Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One

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Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One
Studio album by The Kinks
Released 27 November 1970
Recorded April – May and August – September 1970 at Morgan Studios, Willesden, London
Genre Rock
Length 41:12
Label Pye
Producer Ray Davies
Professional reviews
The Kinks chronology
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
(1969)		 Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One
(1970)		 Percy
(1971)

Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One, alternatively titled Kinks Part One: Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, is a concept album by British rock band The Kinks, recorded and released in 1970.[1]

The album is a satirical look at the various facets of the music industry, including song publishers ("Denmark Street"), unions ("Get Back in Line"), the press and the hit-making machine ("Top of the Pops"), accountants and business managers ("The Moneygoround") and the road ("This Time Tomorrow").[1] Musically, Lola Versus Powerman is varied, contrasting gentle ballads like "Get Back in Line" and "A Long Way From Home" against hard rock songs like "Rats" and "Powerman", with "Denmark Street" and "The Moneygoround" paying homage to the English music hall tradition.[2][3][1]

It came during a period of transition for the band, as not only members of their lineup changed, but their look and musical style changed as well. It was a success both critically and commercially for the group, charting in the Top 40 in America[4] and helping restore them in the public eye, making Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround a "comeback" album. It contained two hit singles, "Lola", which reached the top 10 in the US and UK, and "Apeman", which peaked at number five in the UK.[4]

Contents

Background and recording

Five smiling men in a row, diagonal to camera angle. The man on the left (farthest to the back) has very long hair and a full beard; he wears a white T-shirt and tie-dyed pants. Next to him, Dave Davies, also with very long hair, wears reflective sunglasses, a black short-sleeved shirt, and jeans. In the middle, Mick Avory wears an unbuttoned leather vest and white pants. The man to his right wears a heavy, probably brown leather jacket with a design that is possibly Native American. On the far right, in front, Ray Davies wears a giant paisley kerchief knotted like a tie, over a white jacket.
The Kinks, around the time of the recording of Lola Versus Powerman. From left: John Gosling, Dave Davies, Mick Avory, John Dalton, Ray Davies (the band's lineup 1970–1976, 1978).

1970 was a hectic year for the Kinks. They had been subject to a ban from the American Federation of Musicians, who had refused permits for the group to perform in America since 1965.[5][6] When this ban was lifted in 1969, the group's management quickly made plans for a North American tour, to help restore their standing in the US pop music scene[7] However, members of the band fell ill, and their US tour was shuffled, [7] as they only managed to play a few dates in America and Canada. [7] A follow-up tour in 1970 met with similar results, with the group performing only at a select number of venues, with many dates canceled.[8] The down time between the tours allowed Ray Davies, lead singer and songwriter of the group, to carefully craft the band's next single, "Lola".[9]

The Kinks returned to England to start work on their new LP in spring 1970.[10] The group began using a different recording studio, Morgan Studios, in Willesden, London.[10] Morgan was an independent studio, and the Kinks would continue recording their albums there until Preservation, when they switched to their newly-purchased studio, Konk.[9] Recording began in late April/early May.[10] Some of the first songs recorded were "Lola", the outtake "Good Good Life", "Powerman" and "Got to Be Free".[10] The sessions for "Lola" were especially long, and the recording continued into late May. Davies would recall later how he achieved the signature clangy sound at the beginning of the track:

A metal guitar lies flat on its back, vertically aligned and on top of a grey background.
A National Steel resonator guitar
“ "I remember going into a music store on Shaftesbury Avenue in London when we were about to make 'Lola'. I said, 'I want to get a really good guitar sound on this record. I want a Martin.' And in the corner they had this old 1938 dobro [resonator guitar, in this case a National Steel] that I bought for $150. I put them together on 'Lola' which is what makes that clangy sound: the combination of the Martin and the dobro with heavy compression."[10] ”

The National Steel would play an integral part in many Kinks projects after that. In the 1972 song "Supersonic Rocket Ship", Ray Davies would use the guitar to create a Caribbean feel for the record. Davies would play it on numerous Top of The Pops appearances, and it would be featured in several music videos the Kinks made in the future, including "Scattered" in 1992.[11]

Keyboardist John Gosling was added to the Kinks' lineup in May.[12] He auditioned on the final backing master track for "Lola", and was hired soon after. He was initially taken on solely for their upcoming US tour, but his post evolved into a more permanent position soon after. Gosling would remain with the band until 1977, departing after the release of Sleepwalker.[10] Dubbing for "Lola" was finished in June.[13] Recording for the LP was completed by October, and it was mixed throughout the remainder of the month.[14] Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One was released on 27 November 1970.

