Kinks is the debut studio album by the English rock band the Kinks. It was released on 2 October 1964 in the United Kingdom by Pye Records. The original United States release, issued by Reprise Records on 25 November 1964, omits three tracks and is instead titled You Really Got Me.[6]

The album was re-released in 1998 in the UK on Castle Records with twelve bonus tracks. This reissue was itself reissued in 2004 on the Sanctuary label. A deluxe edition was released on 28 March 2011.[2]

Reception

Consequence of Sound listed the album as a key example of proto-punk, observing "lean aggression" and a "jolting", "in-your-face" approach, and described their rendition of Chuck Berry`s "Beautiful Delilah" as the first punk rock cover.[5]

The AllMusic review by Richie Unterberger assessed the album as lacking in consistency, commenting: "As R&B cover artists, the Kinks weren`t nearly as adept as the Stones and Yardbirds; Ray Davies` original tunes were, "You Really Got Me" aside, perfunctory Mersey Beat-ish pastiches... [the] tunes that producer Shel Talmy penned for the group... were simply abominable."[2]

Rock critic Mike Saunders of Rolling Stone had a more positive opinion of the Kinks` debut LP, described the album as one of their "successful rock and roll albums".[3]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ray Davies unless otherwise noted.

Side one

1. "Beautiful Delilah" (Chuck Berry) – 2:07
2. "So Mystifying" – 2:58
3. "Just Can`t Go to Sleep" – 1:58
4. "Long Tall Shorty" – (Don Covay, Herb Abramson) – 2:50
5. "I Took My Baby Home" – 1:48
6. "I`m a Lover Not a Fighter" (J. D. "Jay" Miller) – 2:03
7. "You Really Got Me" – 2:13

Side two

1. "Cadillac" (Ellas McDaniel) – 2:44
2. "Bald Headed Woman" (Shel Talmy) – 2:41
3. "Revenge" (Davies, Larry Page) – 1:29
4. "Too Much Monkey Business" (Berry) – 2:16
5. "I`ve Been Driving on Bald Mountain" (Talmy) – 2:01
6. "Stop Your Sobbing" – 2:06
7. "Got Love If You Want It" (James Moore) – 3:46

Note

• The original US release retained the same divisions between sides one and two but omitted three tracks: "I Took My Baby Home", "I`m a Lover Not a Fighter" and "Revenge".[8]

Personnel

According to band researcher Doug Hinman:[9]

The Kinks

• Ray Davies – lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica; lead guitar ("I`m a Lover Not a Fighter")
• Dave Davies – backing vocals, electric guitar; lead vocal ("Beautiful Delilah", "Long Tall Shorty", "I`m a Lover Not a Fighter" and "I`ve Been Driving on Bald Mountain")
• Pete Quaife – backing vocals, bass guitar
• Mick Avory – drums (side two, except "Revenge"); tambourine, maracas

Additional musicians

• Rasa Didzpetris – backing vocals ("Stop Your Sobbing")
• Perry Ford – piano ("Bald Headed Woman" and "Stop Your Sobbing")
• Bobby Graham – drums (side one, "Revenge")
• Arthur Greenslade – piano ("You Really Got Me")
• Jon Lord – organ ("Bald Headed Woman")
• Jimmy Page – twelve-string acoustic guitar ("I`m a Lover Not a Fighter", "I`ve Been Driving on Bald Mountain" and possibly "Bald Headed Woman")
• Unknown session musician[nb 1] – rhythm guitar ("You Really Got Me")

Production

• Shel Talmy – producer
• Bob Auger – engineer

Charts