Kentish Town Waltz
Encyclopedia
"Kentish Town Waltz" is a song by Irish rockabilly
singer Imelda May
. Written solely by May, the song was released as her fifth single on November 15, 2010 and the third single from her third studio album, Mayhem
. The song, which has been described as "the standout song" of the album, is one of May's autobiographical songs and was also rerecorded in New York
with iconic musician Lou Reed
.
, United Kingdom
in mid-2010. It was eventually featured as the fourth track on Mayhem. American record producer Tony Visconti
became a fan of the song soon after its release and forwarded the song to former Velvet Underground frontman Lou Reed
who then invited May to fly to New York
to specifically rerecord the song. May has also admitted that she found it strange to work with a musician as iconic as Reed stating that ""It was weird asking, 'Would you mind doing that line again, Mr Reed, please?'. And he was like, 'Sure! It's your song!'" May has also said that in-studio she and Reed "got on like a house on fire."
sound or influence and its focus on a more folk
and blues
-inspired sound. In comparison to its upbeat predecessor "Mayhem
", the song is mellow and follows standard chord progressions throughout with the verses being composed of two chords (G-D), the bridge being composed of two main chords (C-Am) and finishing with a major lift (D) and the chorus slightly alternating (C-G-D). There is also little emphasis on the drums in the album version of the song which May describes as being reminiscent of the album's "soft times."
Lyrically, the song is autobiographical and describes May's experiences of living in in Kentish Town
, an area in north London
and general domestic struggle with her husband, Darrel Higham
, whilst residing there. Speaking of the song, May said:
and during the show, Lou Reed's duet version of the song was discussed.
The song was not well-promoted in comparison to her previous singles, however, critical acclaim for the song was extremely positive and the song reached No.28 on the Irish Singles Chart
in early December 2010, though failed to chart in the United Kingdom.
Guest musician
Technical personnel
unless otherwise noted.
Digital download
7" vinyl
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
singer Imelda May
Imelda May
Imelda Mary Higham, Clabby , known as Imelda May, is an Irish vocalist and musician. She began her career in music at 15 and released her debut album in 2005. She also plays the bodhrán and guitar...
. Written solely by May, the song was released as her fifth single on November 15, 2010 and the third single from her third studio album, Mayhem
Mayhem (Imelda May album)
Mayhem is the third studio album by Irish rockabilly singer Imelda May, released on 3 September 2010 in Ireland and on 4 October 2010 in the United Kingdom.-Background:...
. The song, which has been described as "the standout song" of the album, is one of May's autobiographical songs and was also rerecorded in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
with iconic musician Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
.
Origin and recording
The song was originally recorded during the Mayhem sessions at Embassy Studios, a sixteen track analogue recording studio in a converted cow shed, near BasingstokeBasingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
, United Kingdom
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...
in mid-2010. It was eventually featured as the fourth track on Mayhem. American record producer Tony Visconti
Tony Visconti
Anthony Edward Visconti is an American record producer and sometimes a musician or singer.Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers; his lengthiest involvement with any artist is with David Bowie: intermittently from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity to 2003's Reality, Visconti...
became a fan of the song soon after its release and forwarded the song to former Velvet Underground frontman Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
who then invited May to fly to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to specifically rerecord the song. May has also admitted that she found it strange to work with a musician as iconic as Reed stating that ""It was weird asking, 'Would you mind doing that line again, Mr Reed, please?'. And he was like, 'Sure! It's your song!'" May has also said that in-studio she and Reed "got on like a house on fire."
Music and lyrics
"Kentish Town Waltz" is considered one of May's more abstract songs due to its lack of rockabillyRockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
sound or influence and its focus on a more folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
-inspired sound. In comparison to its upbeat predecessor "Mayhem
Mayhem (Imelda May song)
"Mayhem" is a song by Irish rockabilly singer Imelda May. Written solely by May, the song was released as her fourth single on September 13, 2010 and the second single from her third studio album of the same name...
