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Gavin B. · 01-09-2013, 01:19 PM

Song Title:Waterloo Sunset
Recorded by The Kinks
Composed by Ray Davies
Released in 1967
Song first appeared on the album Something Else

I can't think of a better way to begin a journal of my favorite songs than selecting a Ray Davies song as my first journal entry. Ray Davies is the poet laureate of British pop. The Kinks, weren't as boldly innovative as the Beatles but Ray Davies was arguably a better songwriter than the Lennon/McCartney team. The Kinks carved out their own unique identity early in the British Invasion era by Ray Davies' wry humor and his talent for writing biting satirical songs about life in English society in the waning years of the British Empire.

Nothing was was sacred for Ray Davies... A Well Respected Man took a poke at the hypocrisy of the British middle class, Sunny Afternoon was a jab at the decadence of Britain's aristocratic class, Dedicated Follower of Fashion targeted the fashion icons of Carnaby Street and Victoria was a profane and rollicking condemnation of Queen Victoria and her imperialistic values.

Needless to say, most Americans didn't get it. Ray Davies songs were about the social injustices of the rigid English class system and the decline of the British empire, topics which most Americans were completely ignorant of.

To make matter worse, Kinks were banned from touring the United States for four years at the conclusion of their tour in the summer of 1965. No official reason for the ban was ever given but their drunken and rowdy onstage behavior offended many well connected people in the music business back then. The Kinks weren't lovable and cuddly teddy bears like the Beatles in their live performances. The Kinks were best selling rock stars in the UK but the Kinks never got a foothold in the lucrative American music market.

Waterloo Sunset is look at the more tender side of Ray Davies. It's so well written that upon first listening to it, the song already has a familiar ring to it. The lyrics of Waterloo Sunset such a graceful fit with the music it's about as close to perfect as a pop song can get. The somber mood of the music and Davies vocal is at odds with his claim that he "is in paradise" whenever he gazes at the sunset over Waterloo Station.

AMG called Waterloo Sunset the most beautiful song of the rock era. I agree with that assessment and still get teary eyed listening to it some 45 years after it's initial release.

The story behind Waterloo Sunset has been obsessed upon by Kinks fans for years. Davies' boyhood home on Muswell Hill had a view overlooking the Waterloo Station and the song may be a tribute to his fond childhood memory of watching the sun set over the Waterloo Station. But there's usually more going on in the subtext of Ray Davies' song lyrics than a simple act of story telling. There are layers of meanings in most of Davies' songs and Waterloo Sunset is probably no exception.

One interpretation: Ray Davies was a sickly child who spent several months in a London children's hospital facing the Waterloo Station & at one point Davies said the "Julie and Terry" in the song were his sister and her boyfriend. The idea for the song came from Davies observing the two young lovers from his hospital room window as they walked toward the Waterloo Station hand and hand after a visit with him. That may account for the melancholy mood of the song.

However Julie and Terry are not the names of Ray Davies' sister and her fiance, who she eventually married, but Davies did know a couple with the names of Julie and Terry... read on.

There's also an insider account that supposedly unmasks the hidden identity of the Julie and Terry characters in the song. Ray Davies was friends with actress Julie Christie and actor Terrance Stamp. At the time Waterloo Sunset was written, Christie and Stamp were having an extra marital relationship unknown to nearly everyone except a handful of close friends including Ray Davies. Waterloo Sunset may be Davies' own reflections on the Julie and Terry's doomed love affair which fell apart shortly before the release of Waterloo Sunset. Davies may have been cleverly naming the romantic couple but hiding their romantic tryst in plain sight within a song praising the beauty of the sunsets over Waterloo Station. It was years after the song was released that people began to the connect Julie Christie and Terrance Stamp to the romantic couple meeting on Friday nights at Waterloo Station as the sun set over London town.

Over the years Davies has changed his story on his source of inspiration for Waterloo Sunset and has insinuated that any of the stories may or may not be true.

Waterloo Sunset lyrics

Dirty old river, must you keep rolling
Flowing into the night
People so busy, makes me feel dizzy
Taxi light shines so bright
But I don't need no friends
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset
I am in paradise

Every day I look at the world from my window
But chilly, chilly is the evening time
Waterloo sunsets fine

Terry meets Julie, waterloo station
Every friday night
But I am so lazy, don't want to wander
I stay at home at night
But I don't feel afraid
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset
I am in paradise

Every day I look at the world from my window
But chilly, chilly is the evening time
Waterloo sunsets fine

Millions of people swarming like flies round Waterloo Underground
But Terry and Julie cross over the river
Where they feel safe and sound
And they don't need no friends
As long as they gaze on Waterloo sunset
They are in paradise

