The Kinks: "Sunny Afternoon" (1967)

"Sunny Afternoon" is a song by The Kinks, written by chief songwriter Ray Davies. The track later featured on the Face to Face album as well as being the title track for their 1967 compilation album. Its strong Music Hall flavour and lyrical focus was part of a stylistic departure for the band (begun with 1965's "A Well Respected Man"), who had risen to fame in 1964-65 with a series of hard-driving, power-chord rock hits.

Released as a single in 3 June 1966, it went to number 1 on the UK singles charts on 7 July 1966, remaining there for two weeks. The track also went to number 1 in Ireland on 18 July 1966. In America, it peaked at number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart early autumn 1966. "Sunny Afternoon" was placed at #200 on Pitchfork Media's list of The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s.

The promotional video for the single featured the band performing in a cold, snowy environment.

- Lyrics:

The taxman's taken all my dough

and left me in my stately home
lazing on a sunny afternoon.
And I can't sail my yacht

he's taken ev'rything I've got;
all I've got's this sunny afternoon.

Save me
save me
save me from this squeeze

I've got a big fat momma tyin' to break me.
And I love to live so pleasantly

live this life of luxury:
lazing on a sunny afternoon

in Summertime
in summertime

in summertime.

My girlfriend's gone off with my car

and gone back to her ma and pa

telling tales of drunkenness and cruelty.
Now I'm sitting here

sipping at my icecold beer

lazing on a sunny afternoon.

Help me
help me
help me sail away

you give me two good reasons why I ought to stay.
'Cos I love to live so pleasantly

live this life of luxury:
lazing on a sunny afternoon

in Summertime
in summertime

in summertime.