Waterloo Sunset (Lesson) - Kinks

[@addagwenlyn9662]

"For me, the perfect pop song is 'Waterloo Sunset' by the Kinks. I would have loved to have written that." - David Gilmour

[@archiet2205]

One of the best songs ever written

[@JeffCrowell11]

Thanks JJ. I was just going through this classic recently.

[@rikkousa]

@archie12205 agreed. Have you heard the cover by Colin Hay?

[@stanleykostrzewski7222]

A Kinks classic 👌 . Love this. Seen Ray Davies loads of times , enjoy his solo tours.

[@TroubadourJuggernaut]

Ray Davies, what a writer ... so much talent

[@cbedwards8396]

My new JJ challenge: I watch the lesson one time and have to figure out the stuff I missed on my own. Glad to see you back!

[@anonymohipp9097]

Thanks! One of my favorite Kinks tunes.

[@liveforeverluckymanej-200]

@ James, you're a legend, thank you for this. I have been working on this version of Waterloo Sunset for a very long time and you just gave me the missing pieces that i needed. This is the way that Ray plays it and it's the best version. There are so many wrong versions of this song on KZbin.

[@MarianoVillano]

You're the best. Thank you for teaching us the rock n roll basics. Kind regards from Argentina.

[@Chief1987]

JJ you stunning man you. How time flies... I remember back 10 plus years ago living in England and hearing the Kinks music for the first time. Absolutely brilliant, and a true sign of the times, and thanks for sharing your meeting with Ray Davies :)

[@ronnieDshman18]

What a great chord progression, thanks for playing it so well and explaining so clearly :)

[@cestunes164]

Great timing - I recently rediscovered this song and wanted to learn it. Thank you, James!

[@Dreyno]

Kinks Twitter account said it’s 54 years today that they did the lead and backing vocals for “Waterloo Sunset”. Classic song. Like Ray’s solo version but my favourite is the studio version.

[@danieldelfine458]

Thank you once again. I have learned so many songs from you over the years. I appreciate the effort and time you put into these tutorials.

[@Deebhoy]

This really great James. I'd been trying to play this from other sites and, although it would have done, it just didn't sound right to my ears. By complete coincidence you posted this. The arrangement is clear to me now and it just sounds so much better. I really appreciate you taking time to post these videos.

[@easyandy1978]

I can gaze upon it, all the way from the US, thanks to this tune.

[@chinnyone1]

Love it. Thanks again for sharing, and taking the time with us to teach patiently. Perfect. Take care.

[@scottstetzer]

Finally! A forgotten classic.

[@paulb322]

Glad to see you back ! Thanks for all the lessons/covers !!

[@badguitar5653]

Been a while since i've been here. Heard Waterloo and wanted to check out a lesson and it brought me here. Still miss James, hope all is well after all these years

[@andrewtaylor3281]

My three favourite Kinks songs are Lola, Waterloo Sunset and Days. Just saying. Thanks for helping me add two to my repertoire, and thanks for the airport story.

[@jonathoncampbell5630]

Miss you, buddy. Thank you for all your videos. They are a gift.

[@simonandthelyricalpoets]

An excellent tutorial mate, and this is definitely one of the great songs. I've just come from your 10 year celebration video on your dormant channel. Liked and subscribed, all the best, Sye 🎸

[@greg7656]

So strange, I've been on a.Waterloo Sunset listening kick for the last week, no idea what prompted. The Kinks of course, but also Bowie's and Elliot Smith's versions. So glad you posted this

[@dublinbluetune]

I always just put a capo on the 2nd fret and play it in the key of D. It may be missing the major E chord sound, but it's a tad easier to play... just sayin'

[@epipick]

I just play it in D anyway.

[@alanmcclelland5245]

In a pub in London ( I think it was called The Flask in Highgate) in the 70s Ray was at the bar with two birds. He had a camel hair coat on nobody paid any attention to him. Me and my mate visiting from Glasgow were starstruck .

[@sonicmilk]

What a great guitar channel. Hope you are having a great holiday and doing well. Thanks for all of these videos.

[@robtoc]

This is such a great tune...thanks JJ!

[@michaelchappell6570]

really love this song and the way you approach it many thanks for showing this from Downunder in Oz.

