The Kinks Choral Collection is an album, released 15 June 2009 in the UK and 10 November 2009 in the US, 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 the Crouch End Festival Chorus

Crouch End Festival Chorus

Crouch End Festival Chorus is a symphonic choir based in Crouch End, a northern suburb of London. CEFC was formed in 1984 by John Gregson and David Temple, who remains the choir's conductor...

. The album features new studio recordings of Ray Davies' compositions, all but one of which were originally recorded by his 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...

.

The collection begins with versions of seven Kinks singles including some of the less well-known singles (including the non-charting "Shangri-La" and "Celluloid Heroes

Celluloid Heroes

"Celluloid Heroes" is a song performed by The Kinks and written by their lead vocalist and principal songwriter, Ray Davies. It debuted on their 1972 album Everybody's in Show-Biz.-Lyrical themes:...

") as well as some of their most successful (including "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 "Waterloo Sunset

Waterloo Sunset

Waterloo Sunset is a song by British rock band The Kinks. It was released as a single in 1967, and featured on their album Something Else by The Kinks...

"). It then features a version of the title track from Davies' 2007 solo album Working Man's Café

Working Man's Café

Working Man's Café is a solo album released 22 October 2007 in the UK by Ray Davies, formerly lead singer and songwriter of The Kinks. A day earlier, on 21 October 2007, a 10 track promotional copy of the album was 'given away' with the Sunday Times newspaper in the UK...

, versions of six album tracks from The Kinks' 1968 album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society

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...

and closes with a version of another well-known Kinks single "All Day and All of the Night

All Day and All of the Night

"All Day and All of the Night" is a song by the British band The Kinks from 1964. It can be found on their debut album "Kinks". It reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart and #7 on Billboards United States chart in 1965....

".

The album entered the UK albums chart

UK Albums Chart

The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...

 at #28 which was its peak position.

It was re-released in the UK on 7 December 2009 as a special edition featuring Ray's Christmas single Postcard From London, featuring Chrissie Hynde

Chrissie Hynde

Christine Ellen "Chrissie" Hynde is an US musician best known as the leader of the rock/new wave band the Pretenders. She is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.-Early life and career:Hynde is the daughter of a part-time...

.

Track listing

1. "Days
   Days (The Kinks song)
   Kirsty MacColl covered "Days" on her 1989 album Kite. It was released as a single and reached #12 on the UK singles chart, the same position achieved by The Kinks in 1969. It was re-released in 1995, charting much lower, only reaching #42 in the UK...
   
   "
2. "Waterloo Sunset
   Waterloo Sunset
   Waterloo Sunset is a song by British rock band The Kinks. It was released as a single in 1967, and featured on their album Something Else by The Kinks...
   
   "
3. "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...
   
   "
4. "Victoria
   Victoria (song)
   "Victoria" is a song written by Ray Davies of The Kinks. It is the opening track on the band's 1969 concept album Arthur ....
   
   "
5. "See My Friends
   See My Friends
   "See My Friends" is a song by The Kinks, written by the group's singer and guitarist, Ray Davies. Released in 1965, it reached #10 on the UK Singles Chart...
   
   "
6. "Celluloid Heroes
   Celluloid Heroes
   "Celluloid Heroes" is a song performed by The Kinks and written by their lead vocalist and principal songwriter, Ray Davies. It debuted on their 1972 album Everybody's in Show-Biz.-Lyrical themes:...
   
   "
7. "Shangri-La"
8. "Working Man's Café"
9. "Village Green"
10. "Picture Book"
11. "Big Sky"
12. "Do You Remember Walter?"
13. "Johnny Thunder"
14. "Village Green Preservation Society"
15. "All Day and All of the Night
    All Day and All of the Night
    "All Day and All of the Night" is a song by the British band The Kinks from 1964. It can be found on their debut album "Kinks". It reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart and #7 on Billboards United States chart in 1965....
    
    "
16. "Postcard From London" [bonus track on extended special edition re-release only]

External links

• The Official Ray Davies Web Site