The Kinks - The shirt (lyrics)

song by The Kinks Called "The Shirt"
Lyrics:
As I walked into the charity store
I saw a second-hand shirt hangin' up by the door
The collar was frayed, there was a stain on the cuff
Caused by ketchup or blood or some such stuff
It wasn't made of polyester or nylon
The label said "Made in the UK" so I tried it on
And I looked in the mirror and declared
"I like this shirt, I want it"
It's not the label on the shirt that you wear
It's the way that you wear it
They say it's style and breeding and culture that counts
But you can't change good taste on the expense account
And if design or fashion makes you a hero
You can dress all highbrow but still be an emotional zero
But I declare "It's not the shirt you wear
It's the way that you wear it"
I was looking for danger, I should have taken more care
I was dressed to kill, I felt so debonair
Wild expectations, arrogant air
Then I walked into that bar, she was standing there
I walked over with all my savoir fair
And she said "You're a smart looking dude
But your character's ugly, it clashes with my shoes
And I, I can't stand your attitude"
I assumed it was leading to a romantic interlude
I thought my conquest was made
But I was stunned by the magnitude
Of her ingratitude
I spent a good thirty bucks on this babe
Like the shirt I was wearing
This romantic affair was not destined to last
The harder I tried, the louder she laughed
I was reduced to despair, my emotions laid bare
She knew I was hurt, made me feel like a jerk
I was humbled, humiliated, castrated
My masculinity dragged through the dirt
Then thrown in the air to be devoured by the lions
The vultures, the jackals and all the scavengers of love
I was strutting around with my chest stuck out
Like a peacock preparing to get laid
Thought I looked cool but she put me down
She said "You look like a clown on a circus parade"
Still the shirt has class, it looks well made
She was a babe of the first degree
She was totally fantabulous
Like a goddess from Greece and yet
The epitome of the 20th century femininity
She was in her own league
She was meant for me, it was destiny
Like Adam and Eve, synchronisity
She brought out the testosterone in me
Last time I saw that babe she was smiling contentedly
Now I'm trapped on this murder rap, a mistaken identity
It wasn't me, it wasn't me, it wasn't me
Now this cop says "It's up to you, death row or solitude
Crime of passion, you should plead 'insane'
You say you wouldn't lie, but we've just blown your alibi
We've found your shirt and it's got a blood stain"
It was the shirt you were wearing
It was the shirt you were wearing

[@MickBokulich-gg1ro]

Ray is the most creative musician in music history. 👏🏻

[@nogrouchy]

I'm impressed by someone who can sing / interpret such difficult lines to an extraordinary melody. Ray's voice suits unbelievably well ... smokey, smooth, variable. Brilliant!

[@bengtblom3100]

Brilliant song jazzy, groovy! Ray Davies is a fantastic singer and songwriter.

[@matthewwright2926]

Ray has so many different singing voices, amazing.

[@ChrisSeahorse]

In my view there is not another singer with such range, I mean that not in the conventional sense but in terms of the range of styles he is able to incorporate in his performances and the range of humanity he is able to convey.

[@etamommy]

Pretty funny lyrics! And the jazzy stuff is fun and funny too!

[@omanichickiebabe]

Such a lovely bluesy groove.

[@leonchristensen7813]

Super!

[@andersnordqvist9250]

Great as Always when they play

[@vladluskin4024]

A masterpiece

[@dazzlerby]

I had this song on a double album bought back in the late 90's it had ray davies stuff on one disc & best of the kinks on the other.........there's a song called "my diary" which i love but can't find it anywhere!!! also, art lover is a good song & "the shirt" made me buy a shirt from a charity shop! cheers for the upload line0molly. :o)

[@largedelta]

Dazzlerby I had the same album My diary is simply stunning I can’t find it either

[@ChristopherBorrow]

Hi gents, I remembered the same thing. I found it! The Ray Davis part is the second CD to the singles collection from '97. www.amazon.co.uk/Singles-Collection-Songs-Ray-Davies/dp/B000007VB5

[@guitar.forbeginners.withdave]

Never heard this before. Great tune. Where's it from?

[@line0molly]

It was written by Ray Davies. It was on a CD called "Kinks. The Singles Collection"

[@line0molly]

@dazzlerby art lover is defently at good song too... i have uploaded a video with My Diary now.

[@pabze]

where is this song from?

[@line0molly]

A CD called "kinks. The Singles Collection"

[@pabze]

@@line0molly thank you

[@fernandogrossi9740]

the pic in 3:10 are not The Kinks

[@line0molly]

The drums says "the kinks" though

[@napsahtava]

That's probably from the more recent stage production.

[@adolforodolfo6929]

@@napsahtava No, it's definitely not from that - seen it a few times, so I'm absolutely sure. Looks like some old tribute band - that's my best guess anyway. By the way, the stage show (assuming you mean "Sunny Afternoon") is great. It was going to tour a few UK theatres last summer, but Covid killed that. I'm sill hoping I haven't seen it for the last time.

[@napsahtava]

@@adolforodolfo6929 Interesting... Yes, I've heard the stage show is excellent. One friend of mine (here in California) flew to London expressly to see it. I would love to go myself.

[@comic4relief]

It's funny. I think I've seen that same photo in some other compilation of Kinks photos.