Meaningful songs #4 - THE KINKS

This is the fourth in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "Lola", released in 1970, is by a group called THE KINKS.

The Kinks

Hear the song here

This song conveys a story, without sentiment, about a topic (cross-dressing) that was somewhat taboo in the 70's, so much that David Bowie and Mick Jagger wore dresses provocatively as publicity stunts.

LOLA

I met her in a club down in old Soho

Where you drink champagne and it tastes just like Coca-Cola

C-O-L-A, Cola

     

She walked up to me and she asked me to dance

I asked her her name and in a dark brown voice she sail Lola

L-O-L-A, Lola

La-la-la-la Lola

Well, I'm not the world's most physical guy

But when she squeezed me tight she nearly broke my spine

Oh my Lola

La-la-la-la Lola

Well, I'm not dumb but I can't understand

Why she walked like a woman but talked like a man

Oh my Lola

La-la-la-la Lola

La-la-la-la Lola

Well, we drank champagne and danced all night

Under electric candlelight

She picked me up, sat me on her knee

And said "Dear boy, won't you come home with me?"

Well, I'm not the world's most passionate guy

But when I looked in her eyes, well I almost fell for my Lola

La-la-la-la Lola

La-la-la-la Lola

CHORUS

Lola

La-la-la-la Lola

La-la-la-la Lola

I pushed her away

I walked to the door

I fell to the floor

I got down on my knees

Then I looked at her and she at me

Well, that's the way that I want it to stay

And I always want it to be that way for my Lola

La-la-la-la Lola

Girls will be boys and boys will be girls

It's a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world, except for Lola

La-la-la-la Lola

Well, I left home just a week before

And I'd never ever kissed a woman before

But Lola smiled and took me by the hand

And said Dear boy, I'm gonna make you a man"

Well, I'm not the worlds most masculine man

But I know what I am and I'm glad I'm a man

And so is Lola

La-la-la-la Lola

La-la-la-la Lola

CHORUS  x5

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in this series or hear the next song in the series, which is another "taboo" song.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here.

Click here to read more of the background to this so ground breaking song.