Why am I so confused? The Kinks- "LOLA" (Top of the Pops 1970) *REACTION*

[@germankitty]

I can't stop laughing when I see you kids' reactions to songs we loved over fifty years ago. Not bad for us old people, huh? 🙂

[@sandracraft517]

Gives me a laugh too -- they just can't believe we had songs like this 50 years ago!

[@lennychorn147]

Same pal. 😅

[@Thompson-Gunner343]

I’m only 50, and I’ve been listening to it since I was born! 😂

[@Sandylorenzi22]

I enjoy seeing their reactions too! It's sad that in some ways, we have definitely moved backwards from songs like this. I loved how they got around the censors with this song!!

[@robinroberts2803]

right I’m 62 i love to see the younger ones reactions 😂

[@TLL999]

I had the hugest smile on my face when realization hit you....I was 13 when this came out and we didn't bat an eye.

[@sjddds]

I was 11 years old

[@robhaskins]

I would have been 10, but I don't think I heard this song until much later. I wish I had heard it when I was ten. This song woulda helped me.

[@scotsean]

I agree , I was 10..the faux outrage some American's exhibit is tiresome

[@roderickdunn3464]

@@TLL999 we loved this when it came out. Used to sing along out loud and laugh. Great fun song.

[@overd002]

Great reaction! My understanding is that they were playing a gig and a cross-dresser hit on the band"s manager. Ray wrote the the song to tease the mananger every time they played it. Turned out to be a big hit. Don't let "Lola" turn you off. The Kinks have a spectacular catalog of songs. "Celluloid Heros", "You Really Got Me", "Come Dancing", 'Waterloo Sunset", "Ape Man", "Tired or Waiting For You" are just a few of their amazing songs.

[@Mftjan2000]

Great story...I never knew this. It's so interesting the back story to songs.

[@savinghistory642]

Love Come Dancing. Sad story behind it though. Makes me think of my sister and cry.

[@overd002]

@@savinghistory642 I know right? I lost big sister almost a decade ago.

[@stephensanders8572]

Actually it was the drummer

[@hildahilpert5018]

Was driving up to New Braunfels with my dad and had the radio one .This was playing on the radio.Daddy said as we listened to it that it was a dirty song.Didnt know what he meant, until later on when I heard it again and really listened to the lyrics He also would once in a great while would sing a song,.First line is Down in Gas Alley where the maiden heads grow.Nevet heard the rest of it since he,d stop if he thought he or my sister was listening.Think it some song from the 1890s or earlier.

[@JC-qw8xf]

I threw my head back and laughed so hard when it dawned on you!! Beyond hilarious!

[@punkydoodle4774]

Agreed! The head bopping stopped so fast. I laughed so much my daughter came out to see what was going on.

[@clpjones1964]

I laughed so hard that I had to leave my bedroom so I wouldn't wake my husband!

[@bobscratchett5346]

@@punkydoodle4774the dancing stopped so quick 😂😂😂

[@Msnando09]

Greg you were hilarious 😂

[@Caseyd1966]

Omg me too 😂😂😂😂

[@timbukh3]

Your reaction when you first understood made me laugh. The abrupt stillness could not be ignored. Lola.....a code name. You killed me with this reaction lol. The lyrics were I walked to the door I fell to the floor.

[@rightclick7266]

Didn't want to ruin the 69 thumbs up for this comment so 👍☺

[@jolenewitzel7919]

Your face said it all dude. 😂 This is based on a true story.

[@stevenmcanales3813]

Yeah dude, Lola is a cross-dressing man 😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@thereverendepi_gee565]

yeah, it's based on 100,000,000 true stories.. :P

[@Alan_CFA]

The lyrics you couldn’t make out were “I fell to the floor” “I pushed her away I walked to the door I fell to the floor I got down on my knees Well, I looked at her, and she at me” Yeah, it was inspired by a true incident in which a member of the road crew or manager or someone got drunk at a club and didn’t realize he was dancing all night long with a transvestite. The band members did know and thought it was hysterical. Ray Davies said that Lola’s gender wasn’t important since the guy had a great time because of him/her.

[@danielt4449]

lol you should try take a walk on the wild side by Lou Reed

[@gailmaree7719]

I think he’d faint on the spot! 😂😂

[@sharlenebarns9174]

I’m 68. This is my era. He said I know that I’m a man and so is Lola.

