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The Kinks — Sunny Afternoon (live)
Album: To the Bone
Avg rating:
7.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 797









Released: 1994
Length: 2:26
Plays (last 30 days): 0
The taxman's taken all my dough
And left me in my stately home
Lazin' on a sunny afternoon
And I can't sail my yacht
He's taken everything I got
All I've got's this sunny afternoon

Save me, save me, save me from this squeeze
I've got a big fat mama tryin' ta break me
And I love to live so pleasantly
Live this life of luxury
Lazin' on a sunny afternoon
In da summertime
In da summertime
In da summertime

My girlfriend's run off with my car
And gone back to her ma and pa
Tellin' tales of drunkenness and cruelty
Now I'm sittin' here
Sippin' at my ice cold beer
Lazin' 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
Lazin' on a sunny afternoon
In da summertime
In da summertime
In da summertime

Ah, save me, save me, save me from this squeeze
I got a big fat mama tryin' to break me
And I love to live so pleasantly
Live this life of luxury
Lazin' on a sunny afternoon
In da summertime
In da summertime
In da summertime
In da summertime
In da summertime
Comments (103)add comment
I can't forget how a friend of mine turned me on to this song the summer of '83...I'd heard their other stuff, but this was wry as hell...dig!
 allmodcons wrote:
I'd rather listen to original studio track...
 
I would usually agree. . . but this is a smaller gig and the people are obviously 'with him' and having a ball. It is a lovely reminder that sometimes its good to get out there and listen to live music.
 allmodcons wrote:
I'd rather listen to original studio track...

 

with you all the way - the way the crowd sings afternoon is plain irritating - guess you had to be there
I'd rather listen to original studio track...
10 the song, 2 the version, makes 6.
{#Bananajam}    {#Bananajam}   {#Bananajam} 
Thanks - a few minutes of light and joy on a dark snowy January day. Lifts me!
Poor recording of a live singalong. Not unlike listening to someone tell you about their latest lovemaking session. I'm sure it was fine for them, but do we really need to hear about it?
 Bosami wrote:
Love the raw guitar in this live version.

Crowd noise and people singing along? How dare they! Shhhhh! Everybody shush! There is a rock concert going on here!


 
They are encouraged, I daresay.
 honeygirl wrote:
Silly... fun... lite... like the Kinks.
 
indeed...{#Good-vibes}
{#Sunny}{#Sunny}{#Sunny}
Sorta like the studio original. The live version...ahhh not so much!
Looks good, dude!

 
calypsus_1 wrote:

Kinks by ~JSaurer
©2008-2010 ~JSaurer

one of the greatest of all time, here in their 67 outfit.
airbrush, plaka and water colours, 1991

 


 Hannio wrote:
Oh goody, a singalong.
 
All together now. . . 
Oh goody, a singalong.
LOVE!!!
Way cool.  {#Sunny}
lovely...
"7-8"

Kinks by ~JSaurer
©2008-2010 ~JSaurer

one of the greatest of all time, here in their 67 outfit.
airbrush, plaka and water colours, 1991

Love the raw guitar in this live version.

Crowd noise and people singing along? How dare they! Shhhhh! Everybody shush! There is a rock concert going on here!

 westslope wrote:
Between 40% and 50% of all boating accidents are alcohol-induced.  Does that mean that drinking and boating is a safe activity? 
 
0% of some boating accidents are not alcohol related.  Does that mean boating at concerts is a safe activity? 

 rtrudeau wrote:
The studio version: 9. The sing-along and crowd noises: -5. This version: 4. Why listen to a bunch of drunks? I can do that any weekend on my boat.
 
Between 40% and 50% of all boating accidents are alcohol-induced.  Does that mean that drinking and boating is a safe activity?  

It's bloody freezing and snowing here.
That elec nylon string sounds good!
So good to my ears!
I used to like this song very much, it reminds me to a very good time. But i really dont like when the crowd sings alone, no Sir!
Only a 7.2 rating? Love Ray! Love the Kinks! It's a classic and I'm singing along!
 rtrudeau wrote:
The studio version: 9. The sing-along and crowd noises: -5. This version: 4. Why listen to a bunch of drunks? I can do that any weekend on my boat.
 
I was one of those drunks at that particular concert ... and I am going out on MY boat this weekend to catch some catfish on Center Hill Lake.

I'll mail you one, parcel post.

One of the few Kinks songs I can stand.

Very appropriate for a 96 degree sunny summer afternoon in New England!
Doesn't get any better!
Feeling Lazy,just making a spot for a later comment, on live recordings.  {#Sunny}

"...blazin on a sunny afternoon.... in the summertime... in the summertime... in the summertime... save me, save me, saaave me... ....in the summer time.... in the summer time.... ...in the summer time..."