[@Nuclearsoandso]

As soon as you mentioned the buzz I couldn't stop hearing it every time you played a note 🤣 I didn't even notice until you said something but now it's all I hear. Thanks for the lesson, man.

[@ST-xg3gy]

Wow. What a tune! Thank you.

[@TheGorehound101]

Nice one James!! Great song ,, Hey from Ireland ☘️👍😎

[@jimpattison8137]

Liked your story about meeting Ray Davies and wondered what you were doing in Glasgow JJ...a fan from Scotland.

[@bassplayer8815]

I've been waiting for this such an amazing song

[@GIBKEL]

You are killing it James James....No Quarter then this. How lucky to live in a time of antibiotics and great rock n’roll!

[@chrissnape9537]

Lucky along with an afternoon with Frampton. I think Ray maybe one of the most under appreciated song writers there is

[@MrCowen2]

Thank you for the story of meeting Ray; nice touch on the tutorial! Brilliant!

[@dwaynejessome1728]

my all time favourite Kinks tune

[@sunzoomspark313]

Hey James, first off I want to thank you for your altruism. You really do the guitar playing youtube community a great service. I'm from Glasgow and I heard you say in a Q&A that you got called Jimmy when you were there! This is because nearly everyone is called Jimmy in Glasgow, it's also a term of endearment. I don't hear it all that often now. People of a certain generation use it. Anyway thanks again, my playing and ear for picking out notes has came a long way since I've watched your channel!

[@charlesschwartz307]

One of the best songs about London ever

[@mattwright2964]

Funnily enough it wasn't originally about London, it was meant to be 'Liverpool Sunset'. He later weaved in a narrative around characters in love and people he knew in London. In a double quirk, there is a Waterloo in Liverpool with sunsets over the estuary and also of course Waterloo bridge in London. Ray Davies said he was often travelling between the two areas at the time and so a feel of both are in the song.

[@outtathyme5679]

Ray and Dave are true talents

[@TILTHENEXTTIME]

Great tune, great lesson.

[@stevecardenas5152]

Oddly I discovered this song by seeing Terry Ried and Waddy Wachtel cover this live, there are multiple KZbin of them performing this tune. Its a must watch/listen, I find the rhythm guitar to be quite different than the Kinks original..

[@kevbee8325]

I love the Ray Davies and a young Damon Albarn acoustic version of Waterloo Sunset where Ray surprises Damon by going into Blur’s Parklife afterwards. Great tutorial, thanks!!

[@TheBabypod]

Just a "thanks" comment from an old unrelated video. Was struggling with getting the little GET TOGETHER-YOUNGBLOODS riff and then saw your 2011 video on your previous channel. Thank you! So much easier with capo. Lets the strings ring out. Have watched a lot of your vids, very good, Appreciate them. Very talented guy, make it look so easy.

[@ursafan40]

Oh thank you so much. Yeah Kinks!

[@mhunt03]

Been watching your videos for a long time, privet/James. Great lesson!

[@marcbolan1818]

I had to Help put Ray into the limo after a drinking session of a case of Heinekens had been consumed post concert at Cincinnati Gardens.

[@l8sk8r86]

But... Did you bang the gong? Or did Ray?

[@marcbolan1818]

@@l8sk8r86 Ray couldn’t walk. I have never seen a band consume beer post gig backstage so quickly.

[@MrFrampo56]

Must have been a long time ago as he had pancreatitis and nearly died and has been teetotal for years. Unless he’s had a relapse. I saw The Kinks in the early 70s and he was drinking Newcastle Brown on stage , throwing himself into the crowd, really mad drunk. Oddly enough they played ‘Demon Alcohol’ that night. A little -known Kinks song.

[@earlthornton5689]

Loved it, and the story!!

[@jakek201]

Can I get some James James merch?? The best on KZbin man, thanks

[@mattwright2964]

Ray Davies is a genius songwriter. I honestly think the Kinks are way way underrated and are right up there in the best.

[@dustbowlrelics]

Enjoy the song, story/experience & tutorial! Will always love the Kinks & Ray D, 25 yrs of t Ks is a fav

[@mrsoul4231]

Thanks for this-I love The Kinks.Although they're not hard to play,I find them hard to work out:I guess other people do as well as the Tabs online seem to get them wrong so often.Any more would be greatly appreciated.