Waterloo sunsets fine

01-09-2013, 01:19 PM	#4 (permalink)
Gavin B. Model Worker Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,248	Song Title:Waterloo Sunset Recorded by The Kinks Composed by Ray Davies Released in 1967 Song first appeared on the album Something Else I can't think of a better way to begin a journal of my favorite songs than selecting a Ray Davies song as my first journal entry. Ray Davies is the poet laureate of British pop. The Kinks, weren't as boldly innovative as the Beatles but Ray Davies was arguably a better songwriter than the Lennon/McCartney team. The Kinks carved out their own unique identity early in the British Invasion era by Ray Davies' wry humor and his talent for writing biting satirical songs about life in English society in the waning years of the British Empire. Nothing was was sacred for Ray Davies... A Well Respected Man took a poke at the hypocrisy of the British middle class, Sunny Afternoon was a jab at the decadence of Britain's aristocratic class, Dedicated Follower of Fashion targeted the fashion icons of Carnaby Street and Victoria was a profane and rollicking condemnation of Queen Victoria and her imperialistic values. Needless to say, most Americans didn't get it. Ray Davies songs were about the social injustices of the rigid English class system and the decline of the British empire, topics which most Americans were completely ignorant of. To make matter worse, Kinks were banned from touring the United States for four years at the conclusion of their tour in the summer of 1965. No official reason for the ban was ever given but their drunken and rowdy onstage behavior offended many well connected people in the music business back then. The Kinks weren't lovable and cuddly teddy bears like the Beatles in their live performances. The Kinks were best selling rock stars in the UK but the Kinks never got a foothold in the lucrative American music market. Waterloo Sunset is look at the more tender side of Ray Davies. It's so well written that upon first listening to it, the song already has a familiar ring to it. The lyrics of Waterloo Sunset such a graceful fit with the music it's about as close to perfect as a pop song can get. The somber mood of the music and Davies vocal is at odds with his claim that he "is in paradise" whenever he gazes at the sunset over Waterloo Station. AMG called Waterloo Sunset the most beautiful song of the rock era. I agree with that assessment and still get teary eyed listening to it some 45 years after it's initial release. The story behind Waterloo Sunset has been obsessed upon by Kinks fans for years. Davies' boyhood home on Muswell Hill had a view overlooking the Waterloo Station and the song may be a tribute to his fond childhood memory of watching the sun set over the Waterloo Station. But there's usually more going on in the subtext of Ray Davies' song lyrics than a simple act of story telling. There are layers of meanings in most of Davies' songs and Waterloo Sunset is probably no exception. One interpretation: Ray Davies was a sickly child who spent several months in a London children's hospital facing the Waterloo Station & at one point Davies said the "Julie and Terry" in the song were his sister and her boyfriend. The idea for the song came from Davies observing the two young lovers from his hospital room window as they walked toward the Waterloo Station hand and hand after a visit with him. That may account for the melancholy mood of the song. However Julie and Terry are not the names of Ray Davies' sister and her fiance, who she eventually married, but Davies did know a couple with the names of Julie and Terry... read on. There's also an insider account that supposedly unmasks the hidden identity of the Julie and Terry characters in the song. Ray Davies was friends with actress Julie Christie and actor Terrance Stamp. At the time Waterloo Sunset was written, Christie and Stamp were having an extra marital relationship unknown to nearly everyone except a handful of close friends including Ray Davies. Waterloo Sunset may be Davies' own reflections on the Julie and Terry's doomed love affair which fell apart shortly before the release of Waterloo Sunset. Davies may have been cleverly naming the romantic couple but hiding their romantic tryst in plain sight within a song praising the beauty of the sunsets over Waterloo Station. It was years after the song was released that people began to the connect Julie Christie and Terrance Stamp to the romantic couple meeting on Friday nights at Waterloo Station as the sun set over London town. Over the years Davies has changed his story on his source of inspiration for Waterloo Sunset and has insinuated that any of the stories may or may not be true. Waterloo Sunset lyrics Dirty old river, must you keep rolling Flowing into the night People so busy, makes me feel dizzy Taxi light shines so bright But I don't need no friends As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset I am in paradise Every day I look at the world from my window But chilly, chilly is the evening time Waterloo sunsets fine Terry meets Julie, waterloo station Every friday night But I am so lazy, don't want to wander I stay at home at night But I don't feel afraid As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset I am in paradise Every day I look at the world from my window But chilly, chilly is the evening time Waterloo sunsets fine Millions of people swarming like flies round Waterloo Underground But Terry and Julie cross over the river Where they feel safe and sound And they don't need no friends As long as they gaze on Waterloo sunset They are in paradise Waterloo sunsets fine Last edited by Gavin B.; 01-11-2013 at 09:22 AM.