''The Kinks Greatest Hits!'' (also spelled ''The Kinks' Greatest Hits!'') is a compilation album by the English rock band

the Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhyt ...

. Released in the United States in August 1966 by Reprise Records, the album mostly consists of singles issued by the group between 1964 and 1966. The band's first

greatest hits album A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...

, it remained on the ''Billboard'' Top LPs chart for over a year, peaking at number 9, making it the Kinks' highest charting album in the US. The album was in print for decades and was the Kinks' only gold record in America until 1980.

Release

Reprise Records released ''The Kinks Greatest Hits!'' in the US on 10 August 1966. The band's first

, it mostly consists of singles issued by the group between 1964 and 1966, ranging from "

You Really Got Me "You Really Got Me" is a song written by Ray Davies for English rock band the Kinks. The song, originally performed in a more blues-oriented style, was inspired by artists such as Lead Belly and Big Bill Broonzy. Two versions of the song were ...

" to "

Dedicated Follower of Fashion "Dedicated Follower of Fashion" is a 1966 song by British band the Kinks. It lampoons the contemporary British fashion scene and mod culture in general. Originally released as a single, it has been included on many of the band's later albums. ...

", recorded in mid-July1964 and February1966, respectively. All the tracks were recorded at Pye or

IBC Studios The IBC Recording Studios were independent recording studios located at 35 Portland Place in London, England. In the 1960s and 1970s, the studios become internationally famous after being used by recording artists like the Kinks, the Who, Bee Gee ...

in London and were produced by

Shel Talmy Sheldon Talmy (born August 11, 1937) is an American record producer, songwriter and arranger, best known for his work in the UK in the 1960s with the Who, the Kinks and many others. Talmy arranged and produced hits such as "You Really Got Me" ...

. "Something Better Beginning" is the only non-single on the album, first issued on '' Kinda Kinks'' (1965). The album's

liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes. Origin Liner notes are desc ...

include one of the earliest instances of

Ray Davies Sir Raymond Douglas Davies ( ; born 21 June 1944) is an English musician. He was the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and main songwriter for the rock band the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother Dave on lead guitar and backing voc ...

, the Kinks' principal songwriter, being characterised as a genius. Author Thomas. M. Kitts suggests the description of Davies as "a brooding-faced, long-haired genius" was an attempt to connect him to the English poet

Lord Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), known simply as Lord Byron, was an English romantic poet and peer. He was one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement, and has been regarded as among the ...

. Eder writes that

Ed Thrasher Edward Lee Thrasher Jr. (March 7, 1932 – August 5, 2006), known as Ed Thrasher, was an American art director and photographer. He was the recipient of numerous Grammy Award nominations for his work on album covers and won a Grammy for Best Album ...

's cover art for the album, depicting the band in several concert photographs, further added to its collectibility.

Commercial performance and reception

Like subsequent British compilations collecting the Kinks' mid-1960s hits, the album's sales surpassed those of the band's late 1960s studio albums. It remained on the ''Billboard'' Top LPs chart for 64 weeks, peaking in November 1966 at number 9, making it the Kinks' highest charting album in the US. It additionally reached number 13 and 8 on '' Cash Box'' and '' Record World'' charts, respectively. RIAA certified it gold in November1968, indicating retail sales of US$1million (equivalent to US$ million in ). The album remained in print for around 20 years and was the Kinks' only American gold record until '' Low Budget'' (1979) certification in 1980. ''

Crawdaddy The Crawdaddy Club was a music venue in Richmond, Surrey, England, which opened in 1963. The Rolling Stones were its house band in its first year and were followed by The Yardbirds. Several other notable British blues and rhythm and blues acts a ...