Controversies and dubbing

For "Lola", Ray Davies was forced to overdub the trademarked word "Coca-Cola" with the generic "cherry-cola" for the single release, as product placement rules meant the BBC (being a public service broadcaster) would not have played it.[13][15] Although the lyrics in the gatefold sleeve of the original LP use the "cherry-cola" line, the album actually contains the original "Coca-Cola" version. A similar situation was encountered with the song "Apeman", concerning the line "the air pollution is a-foggin' up my eyes".[13] "Fogging" was mistaken for "Fucking", and consequently Ray Davies had to re-record this line prior to its single release.[13]

Songs

The album opens with a 40-second "Introduction", which is a reverse reprise of the last track on the album, "Got to Be Free".[3] Like "Got to Be Free", this song features light instrumentation reminiscent of country and bluegrass styles.[3][1] "The Contenders" is the next track on Lola Versus Powerman.[16] It is sometimes credited as the first; however, the "Introduction" is often billed as "Track One" as well.[16] The song features a hard blues guitar sound and riff.
"Strangers"
The song "Strangers".
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

"Strangers" is the first of two Dave Davies compositions on Lola Versus Powerman.[1][16] It is an acoustic number that is augmented by Mick Avory's drum beat and John Gosling's organ. Davies said in his autobiography, Kink, that the song was at least partially inspired by his brother, Ray, as well as his general feelings of hopelessness and confusion at this turning point in the band's career.[17]

A dark, secluded street, with brown buildings on either side. Visible in the middle of the street is a concrete island, with a telephone booth and several bicycles locked up in front of it. In the distance a brown seven-story building is also visible, with a gray sky above.
Denmark Street in Soho, July 2004

"Denmark Street" takes a look at the music publishing companies of Denmark Street in Soho, London.[1] Ray Davies was at this time in a legal dispute with several publishing companies, which would eventually result in a lowering of his royalty rate.[9] Many of these experiences are expressed throughout this tune.[3]

"Get Back in the Line",[16] concerns unions and working-class life. It tells the story of a man who is down and out of luck, and his feelings towards his situation in working-class life,[1] as shown in these lines: "Standing at the corner waiting watching time go by/ Will I go to work today or shall I bide my time/ 'Cos when I see that union man walking down the street/ He's the man who decides if I live or I die, if I starve, or I eat" [18] A live version, performed at the Rainbow Theatre in 1977, can be found on the Kinks' album BBC Sessions: 1964–1977.[19]
"Lola"
Lola, the "Cherry Cola" mix. Two sections of the song are featured in this sample. Note the loud "clang" featured at the beginning, created by Ray Davies' National Steel
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

The song "Lola" is about an encounter with a transvestite.[20] Encouraged by his father, Davies consciously and carefully crafted the song to be a hit after a long dry spell for the band on both the UK and US charts.[9] The band made several different takes throughout April 1970, all at various speeds and in different keys. John Dalton would later recall that the recording of "Lola" took a very long time and was especially stressful and taxing on the group.[10] However, upon the release of the single, "Lola" became one of the Kinks' biggest hits, and reached the Top 5 in the UK and the Top 10 in the US.[4]

"Top of the Pops" is another song concerning the music business, this time focusing on charts and the hit-making machine.[1] The song has a hard rock feel, similar to "Rats" and "Powerman".[21] It would later become a concert staple for the Kinks, and version can be found on the live half of their double LP Everybody's In Show-Biz.[22]

"The Moneygoround", another "music business" song, features heavy music hall and folk roots. At 1:47, it is the shortest song on the album apart from "Introduction".[1] The song criticizes the circulation of money in the music business: "Do they all deserve money from a song that they've never heard/ They don't know the tune and they don't know the words/ But they don't give a damn/ There's no end to it I'm in a pit and I'm stuck in it"[22]

"This Time Tomorrow" is one of the better known songs on the album, having been featured in several movies, including The Darjeeling Limited.[23] It is about life on the road and travel, which was wearing heavily on the Kinks in 1970, as they returned to American touring.[8] Similar sentiments are expressed on their album "Everybody’s in Show-Biz".[24]

"A Long Way From Home", is a quiet number, and at only 2:27 in length is one of the shorter tracks off the album.[21] It has become a popular song on Ray Davies' recent tours. Davies performed the song at Austin City Limits in 2004.[25]

"Rats", the tenth song on the album, is the second song on the LP written and sung by Dave Davies.[21] It features a heavy proto-punk sound, carried with a power-chord riff. The song was used as the B-side to "Apeman".[26]

