“Waterloo Sunset” was released on single in May 1967 in the UK, backed with “Act Nice and Gentle,” and in July of the same year in the US, backed with “Two Sisters.” It was also the closing track on the band’s album “Something Else.”

When “Waterloo Sunset” was released it enhanced Ray Davies’ already burgeoning reputation as a versatile and imaginative songwriter, whose influences ranged from American blues and rock ‘n’ roll to English music hall. The song grabs the listener from the start with a superbly constructed intro consisting of a descending bass line, which is joined by a great lead guitar line that mirrors the melody of Ray Davies’ opening vocals. Davies takes a well judged light and subtle vocal approach, which helps the listener believe that he is the slightly forlorn figure perusing the streets of London.

The song “Waterloo Sunset” tells the story of a courtship between a couple, Terry and Julie, who are reunited each week at Waterloo Station in London. The relationship between actors Terence Stamp and Julie Christie led to speculation that Davies was writing about the pair, but this isn’t the case. He has noted that he could imagine them being cast in the roles, but that the characters in the song were “imagined people.” In 2004, he told the BBC:

Although Terry and Julie are at the centre of the song, the story is observed by a third party, as explained by Davies in an interview with prefixmag.com:

The city of London itself (and specifically Waterloo) is also an important component of the song. From the start, the narrator highlights the imperfections of the city (“Dirty old river, must you keep rolling”), but he also takes comfort from the familiar surroundings and his appreciation of the beauty of the “Waterloo sunset” – an appreciation shared by Terry and Julie. Davies has said that the “Dirty old river” imagery derives from his time looking at the “red and rusty” river from St Thomas’ hospital as a sickly child.

References to Waterloo Station and Waterloo Underground made the song quintessentially English, even though the themes are universal. Such references were somewhat of a departure for UK music fans, who were far more used to songs that mentioned faraway locations such as Memphis or New York City. This likely worked in reverse for fans listening from afar of course, who probably developed romantic notions about Waterloo.

Although Waterloo looms large in the song, it was not in fact Davies’ original choice of location. He was going to write the song as “Liverpool Sunset” in recognition of his admiration for the Liverpool bands and his affection for that city.

The Kinks – “Waterloo Sunset”

Authorship

“Waterloo Sunset” was written Ray Davies.

Recording date/location

“Waterloo Sunset” was recorded during April 1967 at Pye Studios (No. 2), London.

Musicians

The following musicians appeared on “Waterloo Sunset”:

Rasa Davies was Ray’s wife.

Chart performance

“Waterloo Sunset” did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. This was in the period when the Kinks were “banned” from touring the US and so promotional options were limited.

The song did hit number two on the UK singles chart in May, 1967 and remained there for two weeks. It was kept off the top spot by the Tremeloes’ “Silence is Golden.” Some sources state that the Beatles’ “All You Need is Love” kept the Kinks off the top, but that is false as the Beatles’ number one was several weeks later.

Covers

Peter Gabriel – “Waterloo Sunset”

Peter Gabriel recorded “Waterloo Sunset” for the 2010 album “Scratch My Back,” but it was dropped from the initial release and appeared only as a bonus on the deluxe edition of the album. With his raw vocal and somber orchestral arrangement, Gabriel fully embraces the trace of melancholy present in the original.

David Bowie – “Waterloo Sunset”

David Bowie included “Waterloo Sunset” as a bonus track on the tour edition of his 2003 album “Reality” and also featured it on the EU-only CD single “Never Get Old” in 2004. Bowie retains the main elements of the original recording, including the classic intro, but makes use of modern studio techniques to bring things up to date. He does fine with it, but it’s no surprise that it was only granted “bonus track” status.

There will be a new Song of the Week on July 25.

“Waterloo Sunset” is available on the excellent 2-CD deluxe reissue of “Something Else” which came out last month.

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The Kinks – Something Else deluxe edition (2 CDs)	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now

The Killers previously headlined Hard Rock Calling in 2009. Frontman, Ronnie Vannucci, has hinted that the band will be playing material from their new album for the first time tonight.

Hard Rock Calling is organised by Hard Rock Cafe and Live Nation and is now in its sixth year. This year’s event will also celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Hard Rock Cafe.

Among the veteran artists appearing at Hard Rock Calling are Ray Davies, who will take to the stage before Bon Jovi on Saturday night, and Stevie Nicks, who is on before Rod Stewart on Sunday. Stewart and Nicks were recently on the road together for the “Heart & Soul” US tour.

Adam Ant is also appearing on Sunday night on the main stage in the latest of his comeback gigs.

Here’s the complete main stage line-up for the weekend:

Friday 24th June

The Killers – 20:40-22:20

Kaiers Chiefs – 19:10-20:10

James – 17:45-18:45

Michael Kiwanuka – 16:50-17:25

Wolf Gant – 16:00-16:30.

Saturday 25th June

Bon Jovi – 19:15-22:15

Ray Davies – 17:35-18:35

Black Cards – 16:20-16:55

Lissue – 14:50-15:40

Vintage Trouble – 13:45-14:25.

