I was recently invited by fellow blogger Max Gower to participate in a special series on The Kinks for his terrific blog Power Pop… An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture. I chose to write about their 1966 single “Sunny Afternoon”, which ranks among my top ten favorites songs by the Kinks. I was 11 when the song came out and I remember liking it a lot, not only because of its catchy, upbeat melody but also for the lines “Save me, save me, save me from this squeeze. I gotta big fat mama trying to break me” which, being an 11-year-old, I found pretty funny. Though I didn’t fully comprehend the deeper meaning of the lyrics at the time, my guess was that the song was generally about a guy’s discontent over his current life situation.

Written by Kinks frontman Ray Davies while he was at home suffering from a bad cold, “Sunny Afternoon” was inspired by the high levels of progressive tax imposed by the British Labour government of Harold Wilson (a subject also covered by the Beatles in their song “Taxman”), as well as a host of difficult issues he was facing at the time. Despite the Kinks’ immense success, group tensions, lawsuits, an unrealistic workload and unsupportive management was making them miserable. Davies was also dealing with new fatherhood, and had even left the band for a while.

In writing the song, Davis composed the melody first, then created an alter ego to express his feelings. He later recalled: “The only way I could interpret how I felt was through a dusty, fallen aristocrat who had come from old money as opposed to the wealth I had created for myself.” In order to prevent the listener from sympathizing with the song’s protagonist, a spoiled aristocrat bemoaning the loss of his vast unearned wealth, Davies said, “I turned him into a scoundrel who fought with his girlfriend after a night of drunkenness and cruelty.” (Songfacts)

Regarding those lyrics I loved as a kid, Davies explained in a 2016 interview with Q magazine: “My mother was quite large. But that also alludes to the government, the British Empire, trying to break people.”

Davies was still suffering from his cold on the day he recorded the song on May 13, 1966, and now that I know this, his nasal congestion is apparent in his vocals, which nevertheless still sound great to me. He recalled to Q magazine: “I did it in one take and when I heard it back I said, ‘No, let me do it properly,’ but the session was out of time. So that was the vocal. I heard it again the other day. I was 22 but I sound like someone about 40 who’s been through the mill. I really hang on some of the notes. A joyous song, though, even if it’s suppressed joy. I had real fun writing that.” Backing vocals were sung by Dave Davies, Kinks bassist Pete Quaife, and Ray Davies’ then wife Rasa.

With its strong music hall vibe (a type of British theatrical entertainment similar to American vaudeville that was popular from the Victorian era through World War I, characterized by a mix of popular songs, comedy and specialty acts), “Sunny Afternoon” was a continuation of the stylistic departure from the band’s earlier hard-driving, power chord songs like “You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night” that began with 1965’s “A Well Respected Man”. Besides Davies’ wonderful vocals, I love Pete Quaife’s jaunty bass riff, session musician Nicky Hopkins’ spirited piano, and the charming little musical touches like the harmonica, tambourine and lively percussion heard throughout the track.

Released as a single on June 3, 1966, “Sunny Afternoon” went to #1 on the UK Singles Chart that July, where it spent three weeks. The song also reached #1 in Ireland, Canada, the Netherlands and Norway, and peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S. It was later included on their fourth album Face to Face, released in October 1966, as well as becoming the title track for their 1967 compilation album.

The promotional video produced for the single featured the band performing in a cold, snowy environment, in sharp contrast to the lyrics about enjoying a sunny afternoon.