Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) is a concept album by the English rock band The Kinks, released in October 1969.[1] Songwriter Ray Davies constructed the album as the soundtrack to a planned television play which was never produced, but whose storyline had been developed in collaboration with novelist Julian Mitchell. The rough plot revolved around a carpet-layer, named Arthur, who was based on Ray Davies' brother-in-law Arthur Anning. Davies later recalled, "[Arthur Anning later] told me that he had enjoyed the LP Arthur, and said that he knew it had been partly inspired by him ... [it] reminded him of home and the family parties we used to have."[2]
The album, although not extremely successful, was a return to the charts in the US for The Kinks.[3] Their critically well-received last effort, The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, failed to chart in any country, with total US sales estimated at under 25,000.[4] 1969 saw the Kinks return to the Billboard charts after a two year absence, with the lead single from the record, "Victoria", peaking at number 62.[5] The album itself reached number 50 on the Record World charts, and number 105 on Billboard, their highest position since 1965.[5] The record failed to chart in Britain, but it paved the way for the massive success of their 1970 comeback album Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One and their US and UK Top 5 hit "Lola".[6]
Background and recording
The album followed a rough period for the band, with the commercial failure of The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society and its follow-up single, "Plastic Man", as well as the departure of founding member and bassist Pete Quaife.[7] In early 1969 Quaife had told the band he was quitting.[7] Initially the other members didn't take the remark seriously; however, on 4 April an article in New Musical Express magazine featured his band Maple Oak, which he had recently formed without the rest of The Kinks' knowledge.[8][9][7] This caused lead vocalist and songwriter Ray Davies to make a personal plea to Quaife, asking him to return for the upcoming sessions of Arthur.[10] Quaife, however, rejected this offer and continued with his band.[10] Within a day Davies had called up bassist John Dalton, who had filled in for Quaife in the past, as a replacement. He would take a more permanent position with The Kinks this time.[10] Dalton remained with the group until 1977, when he left during the recording of Sleepwalker.[11]
Ray Davies traveled to United Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California on April 11th, 1969, to produce American pop band The Turtles' next LP Turtle Soup with engineer Chuck Britz.[12] While in Los Angeles Davies helped negotiate an end to the concert ban placed on The Kinks by the American Federation of Musicians in 1965.[12] Although neither The Kinks nor the union gave a specific reason for the ban, at the time it was widely attributed to their rowdy on-stage behavior.[13] After negotiations with Davies, the Federation relented, opening up an opportunity for the group to return to touring in America. Once the main sessions for the Turtles LP were completed, Davies traveled back to England. While Davies was abroad, the other members of the band had been rehearsing and practicing for the upcoming album, as well as lead guitarist Dave Davies' solo album.[8][12] When Ray returned, the Kinks regrouped at his house in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, to rehearse the upcoming album.[12]
Sessions
With the group's lineup and business in order, Davies turned to the recording of Arthur. The Kinks had performed a few demo takes and test sessions with Quaife a few months earlier, trying out a few new songs that Ray Davies had written.[7] The group eventually turned to the recording proper on 5 May 1969.[12] They began a two-week series of focused sessions, slowly laying down each track.[10]
The Kinks traveled to Beirut, Lebanon on 17 May to play three dates at the Melkart Hotel.[14] They were delayed when the government revoked their passports, only relenting at the last minute.[14] Sessions for Arthur resumed the following day, and the main recording for the album was finished by the end of the month.[14][12] Mixing and dubbing began in early June, with arranger Lew Warburton handling string overdubs.[15] The Kinks played a few small gigs in England throughout the remainder of the month, but they devoted most of their time to finishing Dave Davies' solo album.[15] Tapes for this record were eventually delivered to Pye and Reprise Records, although it never saw official release.[14]
After agreements were finalized in early January, writing began for the Arthur TV play on 15 June.[8] Writer Julian Mitchell collaborated with Ray Davies on the script. On the same day a press release announced that release of the Arthur LP was scheduled for late July.[14] However, as problems with the TV play got progressively worse and distracted the group from completing the album, the release date was pushed further and further back.[8][14] In early October Ray Davies moved his house from Borehamwood to his old family home on Fortis Green road, in Muswell Hill, and traveled to Los Angeles, where he deposited the tapes at Reprise for Arthur's American release.[16] The Arthur release date was finally set for 10 October, and The Kinks began gearing up for an upcoming US tour to support the album.[16][8] Before leaving, Ray Davies held several press interviews to promote it.[16] Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) was released in the US and UK on 10 October, 1969.[17]
Story and theme
Two items from the LP release of
Arthur. At left is a portion of the
gatefold cover. At right is the "
Queen Victoria" insert, showing the queen holding a house with Arthur Morgan in it.