"Apeman" was released as a single in the fall of 1970.[26] While it did not do as well on the U.S. Pop Singles chart as its predecessor, "Lola", it was a hit in the UK, peaking at number five on the singles chart.[4]

"Powerman" features a hard rock sound, as well as shared vocals from both of the Davies brothers.[26]

"Got to Be Free" is the last song on the album.[9] It opens as a lullaby ("Hush little baby/Don't you cry"), the same lyrics and tune as the album's introduction on side A, but soon changes to a more standard rock song structure, with a chorus of "Got to be free to say what I want/Make what I want and play what I want" (with minor changes as the song progresses, such as "laugh when I want" and "do what I want").[27][3] The song was featured in the BBC Play for Today production The Long Distance Piano Player, which featured Ray Davies in the lead role.[9]

Reception and chart performance

America

The album received generally positive reviews in the US. Rolling Stone magazine commented that it was "the best Kinks album yet."[28] In his "Consumer Guide" column, critic Robert Christgau commented that "Lola" had been an "astounding single," but gave Lola Versus Powerman a mixed review, saying that "the melodies are still there, but in this context they sound corny rather than plaintive."[29] The single "Lola" received positive reviews, and, due to its success, an interview with Ray Davies by Jonathan Cott was featured as a cover story for Rolling Stone in November 1970.[30]

"Lola" was successful in the US market, charting at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, staying on the charts for 14 weeks.[31][4][32] It also peaked at #7 on the Record World charts.[4][32] Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One reached #35 on Billboard, and on the Record World charts it peaked at #22, making it their most successful album since the mid-60s.[4][5]

Britain

Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One went virtually unnoticed in the UK and failed to chart. "Lola", however, received much more attention in the press, including a spotlight interview with Ray Davies to promote its release in New Musical Express.[33] The single topped the New Musical Express charts in the UK, and reached #2 on Melody Maker.[4] "Lola" became The Kinks' biggest success since "Sunny Afternoon" in 1966; the group would never again have another single reach this position in the UK.[4]

Aftermath

The success of the singles and album allowed The Kinks to negotiate a new contract with RCA Records, construct their own London Studio, which they named "Konk", and assume more creative and managerial control.[5] It helped them regain a footing in the U.S. concert market after the American Federation of Musicians, who had refused permits for the group to perform concerts there since 1965, relented in 1969.[6]

Soundtrack appearances

Songs from the album have been featured in multiple films, across several languages. One of the most notable uses of songs from the album was when "This Time Tomorrow", "Strangers", and "Powerman" were used in the 2007 Wes Anderson film The Darjeeling Limited.[23] In France, "This Time Tomorrow" appeared in the 2005 Philippe Garrel film Les amants réguliers.[34] "Apeman" has been featured in multiple movies, including the film Mondovino and the 1986 Harold Ramis movie Club Paradise.[35]

Chart tables

Album

Chart (1970) Peak
position
Australia[4] 24
US[4][32] 35


Singles

Year Single Title Highest UK
Chart Position		 Highest US
Chart Position		 Highest Netherlands
Chart Position		 Highest Austria
Chart Position		 Highest Switzerland
Chart Position
1970 "Lola" 1[4] 9[32] 1[36] 2[37] 4[38]
1970 "Apeman" 5[4] 45[32] 9[39] 2[40] 7[41]

Track listing

  • Per album notes[16]

All tracks written by Ray Davies except where noted.

Side one

  1. "Introduction" – 0:41
  2. "The Contenders" – 2:42
  3. "Strangers" (Dave Davies)* – 3:20
  4. "Denmark Street" – 2:02
  5. "Get Back in Line" – 3:04
  6. "Lola" – 4:01
  7. "Top of the Pops" – 3:40
  8. "The Moneygoround" – 1:47

Side two

  1. "This Time Tomorrow" – 3:22
  2. "A Long Way From Home" – 2:27
  3. "Rats" (Dave Davies)* – 2:40
  4. "Apeman" – 3:52
  5. "Powerman" (Ray Davies/Dave Davies) – 4:18
  6. "Got to Be Free" – 3:01

Castle/Sanctuary re-release bonus tracks

Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround was re-released in 1998 by Castle Communications,[42] and 2004 by Sanctuary records, both in the UK.[43] On both issues, bonus tracks included the mono "cherry cola" mix of "Lola", an acoustic demo version of "Apeman" that was accidentally released as a single in Portugal, and an acoustic demo of "Powerman".[43]