[@deniseschug-lattwein9]

What a great Cover! Amazing

[@mongrelhead1]

Great song and lesson. Thanks!

[@bruceall2001]

Great story! Lucky guy lol! Guess you'll try to fix that control next time you change strings?

[@pomod]

I heard this tune this morning and was hm, I've never learned this, I wonder if James James has done it? You never let me down man.

[@matheuseverton6341]

Hey James, had you tried Dunlop picks? I bought a 0.60 model and feels great!

[@bohma7519]

That buzz would drive me nuts too. I love that song. Not many people know this but the song was originally about Liverpool. Liv er pool, Wat er loo.

[@nckwlch]

Nice airport story. I saw Ray years ago in a pub in Hampstead (the Flask) but I did not approach him coward that I am.

[@wolfganggross479]

I was hoping you'd cover this one!

[@imannonymous7707]

Great choice great lesson And great story too

[@nckwlch]

Credit to Dave D - the guitar fills are brilliant in this song. Simple, melodic, perfect fit.

[@bcrater6400]

great stuff JJ....stay well.

[@OzTwanger]

After The Beatles, one of my favourite bands

[@l8sk8r86]

Nice! Memories....!

[@TheRealSandleford]

Those chords with some of the melody notes are beautiful... was doing G the G with the open e and the d with well not sure but basically you get the first chord as a six chord and I guess the D is a six chord then the C is a major seven

[@brianappleby5112]

For the f#min run down B9 finishes it better than the straight B and you can still sound the F# on the first string with the full B9 shape.

[@kennethr.vanamerongen1386]

You say those pickup volume dials drive you nuts every time you play that guitar lol 😂

[@jimsrv711]

hay jj love the story time 👍✌️👍

[@Drumulr]

Nice one mate,beutiful tune..you got family in Glasgow? JJ

[@MrMontonman]

Great lesson as usual thank you

[@azxyul]

The song is played in "D" Chord with capo on the second fret....😉

[@jamesjames9275]

Listen again.

[@paulmoore7768]

Cool old song.

[@darnedsox2174]

Are you in Rochester?

[@jamesjames9275]

I grew up there, but I moved away in the 90s.

[@christinachristina8271]

Thankyou Nice brush with fame

[@bazbuncher6948]

No intro? No outro?

[@dent5]

I might have asked you this before, but where can I buy one of those t shirts?

[@jamesjames9275]

I get them at the House of Guitars in Rochester, NY.

[@dent5]

Thanks James. Their website says those t shirts only come in black...maybe they've gone to a H. Ford business model :-)

[@NorfolknStealth]

Great..

[@camwelch9948]

Thank you

[@70snuttodd95]

Have you changed strings on the j45

[@jamesjames9275]

Not yet.

[@chrissnape9537]

Gee I wish I could sing

[@ElIAsMeInHaRt]

Theirs also an elliott smith cover thats great

[@john84896]

How low do u keep the action on your acoustics? How low on your electrics?

[@jamesjames9275]

I don't keep them super low, but I don't like high action.

[@john84896]

You have long fingers dude...you must be a bonified 6 footer...but do you get jammed up in the open position...By the way you play I would say no but just wondering-

[@joeblock22]

Thanks, good lesson.

[@TheTimeProphet]

I have seen a lot of people playing the B instead of the B7.

[@miguelgeorgiogutierrez.8129]

BEATLES Y ROLLING NOOO BEATLES Y KINKS SIIIIIIIII.

[@joeblock22]

Still good 😂

[@Matthew_Eitzman]

I have the same Gibson but I put a hole in the sound board. It has a brighter tone because of it. If I were brighter, I would probably not have put the hole in it. Post an email address and I will send a pic of the guitar, or a pic of the pick I use on my Holy Gibson.

[@rosskelly8268]

A few of the chords seem slightly wrong to me. Most are spot on.

[@MrBmilfy]

easier with a capo on 2nd fret

[@thomaspappalardo7589]

Peter Gabriel did the best version of the song for me.

[@organicpaul]

Enjoyed that one!