[@BRIDINC1972]

😂😂😂😂

[@bquietsouhear]

😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@lynnhoffman247]

He says, “I’m glad I’m a man, and so is Lola:”

[@Chiari_Queen_T]

No. Not what he said. Exact words - "I know what I am and I'm glad I'm a man, so is Lola". They purposely wrote it so it can be taken as -hes glad he's a man and so is Lola (glad HE'S a man) OR as - so is Lola (a man). It's cleverly written not only because it wouldn't get radio play back then if they just said it, but they are known as both clever & sarcastic writers and it's more fun that way.

[@tammyfinnemore]

I saw the moment you realised...and yes you didnt really need to hear it again to get it but it says it all in this verse Well, I'd left home just a week before And I'd never ever kissed a woman before But Lola smiled and took me by the hand She said, "Little boy, gonna make you a man" Well, 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

[@RLucas3000]

The key is that line which could mean one of two different things: 1) I’m glad I’m a man, and so is Lola, meaning Lola is also glad that he (her new boyfriend) is a man, or 2) I’m glad I’m a man, and so is Lola, meaning Lola is also a man like he himself is I don’t think the UK censors would have allowed 2) on the airwaves in 1970, but you have the plausible deniability of 1) And some beautiful, sexy women like Bonnie Tyler or Kim Carnes just have raspy voices. For an even more challenging song, listen to The Kinks ‘Art Lover’

[@lennychorn147]

​@@RLucas3000You're forgetting the line, where he pushed her away and headed out the door and fell to the floor. At that point he was reliving the nights events in his head. In short he didn't go for Lola. When you read the lyrics, you get a better understanding of the meaning.

[@chrisellis3797]

@@RLucas3000 The BBC did censor it.... they changed Coca Cola to Cherry Cola as they weren't allowed to be seen to advertise a product🤣 Seems like the least of the issues they should have been looking for!!

[@rbb9753]

An older friend of mine was in high school when this song came out. After a few months, he and a couple friends were driving along, singing the song, having a great time. At the end, one of his friends said “I think Lola’s a guy.” They were astonished; the next time they heard the song they burst out laughing, at themselves mostly.

[@remoney]

I was 8 years old when I heard this song and I knew EXACTLY what they were talking about. So it's a mystery to me why all these alfa males are sayin WFT. Dude. DUDE!!! I knew who Lola was when I was 8 years old and I didn't care and it didn't make me gay.

[@dreadtrain2846]

Gotta hide those geigh feelings so the boys don't suspect anything. Good news though, they are geigh too! If these guys only knew heh.

[@jtfike]

Give yourself a cookie

[@nehifamily]

😂😂😂😂 Your reaction is absolutely priceless. Thanks for the honest reaction

[@reverbscherzo7850]

"I need answers ... right now." Sorry, you have to wait until the end of the song. 😂

[@John_Chu]

True story with some embellishments. The band's manager walked into a "different" kind of bar in London one night and got a big surprise. LOL.

[@cheryla7480]

The encounter between Lola and the band manager actually happened in a Paris nightclub!

[@herrzimm]

My dad would play this on his stereo, JUST to get a kick out of watching my brother and I figuring out what was going on... and this was back around 79-80. And even as an 8 year old, I knew something was "different", but not entirely sure until about 5-6 years later when I heard it on the radio and couldn't stop laughing.

[@lynnhoffman247]

Your dad sounds like mine - fun guys for fathers. 😊

[@herrzimm]

Hard to believe that this is the same group that did "You Really Got Me", one of the most sampled guitar riffs ever recorded.

[@steveyaworsky6170]

I have to give it to ya' Greg, you "got it" faster than most people do. I was 12 when this one came out, and it took a while for my buddies and I to figure it out. But back then, some things weren't as easily accepted as they are today. 😁

[@markalexander3659]

Yep! I seen people reacting to this get past the "...I'm glad I'm a man and so it Lola" line and STILL not clock it lol

[@mso4433]

You can tell by the grin on lead singer Ray Davies' face that he's about to tell a naughty story, but the censors didn't pick up on it immediately in the 70's. Funny story and evidently a true one. Love it. Loved the Kinks.

[@marythacker4802]

Lola was also a man.

[@terrydavis7389]

now you have to do lou reed take a walk on the wild side...

[@alabhaois]

LOVE the Kinks!! 🎸💕😎👍

[@brendaboyd5009]

OMG, I needed this today. I laughed out loud at your reaction. Thank you for all of your reaction videos, and thank you for making my day better. 9:45

[@Gillie51-bl8su]

I love seeing first reactions to this song! You're a lot more perceptive than I was as a naive teenager at the time... The whole theme went whooshing straight over my head. It wasn't until I heard it again a few years later that I realised what was really going on! 😉

[@christymurphy6571]

😂😂😂😂😂 Your face was priceless. Great reaction. Lola was a man my friend. ML&R

[@lonbecker113]

The confusion is natural since the singer, Ray Davies, liked to play with the literary idea of the fallible narrator. That basically means that the singer is not entirely telling it like it is. The idea here is that Lola is a transvestite, maybe transgendered, but we didn't really talk in those terms them. But the singer is naive and doesn't realize it. So he keeps say things that give it away, but at the same time he keeps denying it. The closest he comes to admitting it is in the end when he says "I know what I am and I'm glad I'm a man, and so is Lola". But this is pointedly ambiguous as to whether Lola is a man or Lola is glad the singer is a man. The singer persumably means the latter.

