The Kinks — A Well Respected Man
Album: Ultimate CollectionAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 1146
Length: 2:38
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'Cause he gets up in the morning
And he goes to work at nine
And he comes back home at five-thirty
Gets the same train every time
'Cause his world is built 'round punctuality
It never fails
And he's oh so good
And he's oh so fine
And he's oh so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
And his mother goes to meetings
While his father pulls the maid
And she stirs the tea with councilors
While discussing foreign trade
And she passes looks as well as bills
At every suave young man
And he's oh so good
And he's oh so fine
And he's oh so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
And he likes his own backyard
And he likes his fags the best
'Cause he's better than the rest
And his own sweat smells the best
And he hopes to grab his father's loot
When Pater passes on
And he's oh so good
And he's oh so fine
And he's oh so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
And he plays at stocks and shares
And he goes to the regatta
And he adores the girl next door
'Cause he's dying to get at her
But his mother knows the best about
The matrimonial stakes
And he's oh so good
And he's oh so fine
And he's oh so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
And he goes to work at nine
And he comes back home at five-thirty
Gets the same train every time
'Cause his world is built 'round punctuality
It never fails
And he's oh so good
And he's oh so fine
And he's oh so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
And his mother goes to meetings
While his father pulls the maid
And she stirs the tea with councilors
While discussing foreign trade
And she passes looks as well as bills
At every suave young man
And he's oh so good
And he's oh so fine
And he's oh so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
And he likes his own backyard
And he likes his fags the best
'Cause he's better than the rest
And his own sweat smells the best
And he hopes to grab his father's loot
When Pater passes on
And he's oh so good
And he's oh so fine
And he's oh so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
And he plays at stocks and shares
And he goes to the regatta
And he adores the girl next door
'Cause he's dying to get at her
But his mother knows the best about
The matrimonial stakes
And he's oh so good
And he's oh so fine
And he's oh so healthy
In his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively
Comments (52)add comment
Just made this a 9
GODLIKE!!! I bought the 45 when this came out! I was 11 yrs old.
It`s similar to "Short people" in that it`s about a manager.
Hey Bill, how about some cuts from My favorite Kinks Album
Muswell Hillbillies1."20th Century Man"2."Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues"3."Holiday"4."Skin and Bone"5."Alcohol"6."Complicated Life"1."Here Come the People in Grey"2."Have a Cuppa Tea"3."Holloway Jail"4."Oklahoma U.S.A."5."Uncle Son"6."Muswell Hillbilly"
Muswell Hillbillies1."20th Century Man"2."Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues"3."Holiday"4."Skin and Bone"5."Alcohol"6."Complicated Life"1."Here Come the People in Grey"2."Have a Cuppa Tea"3."Holloway Jail"4."Oklahoma U.S.A."5."Uncle Son"6."Muswell Hillbilly"
Proto Punk
Proto proto at that
GREAT! ...I bought this and "You Really Got Me" on 45s, when they first came out! ...I guess that I am showing my age!
One of my favorite groups as a teen and as an adult.
How did we end up being this guy :/
My rating stays at 7
The Jam followed up on this theme years later with Smithers Jones. A little further down the food chain.
Heavy dose of late 60's early 70's music today. Thanks Bill! Thats why I subscribe.
Ahnyer_Keester wrote:
I suggest a listen to 20th Century Man, another song by the Kinks which is on RP's playlist. You might find it pleasantly surprising.
Don't care for The Kinks. Like, at all. But this one is not horrible.
I suggest a listen to 20th Century Man, another song by the Kinks which is on RP's playlist. You might find it pleasantly surprising.
Don't care for The Kinks. Like, at all. But this one is not horrible.
The brilliant Kinks
Nerubo wrote:
"Dream On" never struck me as a Led Zep song or even one strongly influenced by LZ. Too repetitive and personal without a mysterious element, I think. Aerosmith was accused of being a Rolling Stones copycat when the band first hit it big, IIRC.
