazy to think gender equality still doesn't have full parity in 2023?

[@Sandy-dd4le]

I've always thought of Sunny Afternoon as being a bit like The Beatles' Taxman, not musically, but lyrically, both songs seem to have been written as a reaction to the colossal tax rate in those days... Which is also why the Stones Exile On Main Street came about. So, well done Mr Taxman! Bob Geldof does a pretty good cover if this, though it's very faithful to the original.

[@gablen23]

This is my ringtone :) great song, I love it!

[@petermizon4344]

ABOUT 1966 JUST AS FLOWERPOWER WAS JUST STARTING, I HAD MY FLOWERY SHIRT LOL

[@DIDCOTTWIST]

I love the kinks song Death Of A Clown and The Hollies Stop Stop Stop

[@colinglen4505]

Startling to realize that all of the young people in the video are now in their 70's.

[@surfaceten510n]

The early sixties were a homogeneous blob of bands you couldn't tell who had sung what until the DJ told you, it was a time of experimental and innovative song wrighting until band's emerged in the late sixties with more distinct sounds where you could tell them apart .

[@mattjohn4731]

Groovy tune.

[@Adam-o1x2t]

This is a quality song. For some reason it reminds me of den and angie from eastenders.

[@andrewwright9378]

These are just random images of “swinging London” around the time this song was out.

[@jonnno243]

Great song. If you want to hear a similarly themed superb song from the USA in the 60s, (1966 again), The Lovin' Spoonful and "Summer InThe City" would be a good choice.

[@hanierfamily]

Yes. Summer In The City is a true masterpiece. We just love it. Chris's father was a huge Lovin' Spoonful fan. Unfortunately, he didn't keep a record collection. But we would like to hear more from them too.

[@charlesappleby8049]

"You didn't have to be so nice" by the Spoonful is my favourite song of theirs and one of the finest pop tunes of the 60's in my opinion.

[@garytaylor-ty6xt]

Gotta love 😍 the kinks 🇬🇧 👌👍

[@colrhodes377]

How about, Empty city by the mighty Thunder?

[@punkpopnotdead]

try the move [ i can hear the grass grow ]

[@fractuss]

Cherry Blossom Clinic, Lightning Never Strikes Twice, The Brontosaurus.

[@matthewashman1406]

The film is just a mash up of song with a film of English hippies

[@colrhodes377]

The Kinks were a brilliant band. They talked about sexualty long before Marc Bolan and David Bowie.

[@leroyrs]

I know that song and somehow like it but as older I get I realize that a lot of 60s and 70s songs are not on my music lists anymore.

[@Jovolution]

Kinks 4ever!

[@lemming9984]

The videos attached to these old songs detract from the song. They weren't made for the song at the time. Better not to have any film at all unless they are authentic!

[@andyf2837]

Agreed

[@TheWhanfried]

Paper dresses.

[@BrixtonTone]

Erm ? don't get me wrong, loved so much of the stuff the Kinks put out but for me this was nothing more than a pleasant tune. Compare it to their early stuff when they first appeared and blew us all away with "You Really Got Me" , "All of the Day and All of the Night" and even the slightly more mellow "Tired of Waiting" . For me as time went on they lost the edge that appealed to me, they did of course still come up with a song that would grab attention e.g "Lola" and of course the magnificent and a classic in the history of '60's popular music "Waterloo Sunset" . Apologies to all Kink fans out there , BUT, apart from the songs I've mentioned , what am I missing ?

[@fractuss]

So much, they have a vast catalog of wonderfullness. In particular I dearly love "Muswell Hillbillies".

[@fractuss]

"Misfits", "Arthur", "Lola vs Powerman", "We are the Village Green Preservation Society". Oh and "A Soap Opera", "Ducks on the Wall" is priceless.

[@kevcall]

The video is various areas of London by the look of it. The video is a bit distracting from the music, at least it was for me 😁

[@hanierfamily]

We agree. It was a fun video, but it took us away from the music a bit. We still liked the song, though.

[@octurn]

And you get a look at Yoko Ono at 1:48, pre Lennon!, good pickup.

[@kevcall]

@@octurn ah so it was her.. I wasn't sure

[@marksalley3477]

No. It's about a man who has lost everything. But at least it's a sunny day.

[@Tony2438]

Of course it's England what are you talking about

[@69Phuket]

Gone crying to her folks with tales of drunkenness & cruelty.. Well! No ying yang goin' on there then! Dump her!

[@jillhobson6128]

I think you have to be British to appreciate the Kinks. Don't try to analyse them too much.

[@MisterJ56]

Or ……. Dutch …….. it’s just a small step to the other side 😉

[@fractuss]

Or an American who is remotely well read.

[@JoeScottish]

The video is unrelated to the song, so dont review that, too late you did haha/ ......the song is from the height of the mid 60s, it was number one when England won the WOrld Cup in 1966..... one of the great Kinks songs..... pity you played the video where someone added a terrible unrelated video

[@oldperson989]

Great music choices but please improve your background with nice colours or pics. Also try and raise the lovely lady up into view. When watching 60s music videos remember they are not original, we didn't have them them.

[@changelocation]

London before multiculturalism. 🙂

[@djtwo2]

No, Before mass tourism swamped London.

[@edwardallen4051]

@@djtwo2 You are right of course London has been multicultural for centuries

[@archangelmusic13]

the kinks have much better songs than this, i recommend their late 60s albums, all rated 5 stars, village green preservation from 68 has great songs like do you remember walter and starstruck

[@fractuss]

Videos are so distracting from the music.

[@hanierfamily]

Sometimes.

[@fractuss]

@@hanierfamily Sorry not meant as a criticism, just an observation.