[@bruce5402]

@lonbecker. I liked your comment. However, the singer, Ray Davies, knows exactly who Lola was. He often exaggerated lyrics to explain a situation or sign of the times.

[@lonbecker113]

Ray Davies is playing a character in the song. He never actually fell in love with someone named Lola. The character in the song that is telling the story did. And that character doesn't realize that Lola is a man.@@bruce5402

[@BossNerd]

Greg catches on quick. Your reaction priceless! The music is good, the situation is something else.

[@pumpkinhead34]

I'm dying laughing at your reaction to this song!!

[@markdecker6190]

The Kinks did a really excellent job lip-synching this one.

[@Dcs.234]

I really don’t understand this younger generation and getting all shocked .... heck we were not that shocked when this first came out in the UK…it’s a great song and it’s funny …

[@moonchild848]

omg.....Just watching your facial expressions with the raised eyebrows and general confusing thoughts swirling around in your mind made me burst out laughing. Best reaction ever😀

[@jeffdickens9556]

Hahaha, Greg, that look on your face when you caught onto the trick. Priceless

[@GinMae]

Thanks, Greg - the Kinks were so amazing.. so many different styles of music.. this one becomes clear over the course of the song... so cool! lol

[@donnaneville192]

I love watching reactions to this song! My understanding is some one from the band's production or management team met someone in a bar one night and got a suprised when he realized as you said Lola was really Larry. The wrote this song to kind of tease him. As a kid this song came out and at the time I had no clue, but as I got older I realized the meaning. What was funny is this song played on the radio and the band performed it on TV appearances and no one picked up on it, and this was 1970!

[@lesliedavis2185]

I think it got banned in nz initially, it was well understood what it was about

[@pamalaalford1081]

I don't recall it being banned ... I remember it as one that "sneaked" through ... kind of like the later "Afternoon Delight". The younger kids didn't get it - at least not initially. Thanks for reaction ... many felt the same way you do! God bless you.

[@lesliedavis2185]

@@pamalaalford1081 it was plaid on independent radio no problems.

[@firedoc5]

Beat me to it. LOL It was their road manager.

[@jameswolfden]

When I heard it when it came out, we all picked up on it. We loved it anyways. That was part of the fun of the song. It pushed boundaries and pissed off our parents that we thought it was a good song.

[@chrisjamieson3452]

The studio version uses Coca Cola, but Coke objected to the use of their brand name, so in concert Ray Davies would sing Cherry cola. Which is a thing, if you can handle that sweet a taste.

[@mickbacon8542]

Actually it was the BBC that banned it because they would not allow product placement in records played on the BBC. The original version for the rest of the world uses Coca Cola. The Kinks redid the record using Cherry Cola for broadcast by the BBC. This video is from a BBC programme.

[@NewFalconerRecords]

It was actually the BBC who objected to Coca Cola because they weren't allowed to advertise products. Ray had to fly all the way to the States just to overdub one word on the recording.

[@chrisjamieson3452]

@@NewFalconerRecords Thanks, I really didn't remember the story. Just wanted them to see what they couldn't understand.

[@NewFalconerRecords]

❤@@chrisjamieson3452

[@chaipup7045]

@@NewFalconerRecords *from the states

[@chrisfrombarrie8830]

2:35 that moment when you realize Lola is not a typical love song 😂 I love watching these young folks discover my generations music.

[@davidoakley2722]

I have seen a few reviews of this song and you are the first to plck up the clues so early, well done.

[@rbb9753]

Imagine hearing this in 1970 … not as open-minded a time.

[@johnvetere]

Ok too funny. Thank you for the reaction. I loved it😊

[@wtrs261]

Confused? Maybe you should date a "girl" named Lola. Another great Kinks song is "Low Budget" which about 98 percent of us can relate to these days.

[@barbarakitt5948]

I absolutely love first reactions to this tune 😂😂😂 It was truly shocking in the ‘70’s

[@brigidsingleton1596]

@@barbarakitt5948 I was _17_ in 1979 and was not shocked by it, I loved it then and love it now, especially the double entendre!!