", the song is mellow and follows standard chord progressions throughout with the verses being composed of two chords (G-D), the bridge being composed of two main chords (C-Am) and finishing with a major lift (D) and the chorus slightly alternating (C-G-D). There is also little emphasis on the drums in the album version of the song which May describes as being reminiscent of the album's "soft times."
Lyrically, the song is autobiographical and describes May's experiences of living in in Kentish Town
Kentish Town
Kentish Town is an area of north west London, England in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The most widely accepted explanation of the name of Kentish Town is that it derived from 'Ken-ditch' meaning the 'bed of a waterway'...
, an area in north London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and general domestic struggle with her husband, Darrel Higham
Darrel Higham
Darrel Higham is an English rockabilly guitarist.-Career:Higham started playing lead guitar with British rockabilly bands in the late 1980s. By the mid-1990s, he had created the band that would become his main gigging and recording project: Darrel Higham & The Enforcers...
, whilst residing there. Speaking of the song, May said:
"I wrote 'Kentish Town Waltz' about when I first came over to London with my husband... It's about struggling but also having a great time if you stick together. It might tie in with even more people now there's been a recession."
Release and promotion
"Kentish Town Waltz" was announced for release in early November 2010 and the same month, May appeared as a guest on music panel show Never Mind the BuzzcocksNever Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game television show with a pop music theme, currently without a permanent presenter. It stars Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
and during the show, Lou Reed's duet version of the song was discussed.
The song was not well-promoted in comparison to her previous singles, however, critical acclaim for the song was extremely positive and the song reached No.28 on the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
in early December 2010, though failed to chart in the United Kingdom.
Music video
The promotional music video for "Kentish Town Waltz" is aptly features clips of Kentish Town throughout including streets, the main train station and the interior of pubs; most of which reflect the songs lyrics. The first half of the music video is shot in black and white and includes The Imelda May Band performing in-studio. The latter half of the video is shot in colour and includes The Imelda May Band performing live. Both halves of the music video uses split-frame techniques to show the performances and Kentish Town clips.Chart positions
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
24 |
Musicians and personnel
The Imelda May Band- Imelda MayImelda MayImelda Mary Higham, Clabby , known as Imelda May, is an Irish vocalist and musician. She began her career in music at 15 and released her debut album in 2005. She also plays the bodhrán and guitar...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Darrel HighamDarrel HighamDarrel Higham is an English rockabilly guitarist.-Career:Higham started playing lead guitar with British rockabilly bands in the late 1980s. By the mid-1990s, he had created the band that would become his main gigging and recording project: Darrel Higham & The Enforcers...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s - Al Gare - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2... - Stevew Rushton - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion - Dave Priseman - trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, flugelFlügelFlügel may refer to:*The Harpsichord in the 18th and early 19th centuries*The Grand Pianoforte in the late 19th century *The flugelhorn*The "wing" or tenor joint of the Bassoon*The following persons:...
, percussion
Guest musician
- Lou ReedLou ReedLewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
- vocals (on "Kentish Town Waltz")
Technical personnel
- Imelda May - producer, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Andy Wright - producer, mixing
- Gavin Goldberg - producer, mixing
- Graham Dominy - engineer
- Darrel Highham - mixing
- Guy Davie - mastering
Track listing
All songs written by Imelda MayImelda May
Imelda Mary Higham, Clabby , known as Imelda May, is an Irish vocalist and musician. She began her career in music at 15 and released her debut album in 2005. She also plays the bodhrán and guitar...
unless otherwise noted.
Digital download
- "Kentish Town Waltz" - 4:50
- "Kentish Town Waltz" (featuring Lou ReedLou ReedLewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
) - 3:27 - "Eternity" (Darrel HighamDarrel HighamDarrel Higham is an English rockabilly guitarist.-Career:Higham started playing lead guitar with British rockabilly bands in the late 1980s. By the mid-1990s, he had created the band that would become his main gigging and recording project: Darrel Higham & The Enforcers...
) - 3:16 - "Eternity" (acoustic version) - 2:09
- "Kentish Town Waltz" (video) - 3:43
7" vinyl
- "Kentish Town Waltz" - 4:50
- "Eternity" - 3:16