Sitting in the Midday Sun
Encyclopedia
"Sitting in the Midday Sun" is a song by British rock
band The Kinks
, written by their frontman and main songwriter Ray Davies
. It was recorded in June 1973 and released as a single in the US and UK the same year. Reviews were generally positive, but it failed to chart. "Sitting in the Midday Sun" was included on Preservation Act 1, released in November 1973. Act 1 peaked at number 177 on the US Billboard charts, but failed to chart in the UK.
.
was given little promotion on either side of the Atlantic, and failed to chart, but was well received by the American rock press. Alan Betrock of Rock Marketplace wrote: "The new Kinks record has to bring smiles onto a lot of faces. ... 'Sitting in the Midday Sun' sounds like it could have come right off of Village Green and melodically and lyrically is quite fine." Reception in the UK was mixed. Melody Maker
praised "Sitting in the Midday Sun", noting its "lazy summer sound," and calling it "another winning tune from Raymond Douglas Davies and the boys." New Musical Express was mixed: "One of those lightweight singles The Kinks put out when they're waiting for Ray Davies to come up with something truly remarkable. It's an adequately pleasant little summer song that will do what it's supposed to do." Disc called it "one of the week's better releases".
poisoning. He [was] treated and released." Shortly after the incident, on July 15, The Kinks made an infamous appearance at the White City Stadium
. According to a Melody Maker review of the concert, "Davies swore on stage. He stood at The White City and swore that he was 'F...... sick of the whole thing'. ... He was 'Sick up to here with it' ... and those that heard shook their heads. Mick [Avory, drummer] just ventured a disbelieving smile, and drummed on through 'Waterloo Sunset. At the show's conclusion, as pretaped music played on the sound system, Ray declared that he was quitting. He subsequently collapsed after a drug overdose and was rushed to hospital. Dave Davies later commented in an interview about the incident:
With Ray Davies in a seemingly critical condition, plans were discussed for Dave to continue as frontman in a worst-case scenario. Ray eventually pulled through and recovered from his illness as well as his depression, but throughout the remainder of The Kinks' theatrical incarnation the band's output remained uneven, and their popularity, which had already faded, declined even more.Portions of this section (Aftermath and album release), namely the one concerning Ray Davies' incident at the White City Stadium
, are closely modeled after or incorporate text from the "Theatrical incarnation (1973–1976)" section of The Kinks Wikipedia article.
"Sitting in the Midday Sun" was included on Preservation Act 1, released in November 1973. Act 1 peaked at number 177 on the US Billboard charts, but failed to make an impression on the UK charts.
of Allmusic called "Sitting in the Midday" "endearingly lazy," and noted it as one of the highlights of the album. Nevile Marten and Jeff Hudson, however, called it a "joint rewrite of 'Sunny Afternoon
' and 'Sitting By The Riverside
' ... that was never necessary."
British rock
British rock describes a wide variety of forms of music made in the United Kingdom. Since around 1964, with the "British Invasion" of the United States spearheaded by The Beatles, British rock music has had a considerable impact on the development of American music and rock music across the...
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 their frontman and main songwriter 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...
. It was recorded in June 1973 and released as a single in the US and UK the same year. Reviews were generally positive, but it failed to chart. "Sitting in the Midday Sun" was included on Preservation Act 1, released in November 1973. Act 1 peaked at number 177 on the US Billboard charts, but failed to chart in the UK.
Background and recording
Doug Hinman estimates that "Sitting in the Midday Sun" was the first track recorded at The Kinks' new Konk Studios. The song was recorded around June 8, and was worked on along with several other tracks from the band's upcoming LPLP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
.
Release and reception
It was backed by "One of the Survivors" for its UK release, where it came out in June; for its August release in the US, "Sweet Lady Genevieve" was substituted. The singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
was given little promotion on either side of the Atlantic, and failed to chart, but was well received by the American rock press. Alan Betrock of Rock Marketplace wrote: "The new Kinks record has to bring smiles onto a lot of faces. ... 'Sitting in the Midday Sun' sounds like it could have come right off of Village Green and melodically and lyrically is quite fine." Reception in the UK was mixed. Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
praised "Sitting in the Midday Sun", noting its "lazy summer sound," and calling it "another winning tune from Raymond Douglas Davies and the boys." New Musical Express was mixed: "One of those lightweight singles The Kinks put out when they're waiting for Ray Davies to come up with something truly remarkable. It's an adequately pleasant little summer song that will do what it's supposed to do." Disc called it "one of the week's better releases".