[@Kimberliss42]

This is one of the best tunes, but I felt guilty about loving it.. My mom told me she liked the tune, too, but I wasn't permitted to play it..

[@brigidsingleton1596]

@@barbarakitt5948 I don't ever recall being shocked by this (or any other) song way back then !! I wonder why?!!

[@brigidsingleton1596]

@@Kimberliss42 People are so weird ... I wasn't shocked by it!!

[@MerlinsMuse66]

Absolutely love your reaction!!!Most of us had the same confusion our first time. Some people will never put it together no matter how many times they hear it. It was a crazy yet wonderful time back then. ✌️

[@aletadetwiler9071]

Absolutely loved those years! I’d never give them up…. Even for more time

[@heliotropezzz333]

The original lyrics said he drank champagne that tastes just like coca cola but he was forced to change the words to cherry cola.

[@billbusby3180]

After the tourned the US with this song they were banned for playing in the US.

[@jmcquown]

This song originally used the words "Coca Cola". It turned into a copyright infringement so they changed the lyrics to "cherry cola". In later years it was re-released with the original lyrics because it did not impact the sale of Coca Cola.

[@debbielough7754]

No, that's not right. It was recorded with 'Coca Cola', and the worldwide release kept that all along. The BBC banned it because it breached their strict advertising rules, so it was changed to 'cherry cola' for the UK release, to get it unbanned.

[@aVTprepper]

The look on your face when you realized Lola was a Larry...LOL

[@OkiePeg411]

Im dying!!!!! 😆 🤣 😂 😅 😆 🤣 You were like all jamming and get on with bebe Lola....then suddenly, your entire face changed!!! 😆 🤣 😂 I almost couldn't breathe from laughing so hard!!! She squeezed him so hard because she was a dude!!! 💪

[@lancevaughn432]

I like your reaction when you were slowly getting it, but was confused. Listen to it again with lyrics, and enjoy.

[@Kimberliss42]

Your astonished look was Eddie Murphy all the way.. He has the best facial reactions ever..

[@guidosarducci]

"Cherry cola" man...that's what they sold you for $5 in a champagne glass WAY back at the gentleman's clubs"...

[@randy8297]

I love it when you realized they're paying attention.

[@gustavmeyrink_2.0]

The first release of this song was banned by the BBC because he sang 'Coca-Cola' thus infringing on the BBCs strict rule of not mentioning commercial products. This is the second release in which Coca Cola has ben replaced by Cherry Cola which was not a commercial product and hence they could appear on BBC TV and radio. There were no issues with anything else.

[@mama_b_7525]

Thats cos "Lola" was really "Larry" 😂❤

[@herobrinenoch3522]

🤣😂😄🤣😂 Old person here, love your reaction. At least you picked it up first time!

[@kevanbodsworth9868]

You should not be " confused " This is 2024 not 1924, .. This band existed in the 60s and 70s the time in which repressive laws against homosexuals were abolished, WE thought the theme was settled but there seems an amnesia gap between that generation and today's young people who seem very ignorant and unknowledgeable, I also get tired of hearing " wow this was way ahead of its time " Well it wasn't, those were the times and in-between then and now society lost its way and forgot, At least the music will tell the truth,

[@LP-sr5yx]

I laughed out loud watching your reaction to this. Absolutely hilarious 😅 love from an English fan❤

[@nidh1109]

Has been my favourite Kinks song. Even saw Ray Davies live and was singing along to Lola without getting it. Last year, Via internet views, got it! Then it's so obvious.

[@rickietrull7652]

The Kinks Superman is a good one

[@noplacelikehomecrochet5335]

These guys spent some time in the house of John Wayne Gacy 😱😳 not knowing he was a serial killer. They were lucky to get out alive

[@jasonbyassee7541]

lol I heard this song a few times in the 80’s before I finally caught everything they were saying. 😂😂😂 It’ll definitely cause you to seize up.

[@blackenreed1425]

This was on the BBC so it's the censored version (no advertising). Obviously the censors didn't pay enough attention to the rest. 😀

[@andibay3736]

Stellar reaction!! 🤔😳😂💯👏🫶

[@JAMESMOORE-gq4vv]

FELL TO THE FLOOR,, NO, HE SAID I'M A MAN, SO IS LOLA.

[@ntinok]

I saw the Kinks live in New York in 1985 and they rocked.

[@kathyluberski310]

Love your face when the lightbulb finally came on. 😊

[@debbers]

Exactly what it sounded like, Lola was a man dressed like a woman!

[@RalphConforti]

Ray Davies is amazing leading singer and songwriter and what a gentleman. I have hm

[@VincentHicks-d9t]

As a gay man, nothing is more hilarious to me than a confused hetero.