It'd be interesting to hear why the Goldsmiths don't have more Aerosmith here. Too much like stadium rock or too straightforward bad-boy FM rock? Those reasons might explain why there's no Van Halen here either.
How is this not a Beatles song? This is not a Beatles song the same way Aerosmith's "Dream On" is not a Led Zeppelin song - ie, it might as well be.
Interesting fact: "Dream On" is the only Aerosmith song in the RP catalog. OK, that's not quite true - there's another one with the Sierra Leone All Stars with a rating of 2.6.
Interesting fact: "Dream On" is the only Aerosmith song in the RP catalog. OK, that's not quite true - there's another one with the Sierra Leone All Stars with a rating of 2.6.
"Dream On" never struck me as a Led Zep song or even one strongly influenced by LZ. Too repetitive and personal without a mysterious element, I think. Aerosmith was accused of being a Rolling Stones copycat when the band first hit it big, IIRC.
It'd be interesting to hear why the Goldsmiths don't have more Aerosmith here. Too much like stadium rock or too straightforward bad-boy FM rock? Those reasons might explain why there's no Van Halen here either.
Nerubo wrote:
At the time this song was released (1965), The Beatles were not releasing sarcastic or cynical songs addressing British class structure or society in general. They were still essentially writing (adolescent) love songs. That is one possible explanation of "how this is not a Beatles' song".
How is this not a Beatles song? This is not a Beatles song the same way Aerosmith's "Dream On" is not a Led Zeppelin song - ie, it might as well be.
At the time this song was released (1965), The Beatles were not releasing sarcastic or cynical songs addressing British class structure or society in general. They were still essentially writing (adolescent) love songs. That is one possible explanation of "how this is not a Beatles' song".
yeah da war ich noch jung :-)) und das war SUUUUper !!
Jeez, how did I end up being that guy?
vandal wrote:
And he likes his own backyard,
And he likes his fags the best,
'Cause he's better than the rest,
And his own sweat smells the best,
And he hopes to grab his father's loot,
When Pater passes on.
Great lyrics. Love the Kinks even if the Davies didn't exactly get along.
And he likes his own backyard,
And he likes his fags the best,
'Cause he's better than the rest,
And his own sweat smells the best,
And he hopes to grab his father's loot,
When Pater passes on.
Great lyrics. Love the Kinks even if the Davies didn't exactly get along.
How is this not a Beatles song? This is not a Beatles song the same way Aerosmith's "Dream On" is not a Led Zeppelin song - ie, it might as well be.
Interesting fact: "Dream On" is the only Aerosmith song in the RP catalog. OK, that's not quite true - there's another one with the Sierra Leone All Stars with a rating of 2.6.
Interesting fact: "Dream On" is the only Aerosmith song in the RP catalog. OK, that's not quite true - there's another one with the Sierra Leone All Stars with a rating of 2.6.
I'd have given it a 10 in 1966..it has aged very well..not sure how to rate this one now. I too adored the girl next door and was dying to get at her !
Proclivities wrote:
Yes, there were similar instrumentation and 'production' sounds to many of the British Invasion bands, even if the subject matter differed.
After a while, even similarities have their differences.
Yes, there were similar instrumentation and 'production' sounds to many of the British Invasion bands, even if the subject matter differed.
After a while, even similarities have their differences.
westslope wrote:
Yes, there were similar instrumentation and 'production' sounds to many of the British Invasion bands, even if the subject matter differed. Many drummers played that way, there was not much that was unique about Ringo's style.
Proclivities, I agree. That said the drumming style sounds awfully familiar.
Yes, there were similar instrumentation and 'production' sounds to many of the British Invasion bands, even if the subject matter differed. Many drummers played that way, there was not much that was unique about Ringo's style.