The story is partially inspired by the Davies brothers' older sister Rose, who emigrated to Australia in 1964 with her husband Arthur Anning.[18] Her departure devastated Ray Davies, and it inspired him to write the song "Rosie Won't You Please Come Home", included on the 1966 album Face to Face.[18] The lead character in the album, the fictional Arthur Morgan—modeled after Arthur Anning—is a carpet layer whose family's plight in the opportunity-poor setting of post-war England is depicted.[18][19] Writer Julian Mitchell detailed the story line in depth, explaining in the liner notes for the album's LP release:
"This is Arthur Morgan, who lives in a London suburb in a house called Shangri-La, with a garden and a car and a wife called Rose and a son called Derek who's married to Liz, and they have these two very nice kids, Terry and Manlyn. Derek and Liz and Terry and Marilyn are emigrating to Australia. Arthur did have another son, called Eddie. He was named for Arthur's brother, who was killed in the battle of the Somme. Arthur's Eddie was killed, too--in Korea. His son, Ronnie, is a student and he thinks the world's got to change one hell of a lot before it's going to be good enough for him. Derek thinks it's changed a bloody sight too much--he can't stick England any more, all these bloody bureaucrats everywhere, bloody hell, he's getting out."[19]
Davies would later comment in his autobiography, X-Ray, "[Arthur Anning later] told me that he had enjoyed the LP Arthur, and said that he knew it had been partly inspired by him ... [it] reminded him of home and the family parties we used to have ... I told Arthur that I felt guilty for using him as a subject for a song, but he shrugged of my apology, saying that he was flattered."[2] The songs describe the England that Arthur once knew[20] ("Shangri-La", "Young and Innocent Days"), the promise of life in Australia for one of his sons ("Australia"), the emptiness of his superficially comfortable life in his home ("Shangri-La"), the resolve of the British people in World War II (Mr. Churchill Says"), and the death of his brother in World War I.[18][1]
Aftermath
The album set the stage for The Kinks' return to touring the United States in late 1969. Prior to this they were the subject to a touring ban from the American Federation of Musicians, who had relented the same year.[13] The record re-established the group in the US and paved the way for even greater commercial success with the hit song "Lola" in 1970.
Reception
The album was critically acclaimed at the time of release, especially in the US rock press.[21] It was favorably compared to contemporary works, namely Tommy by The Who, released earlier in the year.[21] In Rolling Stone magazine, Arthur was spotlighted in its lead section, with back-to-back reviews by Mike Daly and Greil Marcus.[22] Daly called it "an album that is a masterpiece on every level: Ray Davies' finest hour, the Kinks' supreme achievement."[23] Marcus also praised the record, and said: "Less ambitious than [The Who's] Tommy, and far more musical ... Arthur is by all odds the best British album of 1969. It shows that Pete Townshend still has worlds to conquer and that The Beatles have a lot of catching up to do."[22] A review by Sal Imam ran in Boston's Fusion magazine read that "If Tommy was the greatest rock opera, then Arthur most surely is the greatest rock musical."[22][21]
Reception in the UK was not as warm, although reviews were still generally positive.[21] Disc & Music Echo commented that "Arthur works as a complete score because it is basic and simple and pleasing to the ear, and powerfully conjures up pictures in the eye."[24] Melody Maker seconded Mike Daly's comments in Rolling Stone, again calling it "Ray Davies' finest hour," and adding that it was "beautifully British to the core."[24] Doug Hinman would later comment on the album's reception in Britain in his 2004 book, All Day and All of the Night: "In the British music press there [was] less celebration, and coverage [was] relatively routine, though everyone saw the rock opera angle."[21]
Singles and chart performance
Britain
While the sessions for Arthur were approaching completion in June 1969, the track "Drivin'" was released as a single in the UK, backed with the Dave Davies tune "Mindless Child of Motherhood".[25] For the first time since their breakthrough in 1964, a Kinks single failed to chart in the UK, as the record did not make an impression on any chart.[25] The group followed with another single in September, "Shangri-La", which again failed to chart in the UK.[25] As was the norm with Kinks albums since Village Green, the album itself failed to chart upon release in October.[25] In December 1969, the final single from the album, "Victoria", was released, inspired by it success in the US. Backed with "Mr. Churchill Says", it returned them to the UK singles chart, where it reached a peak of number 30.[25]
America
In the US, "Victoria" was chosen as the lead single, backed with the album track "Brainwashed", and was released the same week as the LP. The single proved to be relatively successful, reaching number 70 on the Billboard Hot 100—their highest position since their top 20 hit "Sunny Afternoon" in 1966.[25] The success of the single lead to its release in the UK. Arthur itself was also a moderate commercial success in the US, with its peak of number 105 being the highest for a Kinks album since 1965.[25]
Chart tables
Album
| Chart (1969) |
Peak
position |
| US |
105[25] |
Singles
| Year |
Single Title |
Highest UK
Chart Position |
Highest US
Chart Position |
| 1969 |
"Drivin'" |
- |
- |
| 1969 |
"Shangri-La |
- |
- |
| 1969 |
"Victoria" |
30[25] |
62[25] |
Track listing
All songs written by Ray Davies, except as noted.
