Percy (soundtrack)
Encyclopedia
Percy is a 1971 film soundtrack for the British comedy film Percy
performed by English
rock group the Kinks
with additional orchestral arrangements conducted by Stanley Myers
. The songs were written by Ray Davies
and include both standard pop songs and instrumental numbers.
, concluding a seven-year contract. It was not released in the US and was available there for years only as an import.
Percy was not a notable critical or popular success but the album is nonetheless worthy to be considered as a Kinks studio album, comprised as it was of almost entirely new material, much of which has never been released on any subsequent compilation albums.
(reaching #53) and New Zealand
(#21). In the US the tracks "God's Children" and "Willesden Green" were included on The Kink Kronikles
compilation in 1972. "The Way Love Used to Be" was included on 1973's The Great Lost Kinks Album
.
"Willesden Green" is the only released song by the Kinks to feature lead vocals by another band member other than the Davies brothers. Bassist John Dalton
sings lead vocals on the track, doing an impression of Elvis Presley
.
Percy (1971 film)
Percy is a British comedy film directed by Ralph Thomas starring Hywel Bennett, Denholm Elliott, Elke Sommer and Britt Ekland.Percy , an innocent and shy young man, is hit by a nude man falling from a high-rise building while carrying a chandelier...
performed by English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock group 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...
with additional orchestral arrangements conducted by Stanley Myers
Stanley Myers
Stanley Myers , was a prolific British film composer who scored over sixty films. Born in Birmingham, as a teenager Myers went to King Edward's School in Edgbaston, a suburb of Birmingham...
. The songs were written by 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 include both standard pop songs and instrumental numbers.
Release and reception
This was the band's final album for Pye RecordsPye Records
Pye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man...
, concluding a seven-year contract. It was not released in the US and was available there for years only as an import.
Percy was not a notable critical or popular success but the album is nonetheless worthy to be considered as a Kinks studio album, comprised as it was of almost entirely new material, much of which has never been released on any subsequent compilation albums.
Singles and compilations
"God's Children" was issued as a single (b/w either "Moments" or "The Way Love Used to Be", depending on the country) in April 1971. In the UK a 4-track EP was also released featuring "God's Children", "The Way Love Used To Be", "Moments" and "Dreams". This was the Kinks' last release with Pye while they were still under contract. Unlike the album, the single was released in the US (in July) but failed to chart there or in the UK. It was a minor hit in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(reaching #53) and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
(#21). In the US the tracks "God's Children" and "Willesden Green" were included on The Kink Kronikles
The Kink Kronikles
The Kink Kronikles is a USA compilation double album of singles, B-sides, album tracks and previously unreleased tracks recorded by The Kinks between 1966 and 1970...
compilation in 1972. "The Way Love Used to Be" was included on 1973's The Great Lost Kinks Album
The Great Lost Kinks Album
The Great Lost Kinks Album is a 1973 LP of unreleased material issued by Reprise Records after The Kinks had moved to RCA. The tracks were recorded between 1966 and 1970 and master tapes were shipped to the US Reprise Label in the early 1970s to fulfill contractual obligations with that label...
.
"Willesden Green" is the only released song by the Kinks to feature lead vocals by another band member other than the Davies brothers. Bassist John Dalton
John Dalton (musician)
John Dalton is a British bass guitar player, best known as a member of The Kinks' from 1969 to 1976, replacing original member Pete Quaife.- Biography :...
sings lead vocals on the track, doing an impression of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
.
Track listing
Personnel
- Ray DaviesRay DaviesRay 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...
- vocals, guitar - Dave DaviesDave DaviesDavid Russell Gordon "Dave" Davies is an English rock musician best known for his role as lead guitarist and vocalist for the English rock band The Kinks....
- guitar, vocals - John DaltonJohn DaltonJohn Dalton FRS was an English chemist, meteorologist and physicist. He is best known for his pioneering work in the development of modern atomic theory, and his research into colour blindness .-Early life:John Dalton was born into a Quaker family at Eaglesfield, near Cockermouth, Cumberland,...
- bass, lead vocals on "Willesden Green" - John GoslingJohn Goslingnot to be confused with John Gostling John Gosling , is an English classically trained organist and pianist....
- keyboards - Mick AvoryMick AvoryMichael Charles "Mick" Avory is an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer and percussionist for the British rock band, The Kinks, joining them shortly after their formation in 1964 and remaining with them until 1984, when he left amid creative friction with guitarist Dave Davies...
- drums