All of My Friends Were There
The Kinks
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My big day, it was the biggest day of my life. It was the summit of my long career, But I felt so down, and I drank too much beer, And my manager said that I should not appear. I walked out onto the stage and started to speak. The first night I've missed for a couple of years, I explained to the crowed and they started to jeer, And just when I wanted no one to be there, All of my friends were there. Not just my friends, but their best friends too. All of my friends were there to stand and stare, Say what they may, all of their friends need not stay. Those who laughed were not friends anyway. All of my friends were there to stand and stare. Days went by, I walked around dressed in a disguise. I wore a mustache and I parted my hair, And gave the impression that I did not care, But oh, the embarrassment, oh, the despair. Came the day, helped with a few last glasses of gin, I nervously mounted the stage once again, Got through my performance and no one complained, Thank God I can go back to normal again. I went to that old cafe, Where I had been in much happier days, And all of my friends were there, And no one cared. Say what they may, all of my friends were there. Not just my friends, but their best friends too. All of my friends were there, Now I don't care.
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Written by: RAYMOND DOUGLAS DAVIES
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Song Origin"All of My Friends Were There" is a song by the English rock band The Kinks. The band, known for hits like "You Really Got Me" and "Waterloo Sunset", has been active since the 1960s and are considered one of the most iconic bands of that era.
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Album BackgroundThe song was featured on the band's seventh studio album "The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society". Released in 1968, the album is often considered one of the best in the band's catalogue and professional music-press critics list it among the greatest albums of all time.
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Lyrics Significance"All of My Friends Were There" is primarily written and sung by the Kinks' lead vocalist, Ray Davies. The lyrics reflect an embarrassing incident that happened to him at a high profile US concert in 1965, one of the band's first performances in America, where Ray Davies arrived late and was so nervous that he fluffed some lyrics and drunkenly fell off the stage.
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Song ThemeThe song is an empathetic exploration of social anxiety and embarrassment - a common theme for the Kinks, who often used their music to comment on British class and social issues.
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Critical Acclaim"All of My Friends Were There" is praised for its balance of humor and pathos, as well as for its catchy, sing-along format - elements that have since become trademarks of the Kinks' music.
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Usage in MediaWhile not released as a single or achieving notable chart success, the song remains a fan-favorite and is featured in the Criterion Collection's release of Wes Anderson film "Rushmore".
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Unique Instrumentation"All of My Friends Were There" also includes unique instrumentation for a rock band at the time, featuring a prominent tuba line.
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Genre ClassificationThe song, like much of its parent album, falls under the genre classification of Baroque Pop, essentially rock music that blends with classical music. Featuring traits of this music style, it employed a broader range of instruments and more complex harmonies than standard rock or pop music.
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Live Performances“All of My Friends Were There” has been performed live by The Kinks on multiple occasions, often garnering enthusiastic audience response.
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Influence and LegacyThe song underscores The Kinks' influence on future jam bands by showcasing their ability to infuse narrative storytelling into rock music, a characteristic that would become more prevalent in rock and pop music of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
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Citation
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