[@ronwilcox7716]

Maybe you should watch lyric videos.

[@julielynn10]

The very end ‘I know what I am, I’m a man, I’m a man as so is Lola.”

[@RobertBreedon-c3b]

I can't help it but I sing Yoda to this thanks Weird Al

[@jglow8337]

You should put closed captioning so you can read lyrics as the song plays

[@deborahbarchard5957]

Surprise! Your generation didn't invent trans.

[@suzyjago4036]

He made no claim Lola was a woman. He's glad he's a man, and so is Lola.

[@shawnwalford6578]

He means just what you are thinking. 🤔

[@grahamboffey457]

The Beeb banned the name Coca Cola due to product placement.

[@margaretsargent1084]

LOVED YOUR REACTION ! LMFAO

[@debbielough7754]

The thing I love about this song (other than it's the Kinks, who were the best band of the 60s and 70s, imo, and who are vastly underrated) is that it leaves the truth of the story completely ambiguous. We never *really* know what's going on. The interpretation is all in our own minds. I also love that it was banned by the BBC, not because of the subject, but because the mention of 'Coca Cola' breached their advertising rules. So they had to change the UK release to 'Cherry Cola' to get the ban lifted. Elsewhere it stayed 'Coca Cola' - you were listening to a BBC performance, so it has the 'Cherry Cola' lyric.

[@levvellene570]

It was originally "tastes just like Coca-Cola", guess who caused that to be changed? I bet the current heads of Coca Cola Company would have loved to have their brand be referenced in this now classical song from so long ago... Cherry Cola can be recognized by anyone up and awake around that time, and much later, as there were locally-produced Cola drinks everywhere that could taste anywhere between awful and quite OK...

[@drgwhatsthetruth3783]

Don't worry, I was 10 yrs. sober before I understood this song...by the way, the original lyrics was " Coca Cola" instead of " Cherry Cola". You know, copyright protection.

[@JackiLeaWWP]

Nope...Lola was definitely a man lol

[@jewellfamilyfarm9652]

I remember this song. But I was to young to know what the song was about. Wow! Lol!

[@MWhaleK]

Weird Al did a great Parody of this about Yoda.

[@charlenedargon2658]

Laughing so hard at this reaction 😂

[@chrischar9428]

Next up Yoda by Weird Al

[@marksanders8028]

Don’t go to work tomorrow singing this song.

[@robt7199]

Pretty out there for 1970....

[@vickirogers351]

OMG!! I laughed so hard I almost cried. 😂😂

[@subwaygoddess1]

Well 1st off, he's saying "it tastes just like cherry cola." The original lyrics were "it tastes just like coca cola," but they were made to change it. I have the original album with the original words. So Lola was a transvestite, so you got that part right. Lola was a man😊

[@mickbacon8542]

This video is from a BBC programme and the BBC had strict rules about product placement in anything that they broadcast. So the kinks recorded this version with cherry cola just for BBC purposes.

[@subwaygoddess1]

@@mickbacon8542 I remember hearing the NYC radio stations changing over to the cherry cola lyrics, too

[@DoctorZebedee]

Seeing your face when it dawned on you what was happening was absolutely priceless.

[@heliotropezzz333]

He said he fell to the floor, not that he was sore

[@MDLOP8]

My man Greg is grooving along and then BOOM! at 2:40, something is W.R.O.N.G. (and I'm howling with laughter.)

[@stevejournigan1674]

My second reaction of your channel and all I can say is I think Lola was on Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side". Having a great time watching your reactions!

[@101mazz]

My name is Larry, and when you said Lola is starting to sound like a Larry I almost fell out of my chair.

[@primalengland]

They had to put in Cherry Cola to avoid copyright. Ray Davies was, and still is the greatest UK songwriter. Don’t take my word for it, ask the Stones, Beatles et al.

[@g.moeller308]

It happens.

[@Gill3D]

I love how there's no judgement here. We're told that in reality the band's manager walked away from the situation but the song's ending is quite ambiguous - in keeping with the rest of its content! I'm struck by the comments that ticked up alongside the video; I bet many of those contributors know someone who is trans and don't even realise it, despite their assertions that you can always tell. I know several and I've seen them being fully accepted for who they are without any suspicion.

[@DebbyCameron-h6s]

Omg your reaction to this song was priceless,,,, I could not stop laughing at your expressions..... 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂❤❤ watching from Australia 🇦🇺

[@helenjohnston3490]

IT is a man>

[@laurenpeck3609]

I always listened and sang along, but I can’t tell you how old I was when I got it lol