It's official — I'm ready to go home now.{#Cool}
got 8

it's emotional ;)
The studio version: 9. The sing-along and crowd noises: -5. This version: 4. Why listen to a bunch of drunks? I can do that any weekend on my boat.
 holborne wrote:
This is a great song, but man does this live version suck.

In fact, I don't ever get the point of playing recorded live versions of songs. They always sound awful, you have to deal with listening to the stupid crowd sing and make noise (and who the hell wants to hear a recording of a bunch of drunk fans singing along?), and the point of being at a live concert is totally lost unless you're actually there anyway. Like I said, don't get the point.
 
Hmmmm... The worst example I ever heard was Judy Blue-eyes by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. I never understood why nobody complained.

ouch terrible, where is the music ? {#Eyes}
Good stuff. 
This is a great song, but man does this live version suck.

In fact, I don't ever get the point of playing recorded live versions of songs. They always sound awful, you have to deal with listening to the stupid crowd sing and make noise (and who the hell wants to hear a recording of a bunch of drunk fans singing along?), and the point of being at a live concert is totally lost unless you're actually there anyway. Like I said, don't get the point.
 bugleboy624 wrote:
When did The Kinks go country?
 
when they released muswell hillbillies? early 70's

When did The Kinks go country?
i promise not to break anyone.... love this!
I am always up for tales of drunkenness and cruelty, and have many I could share.
Great song, but these singalongs make me cringe. They're fun to be a part of, but not for playing here. I vote for the studio version every time. This is a 4 or 5 for me.
My god. I literally reached for my 2007 tax folder to begin working on my taxes at the EXACT moment this song came on. Weird and depressing.
Thanks RP!! One of my all time favs.
real cool
jedzep wrote:
Ray and the boys are always short changed when it comes to discussing the "british invasion". He is the best writer...very Dickens like...
Couldn't agree more - Ray Davies never got the credit he deserved. Was crowded out by Lennon/McCartney and Jagger/Richards but undoubtedly his talent is equal to theirs.
its almost like listening to an old tape, i can tell you whats going to play next.
"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"
Ray and the boys are always short changed when it comes to discussing the "british invasion". He is the best writer...very Dickens like...
Yeah! Kinks! I'm just starting to build my collection of their work..... Band was terribly underrated in the U.S IMHO.
Have to agree on the comments about the sing-along aspect of this cut. Such a clever band, though.
Prefer the recording of professionals over one of reluctant audience participation.
Silly... fun... lite... like the Kinks.
The entire 'To the Bone' double cd is worthwhile for fans of The Kinks, nice accoustic versions of many of their best songs. The problem with most live albums of The Kinks is when Ray Davies urges audience participation on notable songs. I'm sure its fun for an audience at the concert, but should definitely be left off the live recording releases. Has always been a flaw in the live material IMO.
skindy wrote:
Hmm, so what exactly constitutes "musically useful?" Methinks if someone likes it, it's "musically useful." So this one qualifies bigtime. In my opinion.
I'll second that; this book I've been reading sums it up well. "For music is an intellectual or a sensual pleasure, according to the temperament of him who hears it. "The mistake of most people is, to suppose that it is by the ear they communicate with music, and therefore that they are purely passive to its effects. But this is not so; it is by the reaction of the mind upon the notices of the ear (the matter coming by the senses, the form from the mind) that the pleasure is constructed; and therefore it is that people of equally good ear differ so much in this point from one another. Now, opium," Thomas De Quincy
It sure is great to hear Ray Davies vocals live! A real treat!
Gribnif wrote:
This is a bad version of a decent song. It gets a 4 from me, whereas the studio version would probably get a 7.
I agree, but I like the song alot so I was kind of overlooking the quality of this version.
Thanks for playing the Kinks! I usually prefer the original versions but it's fun to hear the occasional live cut. -Got to see them twice in concert (Vienna, Austria '80 and Champaign, IL, '81 or '82). Very fun and energetic band live, and the songs are so good!
This is a bad version of a decent song. It gets a 4 from me, whereas the studio version would probably get a 7.
rolf wrote:
more live versions please !
Please, no. This is a classic example of why the studio version is preferable. I'd much rather hear the Kinks than hear the crowd. I'm sure this was lots of fun for the audience at the time, but it's not so fun to listen to years later in my office.
smilestoomuch wrote:
wow! so fun! I like live versions of songs, for the most part. Crowd participation is fun:)
:nodhead: more live versions please !