Proclivities, I agree. That said the drumming style sounds awfully familiar.
mirage wrote:
Other than the British accent, I don't find it to sound "very much like The Beatles", but we all hear different things. Musically, it's a kind of traditional "music hall" melody, and lyrically, it's very different from what The Beatles were writing about at that time.
sounds very much like the Beatles
Other than the British accent, I don't find it to sound "very much like The Beatles", but we all hear different things. Musically, it's a kind of traditional "music hall" melody, and lyrically, it's very different from what The Beatles were writing about at that time.
And he likes his own backyard,
And he likes his fags the best,
'Cause he's better than the rest,
And his own sweat smells the best,
And he hopes to grab his father's loot,
When Pater passes on.
physastro2050 wrote:
God Likey!!! (Fixed that for you.)
God Like!!! 
God Likey!!! (Fixed that for you.)
laozilover wrote:
I always heard it as "his own sweat smells the best." In either case, Ray D. had quite a nice run.
"...and his arm sweat smells the best.."?!?! 
I always heard it as "his own sweat smells the best." In either case, Ray D. had quite a nice run.
I LOVE the variety here — what a delight to hear this after Supergrass, Doc Watson & Nick Drake!!! Great set.
ajlept wrote:
Well done! Now I know what to expect regarding my uploads. Good on ya - I love this song! (I feel like I should be wearing a stiff black suit and a tie when I hear it, though...)
This was my upload. I can't believe that it wasn't on the playlist until now! Wow, makes me feel like a major contributor here.
Well done! Now I know what to expect regarding my uploads. Good on ya - I love this song! (I feel like I should be wearing a stiff black suit and a tie when I hear it, though...)
"...and his arm sweat smells the best.."?!?!
physastro2050 wrote:
I wouldn't go that far, but it is still outstanding. So I gave it an 8.
God Like!!!
I wouldn't go that far, but it is still outstanding. So I gave it an 8.
God Like!!!
sounds very much like the Beatles
Love the Kinks...More, More!
ajlept wrote:
Hey! You are now a well respected man. No irony intended mate.
This was my upload. I can't believe that it wasn't on the playlist until now! Wow, makes me feel like a major contributor here.
Hey! You are now a well respected man. No irony intended mate.
Ahh, Chrissie ... she has held up better than this song has.
redstorm wrote:
redstorm wrote:
hey no matter what you may think of The Kinks, ray davies got to sleep with chrissie hynde, and for that he belongs in the Guy Hall of Fame 
Sweet.
Wes Anderson has used so many Kinks songs to such wonderful effect in his movies. (Or should the credit go to Mark Mothersbaugh, ex-Devo, who does the soundtracks?) I'd like to think a new generation is being turned on to Ray Davies' fine songcraft.
hey no matter what you may think of The Kinks, ray davies got to sleep with chrissie hynde, and for that he belongs in the Guy Hall of Fame
This song has always annoyed me.
This was my upload. I can't believe that it wasn't on the playlist until now! Wow, makes me feel like a major contributor here.
mrcookieface wrote:
This was the first Kinks song I can ever remember hearing.
I always loved it as a kid and it still sounds great now.
First one for me, too.
too bad they couldn't tour in the USA in the late 60's, because they lost a lot of momentum there.
What a cunning linguist!
Great song.
SOund like they are singing about a tool though.
I believe this song is featured in the movie Juno.
TJOpootertoot wrote:
Juno's got it back out there...though I swear it was used in some Wes Anderson film. Rushmore, maybe?
Great song, anyway.
I heard Shangri-La once and thought I'd heard it in a Wes Anderson movie. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.
Early brilliance from one of the all-time great bands, British and otherwise.
This was the first Kinks song I can ever remember hearing.
I always loved it as a kid and it still sounds great now.
Hannio wrote:
Been a while since I heard this.
Juno's got it back out there...though I swear it was used in some Wes Anderson film. Rushmore, maybe?
Great song, anyway.
Been a while since I heard this.