Side 1
- "Victoria" – 3:40
- "Yes Sir, No Sir" – 3:46
- "Some Mother's Son" – 3:25
- "Drivin'" – 3:21
- "Brainwashed" – 2:34
- "Australia" – 6:46
Side 2
- "Shangri-La" – 5:20
- "Mr. Churchill Says" – 4:42
- "She's Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina" – 3:07
- "Young And Innocent Days" – 3:21
- "Nothing To Say" – 3:08
- "Arthur" – 5:27
Bonus tracks on 1998 Castle CD reissue
- "Plastic Man (Mono version)" – 3:04
- "King Kong (Mono version)" – 3:23
- "Drivin' (Mono version)" – 3:12
- "Mindless Child Of Motherhood" (Mono version) (Dave Davies) – 3:16
- "This Man He Weeps Tonight" (Mono Version) (Dave Davies) – 2:42
- "Plastic Man" (Stereo Version) – 3:04
- "Mindless Child of Motherhood" (Stereo version) (Dave Davies) – 3:16
- "This Man He Weeps Tonight" (Stereo version) (Dave Davies) – 2:42
- "She's Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina (Mono version)" – 3:07
- "Mr. Shoemaker's Daughter" – 3:08
Personnel
Production
- Ray Davies - Producer
- Lew Warburton - Conductor
- Andrew Hendriksen - Engineer
- Brian Humphries - Engineer on "Drivin'"
- Bob Lawrie - Album art
- Austin Sneller - Album "Tester"
- Recorded at Pye Studios, London
Notes
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen. "Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:a9fexqqdldte. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
- ^ a b Davies, Ray (1994). p. 211
- ^ Miller, Andy. p.133
- ^ Miller, Andy (2003). p. 4
- ^ a b Hinman, Doug (2004). pp. 132-135
- ^ Rogan, Johnny (1998). pp. 65-75
- ^ a b c d Hinman, Doug (2004). p.123
- ^ a b c d e Hinman, Doug (2004). Hal Leonard Corporation. p.124
- ^ Hinman, Doug (2004). p.127
- ^ a b c d Hinman, Doug (2004). p.126
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen. "The Kinks Biography on All Music.com". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:5q6wtr59kl5x~T1. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f Hinman, Doug (2004). pp.128-129
- ^ a b Alterman, Loraine. Who Let the Kinks In?. Rolling Stone, 18 December 1969
- ^ a b c d e f Hinman, Doug (2004). pp.126-130
- ^ a b Hinman, Doug (2004). p.129
- ^ a b c Hinman, Doug (2004). pp.130-135
- ^ Release info Emlen, Dave - Kindakinks.net. Accessed 2009-11-11
- ^ a b c d Kitts, Thomas (2007). p. 131
- ^ a b Mitchell, Julian (1969). Arthur liner notes
- ^ a b Golden, Matt. "On Second Thought: The Kinks - Arthur (or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)". Stylus Magazine. http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/on_second_thought/the-kinks-arthur-or-the-decline-and-fall-of-the-british-empire.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
- ^ a b c d e Hinman, Doug (2004). pp. 132-133
- ^ a b c Hinman, Doug (2004). p. 132
- ^ Daly, Mike - Marcus, Greil Arthur (Or The Decline and Fall of the British Empire. Rolling Stone, Nov 1, 1969. Retrieved 1 December, 2009
- ^ a b Hinman, Doug (2004). p. 133
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rogan, Johnny (1998). pp. 20-23
References
- Hinman, Doug (2004). The Kinks: All Day and All of the Night. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 087930765X.
- Rogan, Johnny (1998). The Complete Guide to the Music of The Kinks. London, UK: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0711963142.
- Kitts, Thomas (2007). Ray Davies: Not Like Everybody Else. London, UK: Routledge. ISBN 041597769X.
- Miller, Andy (2003). The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society. London, UK: Continuum International Publishing Group. ISBN 0826414982.
