BBC Two - The Kinks at the Rainbow

About the Song

Sunny Afternoon by The Kinks is a song that captures the essence of a carefree summer day. With its catchy melody and lighthearted lyrics, it’s no wonder that the song was a hit in 1966. But Sunny Afternoon is more than just a catchy tune; it’s also a significant song in the history of British rock music.

The Kinks were one of the first British Invasion bands to achieve success in the United States, and Sunny Afternoon was their biggest hit. The song’s success helped to pave the way for other British bands, such as the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, to conquer the American charts.

Sunny Afternoon is also notable for its innovative use of power chords and distorted guitars. These elements of the song’s sound would later be adopted by punk rock and heavy metal bands. In addition, Sunny Afternoon‘s lyrics are often credited with being the first to deal with social issues in a pop song. The song’s narrator sings about the drudgery of work and the longing for escape, themes that would later be explored by other British rock bands.

Sunny Afternoon is a classic song that has stood the test of time. It’s a song that is still enjoyed by people of all ages today. The song’s catchy melody, lighthearted lyrics, and innovative sound have made it a timeless classic.

Here are some additional details about the song and its significance:

  • Released: 1966
  • Genre: Rock
  • Written by: Ray Davies
  • Performed by: The Kinks
  • Chart positions:
    • #1 on the UK Singles Chart
    • #4 on the Billboard Hot 100

Sunny Afternoon was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. The song has been covered by many artists, including David Bowie, The Who, and Green Day.

The Band - The Kinks - The Kinks

Video

Lyrics: Sunny Afternoon

The tax man’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 got
All I’ve got’s this sunny afternoon

Save me, save me, save me from this squeeze
I got a big fat mama trying to break me
And I love to live so pleasantly
Live this life of luxury
Lazing on a sunny afternoon
In the summertime
In the summertime
In the summertime

My girlfriend’s run off with my car
And gone back to her ma and pa
Telling tales of drunkenness and cruelty
Now I’m sitting here
Sipping at my ice cold beer
Lazing on a sunny afternoon

Help me, help me, help me sail away
Well give me two good reasons why I oughta stay
‘Cause I love to live so pleasantly
Live this life of luxury
Lazing on a sunny afternoon
In the summertime
In the summertime
In the summertime

Ah, save me, save me, save me from this squeeze
I got a big fat mama trying to break me
And I love to live so pleasantly
Live this life of luxury
Lazing on a sunny afternoon
In the summertime
In the summertime
In the summertime
In the summertime
In the summertime
In the summertime

You Missed

MINNIE PEARL WALKED ONSTAGE AT THE GRAND OLE OPRY FOR 50 YEARS WITH A $1.98 PRICE TAG ON HER HAT — AND THEN ONE NIGHT, SHE JUST COULDN’T ANYMORE. Here’s something most people don’t think about with Minnie Pearl. That price tag hanging off her straw hat? It wasn’t random. Sarah Cannon — that was her real name — created it as a joke about a country girl too proud of her new hat to take the tag off. And audiences loved it so much that it became the most recognizable prop in country music history. For over fifty years, that tag meant Minnie was here, and everything was going to be fun. So imagine what it felt like when she couldn’t put the hat on anymore. In June 1991, Sarah had a massive stroke. She was 79. And just like that, the woman who hadn’t missed an Opry show in decades was gone from the stage. But here’s what gets me. She didn’t die in 1991. She lived another five years after that stroke, mostly out of the public eye, unable to perform, unable to be “Minnie” the way she’d always been. Her husband Henry Cannon took care of her at their Nashville home. Friends visited, but they said it was hard. The woman who made millions of people laugh couldn’t get through a full conversation some days. Roy Acuff, her old friend from the Opry, kept her dressing room exactly the way she left it. Nobody used it. The hat sat there. She passed on March 4, 1996. And what most people remember is the comedy. The “HOW-DEEE” catchphrase. The big goofy grin. What they don’t remember is that Sarah Cannon was also a serious fundraiser for cancer research. Centennial Medical Center in Nashville named their cancer center after her — not after Minnie, after Sarah. She raised millions and rarely talked about it publicly. There’s a story about the very last time Sarah tried to put on the hat at home, months after the stroke, and what her husband said to her in that moment — it’s the kind of detail that makes you see fifty years of comedy completely differently. Roy Acuff kept Minnie Pearl’s dressing room untouched for years after she left — was that loyalty to a friend, or was he holding a door open for someone he knew was never coming back?