Tonight, for some unknown reason, I wanted to play something older than my usual fare … no, Joe, not THAT old! So, I pulled a year from my invisible hat and came up with 1964. Wouldn’t you know that I’ve already played quite a few of the top hits from that year, but I did find a few that I hadn’t yet played here.
You Really Got Me was written by Ray Davies for British rock band the Kinks. Davies says the song was inspired by a girl dancing in the audience during his college days when he played with the Dave Hunt Band …
“I just remembered this one girl dancing. Sometimes you’re so overwhelmed by the presence of another person and you can’t put two words together. I was playing a gig at a club in Piccadilly and there was a young girl in the audience who I really liked. She had beautiful lips. Thin, but not skinny. A bit similar to Françoise Hardy. Not long hair, but down to about there. Long enough to put your hands through … long enough to hold. I wrote ‘You Really Got Me’ for her, even though I never met her.”
According to SongFacts …
“You Really Got Me” is the first hit for The Kinks. Before releasing it, they put out two singles that flopped: a cover of “Long Tall Sally” and a Ray Davis composition called “You Still Want Me.”
If “You Really Got Me” didn’t sell, there was a good chance their record label would have dropped them, but the song gave them the hit they were looking for. Soon they were making TV appearances, gracing magazine covers, and playing on bills with The Beatles as an opening act. They didn’t have an album out when the song took off, so they rushed one out to capitalize on the demand. This first, self-titled album has just five originals, with the rest being R&B covers – standard practice at the time for British Invasion bands.
The song has been the subject of some interesting controversies, such as the myth that then-session player Jimmy Page, who later joined the Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin, played the guitar solo. Page himself denied that, saying …
“Oh, Crikey! I wasn’t on ‘You Really Got Me,’ but I did play on the Kinks’ records. That’s all I’m going to say about it. But every time I do an interview, people ask me about ‘You Really Got Me.’ So maybe somebody can correct Wikipedia so people won’t keep asking me.”
You Really Got Me
The Kinks
Girl, you really got me goin’
You got me so I don’t know what I’m doin’
Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can’t sleep at night
Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I don’t know what I’m doin’, now
Oh yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can’t sleep at night
You really got me
You really got me
You really got me
See, don’t ever set me free
I always wanna be by your side
Girl, you really got me now
You got me so I can’t sleep at night
Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I don’t know what I’m doin’, now
Oh yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can’t sleep at night
You really got me
You really got me
You really got me
Oh no
See, don’t ever set me free
I always wanna be by your side
Girl, you really got me now
You got me so I can’t sleep at night
Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I don’t know what I’m doin’, now
Oh yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can’t sleep at night
You really got me
You really got me
You really got me
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Ray Davies
You Really Got Me lyrics © Edward Kassner Music Co. Ltd
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Always loved the Kinks. Saw Ray Davies do his Come Dancing act in Vancouver in the 90s. Just him and the audience. He was masterful.
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That’s a cool memory! Glad you liked the song!
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Not very many Kinks songs I do not like. Cannot even think of one off the top of my head. I had two albums, Kinks Best Volumes 1 and ll. Everything on them was great. At least in my mind. Maybe Driving on Bald Mountain, wasn’t the best, but, still, it wasn’t that bad…
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Well, I’m happy to have hit on one that you like!!!
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How could you miss?
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😊
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Great number – a great one to cover (good ‘pub rock’ fare!) The Kinks were a unique band – did some really interesting stuff.
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I’m so glad you liked it! Most of my Brit friends like this one, most of the U.S. readers preferred the Van Halen cover!
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To be honest, I’m not a fan of Van Halen!
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Me either, though I give them credit, especially Eddie Van Halen, for tremendous talent … just not to my taste!