  1. "Lola" (mono single mix) – 4:08
  2. "Apeman" (acoustic demo) – 3:41
  3. "Powerman" (acoustic demo) – 4:23

Personnel

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Erlewine, Stephen. "Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kxfyxqesldte. Retrieved 1 December 2009. 
  2. ^ "Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround". J&R. http://www.jr.com/product/music/pm/_116952/#productTabCredits. Retrieved 1 December 2009. 
  3. ^ a b c d e DiBlasi, Alex. "Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One". Kindakinks.com. http://www.kindakinks.net/misc/paper-DiBlasi-LolaVsPowerman.pdf. Retrieved 1 December 2009. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "International Chart Positions". http://www.kindakinks.net/charts.html. Retrieved 1 December 2009. 
  5. ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen. "The Kinks". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:3ifoxqe5ldse~T1. Retrieved 1 December 2009. 
  6. ^ a b Alterman, Loraine. Who Let the Kinks In?. Rolling Stone, 18 December 1969
  7. ^ a b c Hinman 2004, pp. 132-140
  8. ^ a b Hinman 2004, p. 137
  9. ^ a b c d e f Hinman 2004, pp. 132-145
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Hinman 2004, p. 140
  11. ^ The Kinks: Phobia, "Scattered" music video, 1992 – Columbia Records.
  12. ^ Rogan 1998, p. 141
  13. ^ a b c d Hinman 2004, p. 141
  14. ^ Hinman 2004, pp. 145
  15. ^ "Songfacts" listing for "Lola"
  16. ^ a b c d e Album Notes (Reprise, 2004)
  17. ^ Davies, Dave (1994). pp. 132-133
  18. ^ Lyrics on Kindakinks.net. Retrieved 1 December 2009
  19. ^ Release info of BBC Sessions. Kindakinks.net, Retrieved 1 December 2009
  20. ^ Gilliam, Richard. ""Lola"". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:wvfrxvegldfe. Retrieved 1 December 2009. 
  21. ^ a b c Rogan 1998, pp. 60-80
  22. ^ a b Lyrics for "Top of the Pops" Link, on Kindakinks.net. Retrieved 1 December 2009
  23. ^ a b Soundtrack listing on IMDB, the Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 1 December 2009
  24. ^ Erlewine, Stephen. "Everybody's In Show-Biz". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:39ftxqqdldte. Retrieved 1 December 2009. 
  25. ^ Kindakinks.net Review and set list, on Kindakinks.net, Retrieved 1 December 2009
  26. ^ a b c Rogan 1998, p. 79
  27. ^ Lyrics to "Got To Be Free". Kindakinks.net, Retrieved 1 December 2009
  28. ^ Rolling Stone, 7 January 1971
  29. ^ Christgau, Robert. Consumer Guide
  30. ^ Hinman 2004, p. 131
  31. ^ Rolling Stone ""Lola"". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596267/lola Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 December 2009. 
  32. ^ a b c d e ""The Kinks: Charts and Awards"". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:3ifoxqe5ldse~T51. Retrieved 1 December 2009. 
  33. ^ Hinman 2004, p. 139
  34. ^ Soundtrack listing on IMDB, the Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 1 December 2009
  35. ^ Soundtrack listing on IMDB, the Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 1 December 2009
  36. ^ "Lola" Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 16 December 2009
  37. ^ "Lola" Austriancharts.at. Retrieved 16 December 2009
  38. ^ "Lola" Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 16 December 2009
  39. ^ "Apeman" Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 16 December 2009
  40. ^ "Apeman" Austriancharts.at. Retrieved 16 December 2009
  41. ^ "Apeman" Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 16 December 2009
  42. ^ Album Notes (Castle, 1998)
  43. ^ a b Album Notes (Sanctuary, 2004)

References

  • Davies, Ray (1995). X-Ray. New York, NY: Overlook Press. ISBN 0879516119. 
  • Davies, Dave (1996). Kink. New York, NY: Hyperion. ISBN 0786882697. 
  • Rogan, Johnny (1998). The Complete Guide to the Music of The Kinks. London, UK: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0711963142. 
  • Miller, Andy (2003). The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society. London, UK: Continuum International Publishing Group. ISBN 0826414982. 
  • Hinman, Doug (2004). The Kinks: All Day and All of the Night. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 087930765X. 
  • Kitts, Thomas (2007). Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else. London, UK: Routledge. ISBN 041597769X. 
  • (1998) Album notes for Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One by The Kinks [CD reissue]. Castle.
  • (2004) Album notes for Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One by The Kinks [CD reissue]. Reprise.
  • (2004) Album notes for Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One by The Kinks [CD reissue]. Sanctuary.
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