Aftermath and album release
"Sitting in the Midday Sun" was released during a period of turmoil for The Kinks—bandleader Ray Davies' marital problems with his wife Rasa came to a head nine days before the song's UK release when she left him, taking their children with her. Ray went into a state of depression; Doug Hinman wrote about his condition: "a week following his wife's departure, an emotionally distraught Ray [was] admitted to hospital for suspected barbiturateBarbiturate
Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system depressants, and can therefore produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to total anesthesia. They are also effective as anxiolytics, as hypnotics, and as anticonvulsants...
poisoning. He [was] treated and released." Shortly after the incident, on July 15, The Kinks made an infamous appearance at the White City Stadium
White City Stadium
White City Stadium was built in White City, London, for the 1908 Summer Olympics, often seen as the precursor to the modern seater stadium and noted for hosting the finish of the first modern distance marathon. It also hosted speedway and a match at the 1966 World Cup, before the stadium was...
. According to a Melody Maker review of the concert, "Davies swore on stage. He stood at The White City and swore that he was 'F...... sick of the whole thing'. ... He was 'Sick up to here with it' ... and those that heard shook their heads. Mick [Avory, drummer] just ventured a disbelieving smile, and drummed on through 'Waterloo Sunset. At the show's conclusion, as pretaped music played on the sound system, Ray declared that he was quitting. He subsequently collapsed after a drug overdose and was rushed to hospital. Dave Davies later commented in an interview about the incident:
God, that was horrible. That was when Ray tried to top himself. I thought he looked a bit weird after the show—I didn't know that he'd taken a whole bloody bottle of weird-looking psychiatric pills. It was a bad time. Ray suddenly announced that he was going to end it all ... I think he took the pills before the show. I said to him towards the end that he was getting a bit crazy. I didn't know what happened—I suddenly got a phone call saying he was in the hospital. I remember going to the hospital after they'd pumped his stomach and it was bad.
With Ray Davies in a seemingly critical condition, plans were discussed for Dave to continue as frontman in a worst-case scenario. Ray eventually pulled through and recovered from his illness as well as his depression, but throughout the remainder of The Kinks' theatrical incarnation the band's output remained uneven, and their popularity, which had already faded, declined even more.Portions of this section (Aftermath and album release), namely the one concerning Ray Davies' incident at the White City Stadium
White City Stadium
White City Stadium was built in White City, London, for the 1908 Summer Olympics, often seen as the precursor to the modern seater stadium and noted for hosting the finish of the first modern distance marathon. It also hosted speedway and a match at the 1966 World Cup, before the stadium was...
, are closely modeled after or incorporate text from the "Theatrical incarnation (1973–1976)" section of The Kinks Wikipedia article.
"Sitting in the Midday Sun" was included on Preservation Act 1, released in November 1973. Act 1 peaked at number 177 on the US Billboard charts, but failed to make an impression on the UK charts.
Modern opinion
Modern criticism towards "Sitting in the Midday Sun" and Preservation as a whole is mixed. Stephen Thomas ErlewineStephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of Allmusic called "Sitting in the Midday" "endearingly lazy," and noted it as one of the highlights of the album. Nevile Marten and Jeff Hudson, however, called it a "joint rewrite of 'Sunny Afternoon
Sunny Afternoon
"Sunny Afternoon" is a song by The Kinks, written by chief songwriter Ray Davies. Like its contemporary "Taxman" by The Beatles, the song references the high levels of progressive tax taken by the British Labour government of Harold Wilson. The track later featured on the Face to Face album as well...
' and 'Sitting By The Riverside
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society is the sixth studio album by the English rock group The Kinks, released in November 1968. It was the last album by the original quartet, as bassist Pete Quaife left the group in early 1969...
' ... that was never necessary."
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...
– Lead vocals, acoustic 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....
– Backing vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar - 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 guitar - 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, percussion - John GoslingJohn Goslingnot to be confused with John Gostling John Gosling , is an English classically trained organist and pianist....
– Keyboards - Alan HolmesAlan HolmesAlan Holmes is a musician, artist and record producer, based in north Wales.Although he began his musical career in the late 1960s in childhood beat group The Insects, he first came to prominence in The Zuggs , followed by A Silly Tree, the latter including Gary Stubbs, later of Cut Tunes with whom...
– Alto flute