Welcome to a treasury of wisdom and insight from one of rock music’s most iconic figures, Ray Davies. As the principal songwriter and lead vocalist of The Kinks, Ray Davies has left an indelible mark on the music world with his poignant lyrics, infectious melodies, and keen observations of life. With a career spanning over six decades, Davies has captivated audiences with his distinctive voice and lyrical storytelling, earning him a place among the greatest songwriters of all time.
Throughout his illustrious career, Ray Davies has shared his thoughts on creativity, society, love, and the human experience through his music and interviews. His words resonate with authenticity and depth, offering profound reflections on the complexities of existence and the fleeting nature of time. From wry observations on everyday life to poignant reflections on the human condition, Davies’ quotes are as timeless as they are thought-provoking. Explore the words of this musical legend below, and discover the wisdom that has inspired generations of listeners around the world.
If New Orleans is allowed to die, a crucial part of the world’s music heritage will disappear. Ray Davies
I’ve written so many songs about Englishmen, I have to go elsewhere. Ray Davies
Money and corruption are ruining the land, crooked politicians betray the working man, pocketing the profits and treating us like sheep, and we’re tired of hearing promises that we know they’ll never keep. Ray Davies
When you are making a record and if you spend too much time over it, you have to record it a tone lower or cut the tones lower because you can’t reach some of the notes, I find this. But when you go on stage, you have to put the key up and it really changes the whole thing. Ray Davies
What I try to do probably doesn’t come out. What I’ve worked out what I do – I might not be right – is to do something very personal, and then suddenly I look at it, up in the air. I blow it up and look at it and then I come down again – a better man. Ray Davies
Then I got together with my brother and a friend and we decided to play dates. The more we played, the more we wanted to do it. And it got to a stage where we wanted to do it all the time. Ray Davies
I think that songwriting changed when groups started spending more time in the studio. Ray Davies
Our repertoire consisted of rhythm and blues, sort of country rhythm and blues, Sonny Terry things. Ray Davies
No one can penetrate me. They only see what’s in their own fancy, always. Ray Davies
People take pictures of the Summer, just in case someone thought they had missed it, and to proved that it really existed. Ray Davies
I still like to keep tapes of the few minutes before the final take, things that happen before the session. Maybe it’s superstitious, but I believe if I had done things differently – if I had walked around the studio or gone out – it wouldn’t have turned out that way. Ray Davies
I like surfers. Their imagery, it’s great. Ray Davies
I don’t think England is that gray but India is like a long drone. Ray Davies
Those three chords were part of my life – G, F, Bb – yeh, it is, it is, and I can’t help noticing it. But there have been other things nearly as close to it which people haven’t noticed, other things we have done. Ray Davies
If I had to do my life over, I would change every single thing I have done. Ray Davies
When I wrote the song, I had the sea near Bombay in mind. We stayed at a hotel by the sea, and the fishermen come up at five in the morning and they were all chanting. And we went on the beach and we got chased by a mad dog – big as a donkey. Ray Davies
I got that idea from being in India. I always like the chanting. Ray Davies
At one time they’ve been the most important thing to me. So I can’t hear our records on the radio, I can’t stand it, because they sound so out of what everyone else is doing. Ray Davies
I’m susceptible to that sort of thing – to walls and flowers. You can probably get something more from a wall than a person sometimes. It’s just put somewhere. Ray Davies
I was an art student at the time, like thousands of others. Ray Davies
I’m easy driving, But I’m not a person who loves living pleasantly above all else. I’m not that way at all. I might think I’m that, but I’m not really that. Ray Davies