The Kinks: Loud, Lyrical, and Part of the Big Four
The Kinks were an English pop/rock group formed in 1963. Often categorised alongside the other members of the so-called Big Four – The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who – they were a key part of the British Invasion that changed popular music forever.
Among their best-known tunes are Lola, All Day And All Of The Night, Waterloo Sunset, Sunny Afternoon, and You Really Got Me – the latter famously covered by Van Halen fourteen years later with a much louder amp.
Sunny Afternoon first appeared on their 1966 album Face To Face, then as a single, and finally as the title track of their 1967 compilation album. When released as a single in the summer of ’66, it went to #1 in the U.K. and Ireland, reaching #14 in the U.S.
It wasn’t just The Beatles, Stones, and The Who crossing the Atlantic with their blues, soul, and rock ’n’ roll-infused pop – The Kinks were right there with them. Alongside The Yardbirds, The Animals, The Searchers, and The Hollies, they helped shape a generation of music on both sides of the ocean.
While none of these bands may have reached the same level of frenzy The Beatles did, the collective force of the British Invasion helped bind U.K. and U.S. pop and rock forever.
This transatlantic phenomenon didn’t just introduce a wave of new bands – it also brought American blues legends like Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and Albert King wider recognition, especially at home.
Ultimately, the British Invasion reshaped American music into a more raw and electric art form, elevating the guitar as its hero instrument. Many music historians would argue this shift came down to the influence of the Big Four – and two particularly pivotal figures: Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix.
The Kinks Tunes | Related Pages
Dancing In The Street | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Dancing In The Street by Martha and the Vandellas using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| E7 | E7 (D/E) | E7 | E7 (D/E) |
Callin’ out around the world, are you ready for a brand new beat…
Start learning with the full lesson series: Dancing In The Street – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Sunny Afternoon | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Sunny Afternoon by The Kinks using chords, lyrics, a chord chart, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Am | G | C | G |
The tax man’s taken all my dough, and left me in my stately home…
Start learning with the full lesson series: Sunny Afternoon – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
You Really Got Me | Chords + Lyrics
You can learn how to play You Really Got Me by The Kinks + Van Halen using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recordings.
| G5 F5 G5 N.C F5 | G5 F5 G5 N.C F5 |
Girl, you really got me goin’…
The Kinks on the web