Sunday 26th June

Rod Stewart – 20:20-22:20

Stevie Nicks – 18:45-19:45

Adam Ant – 17:15-18:15

Rumer – 16:00-16:45

Train – 14:45-15:30

Gugan Blues Shelter – 13:45-14:15.

Absolute Radio are airing highlights of the Festival over the weekend, including the complete Bon Jovi set.

A spokesperson for the former Kinks frontman said:

The following gigs are cancelled:

• November 24 – New York, NY Beacon Theatre
• November 26 – Montclair, NJ The Wellmont Theatre
• November 27 – Philadelphia, PA Verizon Hall
• November 28 – Boston, MA Wilbur Theater.

Earlier this month, Ray Davies released a new album “See My Friends”, which features Davies re-visiting his back catalogue in collaborations with some of the biggest names in rock. Highlights include “Better Things” with Bruce Springsteen, and “You Really Got Me” with Metallica. There is also an appearance by the late Big Star/Box Tops singer Alex Chilton on “Til The End of The Day.”

Ray Davies talks about “See My Friends”

The full tracklist for “See My Friends” is as follows:

“See My Friends” is out now in Europe, but won’t be released officially in the US until next March. It is available for pre-order already though.

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Ray Davies – See My Friends (CD)	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now

Davies said of Quaife “I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for him” and dedicated “See My Friends” to his former bandmate.

Ray Davies has appeared several times at Glastonbury, including a headline performance in the Acoustic Tent last year. This year he appeared on the Pyramid Stage and gave a crowd-pleasing performance, backed by the Crouch End Festival Choir on such classics as “You Really Got Me” and “Days.”

Here’s Ray entertaining the Glastonbury crowd with “Waterloo Sunset.”

Here’s the full set list:

The Kinks broke up in 1996, due largely to tensions between brothers Ray and Dave Davies. Edgers is a huge fan of the Kinks and travelled widely, including a trip to England, in his attempt to reunite the band.

“Do It Again” was directed by Robert Patton-Spruill and includes interviews with Dave Davies, Sting, Zooey Deschanel, Paul Weller, Robyn Hitchcock, Peter Buck, Clive Davis and Warren Zanes.

Interview with Geoff Edgers

Ray Davies is currently in the middle of a tour of the UK and Ireland.

Ray Davies – UK/Irish dates

May 2010

• Wed 5th Edinburgh – Usher Hall
• Fri 7th Killarney – INEC
• Sat 8th Dublin – Grand Canal Theatre
• Sun 9th Belfast – Waterfront Hallbook
• Tue 11th Ipswich – Regent Theatre
• Wed 12th Oxford – New Theatre
• Thu 13th Cambridge – Corn Exchange
• Sat 15th Bournemouth – Pavillion
• Sun 16th Cardiff – St. David’s Hall
• Mon 17th Southend – Cliffs Pavillion
• Wed 19th Nottingham – Royal Centre
• Thur 20th Birmingham – Symphony Hall
• Fri 21st Harrogate – International Centre
• Sun 23rd London – Royal Albert Hall
• Mon 24th Liverpool – Philharmonic
• Tue 25th Sheffield – City Hall.

Click here to buy Ray Davies tickets

Davies is among the latest additions to the line up of Spanish festival Benicassim, which takes place from July 15 – 19. The date of his appearance isn’t yet confirmed.

This will follow appearances at Glastonbury (June 27) and the Hop Farm Festival in Paddockwood, Kent (July 3).

Ray will then take his show to Denmark and the Netherlands:

August 2010

• Sat 21st Castle Park Ledreborg, Denmark
• Sun 22nd Castle Park Ledreborg, Denmark
• Fri 27th LOTS Festival, Biddinghuizen, The Netherlands.

Neil Diamond and Page & Plant are among the artists who have previously filled the 5pm Sunday slot.

“Ray Davies with his friends and with a choir and all those Kinks songs are going to be absolutely unbelievable,” Michael Eavis told eFestivals.co.uk. “Ray has got the 5 o’clock slot, the legend’s slot. His songs are so original and unique, it’s going to be great.”

U2, Muse and Stevie Wonder are the headliners for this year’s Glastonbury Festival, which runs from Wed June 23 to Sun June 27.

The final batch of Glastonbury tickets are set to go on sale on April 11 via seetickets.com

Ray Davies has just concluded a successful US acoustic tour and is set to commence his largest UK tour for many years in May. This will feature his full band and will include a gig at the Royal Albert Hall on May 23.