Great song of course but this album is one to get if you are not very familiar with the Kinks' stuff. It is a sort of a "best of" but is with live or live in the studio recording. Both the music and the recording quality are top notch.
nice....Trying to discreetly sing along while working......
Lovely... Agree with the non-live supporting minions here though.
Love this tune with all my heart only cause we used to sing this song at camp when I was like 10 or 11...counselors taught it to us by a campfire and its always ment something special since.
reedifus wrote:
Musically useless track in my opinion.
Hmm, so what exactly constitutes "musically useful?" Methinks if someone likes it, it's "musically useful." So this one qualifies bigtime. In my opinion.
Musically useless track in my opinion.
beelzebubba wrote:
Aw man, this reminds of something that has been on my list for a long time. I used to have a cassette of the best of the Kinks, and it was all stuff from their early years and there must have been 25 or 30 songs on it -- all of the them really good. I lost it a long time ago. Gotta replace it.
I recently bought The Kinks' Very Best Of...2CD set - it's brilliant!
Aw man, this reminds of something that has been on my list for a long time. I used to have a cassette of the best of the Kinks, and it was all stuff from their early years and there must have been 25 or 30 songs on it -- all of the them really good. I lost it a long time ago. Gotta replace it.
much prefer the studio original, but still, what a song! My girlfriend's run off with my car, And gone back to her ma and pa, Telling tales of drunkenness and cruelty. one of the great lyrics
wow! so fun! I like live versions of songs, for the most part. Crowd participation is fun:)
8)
Boy its chilly, damp afternoon here today, so a fine tune to brighten up the day. :sunny.gif: :sunny.gif: I have the much better original Long Player version on vinyl, from way back. Itis stuck upstairs in the attic somewhere and not really in playable condition unfortunately. So, Its still good to hear some Kinks in any form these days.
Real version please!!
I've been dying to hear this ever since Magner's Cider started using it in a flippin' commercial! It wouldn't be so bad except that the commercial runs in EVERY spot break during my beloved Red Sox games! And as far as using rock music in commercials... well, once Dylan did it, have you noticed no one screams "Sellout!" anymore? I heard Joe Jackson's "Steppin' Out" in a car commercial, and all I could think was "I hope Joe made a lot of money for that!", because it's an ad for a car I'll never be able to afford.
I hate when the audiences are allowed to sing. Who pays to listen to hundreds or thousands of people who sing off key?
tonypf wrote:
Made the sweet summer of '66 just a little bit sweeter.
ohyezzzzz....
I give it a 3. I like the Kinks a lot but I've always found it self-indulgent when the band trys to get the audience to sing along. It's bad enough at the concert, but to have to listen to it on a recording is over the top. Play the studion version and the rating will be much higher!
Made the sweet summer of '66 just a little bit sweeter.
brighthue wrote:
Somehow, I'm reminded of the federal deficit and paying taxes. Still a great tune.
Bless your heart, and good luck. Regards, Patrick
Patrick wrote:
Save me, save me, save me, from this squeeze, I gotta big fat momma, tryin' to break me, And I love to live so pleasantly, Live this life of luxury, Lazin' on a sunny afternoon, In the summertime.......... Not meaningful, not pretentious, just fun. Where's that emoticon-in-the-hammock-with-a-beer?
Somehow, I'm reminded of the federal deficit and paying taxes. Still a great tune.
sully3 wrote:
Love this song but would prefer the unlive version...
I second that emotion. I feel like I have only heard live versions of Kinks tunes on RP. Let's hear the originals!
ANNE_MARIE wrote:
More Kinks if you please!
I second that! :D
Save me, save me, save me, from this squeeze, I gotta big fat momma, tryin' to break me, And I love to live so pleasantly, Live this life of luxury, Lazin' on a sunny afternoon, In the summertime.......... Not meaningful, not pretentious, just fun. Where's that emoticon-in-the-hammock-with-a-beer?
No, Sharkartist, you\'re not alone! I\'ve been a BIG admirer of the Kinks (Ray in particular, of course) since discovering them via my musician fiance in my early 20s. I\'ve seen \'em 3x in concert, and they\'re fantastic live. Their catalog is extensive, full of classics and lesser-known nuggets of equal genius. I\'m amazed at how many people don\'t know how influential The Kinks have been on many, many groups in the last 30 years. LONG LIVE THE KINKS!
Am I alone in thinking that Ray Davies is one of our finest rock satirists and social commentators? Not to mention a great song writer... love live Ray Davies and the Kinks!!!
I think this (the original version) might have been one of the first 45\'s I ever bought. Thanks for the memories.
Love this song-haven\'t heard it in a while--GREAT!
:) ah 1966
This is just a perfect song for the Kinks.
It's even more pleasant to listen to, now it's a very nice, sunny afternoon, over here in Holland, indeed! Spring in the air.