Thursday September 2, 2021 “Sunny Afternoon” The Kinks
Ray Davies,lead singer/songwriter for the Kinks claims the inspiration for “Sunny Afternoon” came from his non-stop listening to Frank Sinatra’s Greatest Hits along with Bob Dylan’s Bringing it All Back Home, a strange combination to be sure but then Davies has been known to create facts, true or not.
In 1969, The Kinks wrote one of the first rock operas: Arthur, or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire. It was released the same year as the Who's more successful Tommy, so many have forgotten about Arthur or likely never heard it.
Davies was shot in 2004. While visiting New Orleans with his wife, a mugger stole her bag, Davies gave chase and the perpetrator shot him in the leg, causing severe injuries.
In 2017 Ray Davies was knighted for services to the arts. He recalled to The London Times: "When I got the notification I thought it was a tax demand. I didn't open it for ages."
Stay safe and well...and do live the life of luxury, lazin’ on a sunny summertime afternoon.