A Well Respected Man
Encyclopedia
"A Well Respected Man" is a song by the British
band The Kinks
, written by the group's lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ray Davies
, and originally released on the U.K.
EP
Kwyet Kinks
in September 1965 (see 1965 in music
). It was released as a single in the U.S.
during October of that same year and reached #13. "A Well Respected Man" remains one of the band's most popular and best known songs.
Musically, it marked the beginning of an expansion in The Kinks' inspirations, drawing much from British Music Hall
traditions (a style which was to feature prominently on later 1960s songs such as "Dedicated Follower of Fashion
" and "Mister Pleasant
"). Lyrically, the song is notable as being the first of Ray Davies' compositions to overtly address the theme of British class consciousness. Indeed, the song offers a satirical
commentary on the entrenched social mores and conventions of the English upper
and middle class
es, while hinting at the restlessness, frustration and hypocrisy that lurks beneath this fastidiously maintained veneer of "respectability".
Davies composed the song based on a negative experience with upper class guests at a luxury resort where he was staying in 1965. He crafted the song to mock what he perceived as their condescension and self-satisfaction.
Following the success of that single, "A Well Respected Man" was also released as a single in mainland Europe in March 1966 (although pressed in the U.K., it was an export-only issue).
It was one of three Kinks songs included on The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll along with "You Really Got Me
" and "Lola
".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
band The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
, written by the group's lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ray Davies
Ray Davies
Ray Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
, and originally released on the U.K.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Kwyet Kinks
Kwyet Kinks
Kwyet Kinks is the third EP by The Kinks, released in September 1965. Unlike most of their other EPs, it contained all exclusive tracks and all were original compositions....
in September 1965 (see 1965 in music
1965 in music
-Events:*January 4 – Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is sold to CBS for $13 million.*January 12 – Hullabaloo premieres on NBC. The first show included performances by The New Christy Minstrels, comedian Woody Allen, actress Joey Heatherton and a segment from London in which Brian Epstein...
). It was released as a single in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during October of that same year and reached #13. "A Well Respected Man" remains one of the band's most popular and best known songs.
Musically, it marked the beginning of an expansion in The Kinks' inspirations, drawing much from British Music Hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
traditions (a style which was to feature prominently on later 1960s songs such as "Dedicated Follower of Fashion
Dedicated Follower of Fashion
"Dedicated Follower of Fashion" is a 1966 single by British band The Kinks. It lampoons the contemporary British fashion scene and mod culture in general...
" and "Mister Pleasant
Mister Pleasant
"Mister Pleasant" is a song recorded by British rock group The Kinks in 1967, written by Ray Davies. It was released as a single in the US and mainland Europe but not in the UK. It was released in the UK six months later as the B-side to "Autumn Almanac"...
"). Lyrically, the song is notable as being the first of Ray Davies' compositions to overtly address the theme of British class consciousness. Indeed, the song offers a satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
commentary on the entrenched social mores and conventions of the English upper
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
and middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
es, while hinting at the restlessness, frustration and hypocrisy that lurks beneath this fastidiously maintained veneer of "respectability".
Davies composed the song based on a negative experience with upper class guests at a luxury resort where he was staying in 1965. He crafted the song to mock what he perceived as their condescension and self-satisfaction.
Following the success of that single, "A Well Respected Man" was also released as a single in mainland Europe in March 1966 (although pressed in the U.K., it was an export-only issue).
It was one of three Kinks songs included on The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll along with "You Really Got Me
You Really Got Me
"You Really Got Me" is a rock song written by Ray Davies and performed by his band, The Kinks. It was released on 4th August 1964 as the group's third single, and reached Number 1 on the UK singles chart the next month, remaining for two weeks...
" and "Lola
Lola (song)
"Lola" is a song written by Ray Davies and performed by The Kinks which details a romantic encounter between a young man and a transvestite he meets in a club in Soho, London....
".
In popular culture
- The song was featured in the 2007 film JunoJuno (film)Juno is a 2007 comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody. Ellen Page stars as the title character, an independent-minded teenager confronting an unplanned pregnancy and the subsequent events that put pressures of adult life onto her. Michael Cera, Olivia Thirlby, J. K....
and in the 2010 film Love and Other DrugsLove and Other DrugsLove and Other Drugs is a 2010 romantic comedy film co-written and directed by Edward Zwick and based on the non-fiction book Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman by Jamie Reidy...
featuring Anne Hathaway. - The song can be heard during the end credits of the 2004 film The Life and Death of Peter SellersThe Life and Death of Peter SellersThe Life and Death of Peter Sellers is a 2004 film about the life of English comic actor Peter Sellers, based on Roger Lewis' book of the same name...
, in the Criminal MindsCriminal MindsCriminal Minds is an American police procedural drama that premiered September 22, 2005, on CBS. The series follows a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia. The BAU is part of the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime...
episode, "Normal", in the SupernaturalSupernatural (TV series)Supernatural is an American supernatural and horror television series created by Eric Kripke, which debuted on September 13, 2005 on The WB, and is now part of The CW's lineup. Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, the series follows the brothers as they...
episode, "It's A Terrible Life" and in the Homicide: Life on the StreetHomicide: Life on the StreetHomicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
episode, "Colors". - It was also used in the small British play A Well Respected Man, written and starring Rachel Sodah, Nicola Sewell and Benjamin Feist of Staines, England.