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New to me, but fantastic! Thank you, Jill! xx Michael
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I’m glad to have once again expanded your repertoire and glad that you liked it! xx
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You are always choosing wonderful songs, Jill! You should go “on air” with it. I am sure in short time you would drive one of the best US radio stations. xx
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Ha ha ha … that would mean having to talk to an audience, albeit an unseen one! I would stutter and never get a complete sentence out! But, I’m glad you enjoyed the music! xx
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Lets test out, Jill! Wait on, i am trying to establish a radio station beside my new blog. But myself i cant speak in English. Nobody would understand. xx
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Now Michael … your English is great! Not perfect, but certainly understandable! Well … on the other hand, I’ve only read your written word and never heard you speak before. Heh heh … it could be fun! xx
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Thank you, Jill! Oh speaking English is horrible to me. There is no possibility to do.
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I understand, for I cannot even begin to imagine speaking German! My granddaughter is learning Japanese and … I guess it’s just easier for the young to learn … she is a whiz at it, whereas all the characters/symbols look alike to me! xx
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Reblogged this on NEW OPENED BLOG > https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thank you, Michael!!!
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You are welcome, Jill! xx
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Great single from the Kinks and it’s their version all the way for me.
Cwtch
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I’m happy you liked it! I’m with you … the Van Halen version just didn’t appeal as much.
Cwtch
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A childhood favorite rock song. Was so pleased to see the Kinks perform this in Germany in a late 1980s concert. One of the most sedate and genteel concerts I’ve ever attended, BTW…
Prefer the original song to the van Halen cover. Have nothing against the van Halen version. Eddie knew his way around a guitar, and it was a quite muscular, modern version. But the original song, coming when it did, was fresher, and brings sentimental attachments to when I was young. Doesn’t mean I’ll turn off the van Halen version; just that, given which of the two I’ll turn on, I’ll go with the Kinks version.
However —
Yeah, there’s forever a ‘but’. The van Halen live version, coming on the heels of the Eddie solo known as “Eruption”, is powerful and will move you to dance while playing air gittar.
Hugs and cheers
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That you got to see them play it live in Germany is awesome! I wonder … was it sedate and genteel because it was in Germany, or ???
I, too, prefer the original. I didn’t hate the Van Halen version, and I do credit them with a tremendous amount of talent, but this one is just easier on my ears.
Hugs ‘n cheers, Michael!!!
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The concert was in this wonderful concert hall. Polished pink marble. Wine served in glasses in the lobby during intermission. Perhaps it was the audience’s age — we were some of the younger folk, in our early thirties.
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Wow … that sounds so different from concert venues here!!! Yes, I suppose the venue itself commanded a degree of respect, and I’m sure the age of the audience played a part, too.
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Glad to hear this one, Jill. I agree Van Halen is better.
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I’m glad you liked it! I didn’t care for the Van Halen version as much, but if I ever re-dux this one, I will include that one as well.
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😁
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A real classic, loved it since it was first released. I didn’t know Van Halen had covered it so I listened to their version before commenting. I wish I hadn’t: what a load of overblown rubbish.
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I was exactly the same, Clive. I didn’t know before last night that Van Halen had covered it, so I listened and was not impressed. Too much detritus leading up to the song, and too much something to suit me. Van Halen is a talented bunch, but I’ve never been much of a fan. Glad you liked this version, though!
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I’ve never been a fan of theirs either, not that I’ve bothered much to listen to them. I’m going for Brit solidarity on this, with the version I’ve known since I first started getting into music.
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Jill, The Kinks were a unique group especially with “Lola”. I saw the reference to the Van Halen version which is excellent. It is hard to beat Eddie Van Halen on the guitar. Yet, we do need to give propers to the folks who wrote it. I like them both. Keith
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I didn’t realize until last night that Van Halen had covered this song. I listened and, while the music wasn’t bad, I still prefer this one. Van Halen goes in for a bit too much … something. Showy-ness? It detracts from the music, in my view.
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I prefer Van Halen’s rendition of this. It’s KILLER!
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A bit too showy for me, a bit too … loud. But, if I redux this one at some point, I’ll include the Van Halen version too!
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