'' magazine critic

Sandy Pearlman Samuel Clarke "Sandy" Pearlman (August 5, 1943 – July 26, 2016) was an American music producer, artist manager, music journalist and critic, professor, poet, songwriter, and record company executive. He was best known for founding, writing for, ...

contemporaneously described it as among the best greatest hits albums available., quoted in . Authors Steve Alleman and Bruce Eder each retrospectively write that the album's joining of various styles served to indicate the Kinks' earliest musical developments, though Eder suggests the album's shortcoming is its omission of the band's later 1966 songs, like "

Sunny Afternoon "Sunny Afternoon" is a song by the Kinks, written by chief songwriter Ray Davies. The track later featured on the '' Face to Face'' album as well as being the title track for their 1967 compilation album. Like its contemporary " Taxman" by the ...

" and "

Dandy A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance. A dandy could be a self-made man who strove to imitate an aristocratic lifestyle des ...

". Critic Robert Christgau included the album in his "Basic Record Library" of 1950s and 1960s recordings, published in his book '' Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies'' (1981).

Track listing

All songs by

. Side one # "

" – 2:20 # "

Tired of Waiting for You "Tired of Waiting for You" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks. It was released as a single on 15 January 1965 in the UK and on 17 February 1965 in the USA. The single reached number one in the UK and number six in the US. It then appea ...

" – 2:30 # " Set Me Free" – 2:10 # " Something Better Beginning" – 2:23 # " Who'll Be the Next in Line" – 1:59 Side two # "

Till the End of the Day "Till the End of the Day" is a song by the Kinks, written by Ray Davies and released as a single in 1965 and later on their album '' The Kink Kontroversy''. It centres on a power chord, like many of the group's early hits, and was similarly succe ...

" – 2:20 # "

" – 2:59 # "

A Well Respected Man "A Well Respected Man" is a song by the British band the Kinks, written by the group's lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ray Davies, and originally released in the United Kingdom on the EP '' Kwyet Kinks'' in September 1965. The song was relea ...

" – 2:38 # " Ev'rybody's Gonna Be Happy" – 2:15 # " All Day and All of the Night" – 2:20

Personnel

According to band researcher Doug Hinman, except where noted: The Kinks *

lead vocals; electric and acoustic rhythm guitars; piano *

Dave Davies David Russell Gordon Davies (born 3 February 1947) is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the English rock band the Kinks, which also featured his elder brother Ray Davies. He was in ...

backing vocals, electric lead guitar *

Pete Quaife Peter Alexander Greenlaw Quaife (born Kinnes; 31 December 1943 – 23 June 2010) was an English musician, artist and author. He was a founding member and the original bass guitarist for the Kinks, from 1963 until 1969. He also sang backing voca ...

backing vocals, bass *

Mick Avory Michael Charles Avory (born 15 February 1944) is an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer and percussionist for the English rock band the Kinks. He joined them shortly after their formation in 1964 and remained with them until 1984, ...

drums; tambourine Additional musicians *

Clem Cattini Clemente Anselmo Agustino Cattini (born 20 August 1937) is an English rock and roll drummer of the late 1950s and 60s, who was a member of The Tornados before becoming well known for his work as a session musician. He is one of the most prolifi ...

drums *Rasa Davies backing vocals *

Perry Ford Perry Ford (born Brian Joseph Pugh, 30 December 1933 – 29 April 1999) was an English pop singer, songwriter, producer and session musician, best known as a member of the Ivy League. Life and career Born in Lincoln, he moved to London in the ...

piano * Bobby Graham drums * Arthur Greenslade piano *

Nicky Hopkins Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins (24 February 1944 – 6 September 1994) was an English pianist and organist. Hopkins performed on many popular and enduring British and American rock music recordings from the 1960s to the 1990s, most notably ...

piano *Unidentified girlfriends of the Kinks backing vocals *Unidentified session musician rhythm guitar Production and additional personnel *Bob Auger

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...

Glyn Johns Glyn Thomas Johns (born 15 February 1942) is an English musician, recording engineer and record producer. Biography Early history Johns was born in Epsom, Surrey, England. He had three siblings, two older sisters and a younger brother, Andy ...

engineering *Alan MacKenzie engineering *

producer *

art direction

Charts and certifications

Notes

References

Citations

Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kinks Greatest Hits The Kinks compilation albums 1966 greatest hits albums Reprise Records compilation albums