Ray Davies – UK/Irish dates

May 2010

• Tue 4th Gateshead – Sage
• Wed 5th Edinburgh – Usher Hall
• Fri 7th Killarney – INEC
• Sat 8th Dublin – Grand Canal Theatre
• Sun 9th Belfast – Waterfront Hallbook
• Tue 11th Ipswich – Regent Theatre
• Wed 12th Oxford – New Theatre
• Thu 13th Cambridge – Corn Exchange
• Sat 15th Bournemouth – Pavillion
• Sun 16th Cardiff – St. David’s Hall
• Mon 17th Southend – Cliffs Pavillion
• Wed 19th Nottingham – Royal Centre
• Thur 20th Birmingham – Symphony Hall
• Fri 21st Harrogate – International Centre
• Sun 23rd London – Royal Albert Hall
• Mon 24th Liverpool – Philharmonic
• Tue 25th Sheffield – City Hall.

Click here to buy Ray Davies tickets

Ray will then take his show to Denmark and the Netherlands:

August 2010

• Sat 21st Castle Park Ledreborg, Denmark
• Sun 22nd Castle Park Ledreborg, Denmark
• Fri 27th LOTS Festival, Biddinghuizen, The Netherlands.

Davies told NJ.com that the duets album will revisit Kinks classics and that the Springsteen and Bon Jovi collaborations were recorded last month. Springsteen will feature on “Better Things” and Bon Jovi on “Celluloid Heroes.”

The possibility of a Kinks reunion was also addressed and Davies hinted that it might be on the cards, depending on his brother’s health status. Dave Davies had a stroke six years ago.

Ray Davies launches an acoustic tour at the Borgata in Atlantic City tonight (Friday, 26 February). The show will feature some hidden gems, alongside new tracks from his last few solo albums, the classics and some unplayed tracks. Davies will be joined onstage by his guitarist, Bill Shanley. There is also a UK/Ireland tour scheduled for May.

Ray Davies 2010 tour dates

In addition, photographer Jamie-James Medina spent a year taking portraits of these legends for Observor Music Monthly. The results are impressive and are presented with the articles.

The following articles are included in the series:

Jerry Lee Lewis: the hellfire pianist by Ray Davies

Chuck Berry: hail, hail, rock ‘n’ roll by Bobby Gillespie

Little Richard: the outrageous pianist by Richard Hawley

Pete Seeger: pioneer of protest by Billy Brag

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott: folk pioneer by Roger McGuinn

Etta James: blues powerhouse by Adele

Smokey Robinson: the soul of Motown by Corinne Bailey Rae

Little Anthony: the original teen dreamer by Pete Waterman

Ornette Coleman: jazz revolutionary by Seb Rochford

Sonny Rollins: sax colossus by Charlie Watts

Dave Brubeck: piano’s gentle giant by Jamie Cullum

Jimmy Scott: a voice from another world by Sufjan Stevens

Wanda Jackson: rockabilly queen by Imelda May

Kris Kristofferson: the thinking man’s outlaw by Steve Earle

Charlie Louvin: the singer of God-fearing country by Emmylou Harris

Ralph Stanley: preaching the gospel of bluegrass by Martin Carthy

T-Model Ford: boss of the blues by Dan Auerbach

Honeyboy Edwards: Delta bluesman by Paul Jones

Pinetop Perkins: the oldest living bluesman by Seasick Steve

Buddy Guy: guitar visionary by John Mayer

Les Paul: the innovator by Slash

The Living Legend series was conceived before Les Paul’s death, but the portrait and tribute remained part of the series.

The Kinks Choral Collection The Kinks Choral Collection features arrangements of many of The Kinks’ classic numbers, including ‘Waterloo Sunset’, ‘You Really Got Me’, ‘Shangri-La’, ‘Village Green Preservation Society’ and ‘All Day and All of the Night.’ The CD was released in the USA on November 10th and re-released in the UK with extra bonus track on December 7th.

‘The Kinks Choral Collection’ has been generally well received and for fans of The Kinks it’s an essential purchase. Terry Staunton of ‘Record Collector’ summed it up nicely when noting “…it’s a powerfully evocative record that adds fresh colours and detail to some already gorgeous musical landscapes.”

Listen to clips of ‘The Kinks Choral Collection’

Ray Davies UK tour

The UK tour commenced at the Corn Exchange on December 11th and will end at the Hammersmith Apollo on December 19th. The Crouch End Festival Chorus backed Davies on the CD and are joining him for two of the tour dates at the Symphony Hall in Birmingham and the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.

Go here for full details of the tour.

Postcards from London – Ray Davies and Chrissie Hynde

The new single, ‘Postcard from London’, was released on December 11th, and reunites Davies with Chrissie Hynde,for whom he left the first of his three wives 30 years ago.

Temple on board for Kinks movie

Fans of The Kinks will also be interested to know that a film about the band is to be made. There are no cast details yet, but Julien Temple has been named as the director. Temple previously directed the Sex Pistols documentaries ‘Great Rock’n’ Roll Swindle’ and ‘The Filth and the Fury.’ Temple is currently collaborating with Ray Davies to plan the film’s approach before penning a screenplay. Speaking to ScreenDaily, he said:

“Love/hate, sibling rivalry is at the core. I think it’s a very rich social, cultural nexus around the Kinks. Their story is the untold story of all those big bands of the 1960s.”

To enjoy great performances from the band, head over to The Kinks video section