"I'm Not Like Everybody Else" is a song written by

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 ...

and first recorded by

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 ...

in 1966 and released that year as the B-side of "

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 B ...

". The lead vocal is sung by

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 ...

, with occasional parts vocalized by his brother Ray, the band's usual lead singer. The song is a defiant anthem of non-conformity. It has been covered by various artists, notably the Chocolate Watchband in their 1968 rendition of the song.

History

Davies had written the song for

the Animals The Animals (also billed as Eric Burdon and the Animals) are an English rock band, formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in the early 1960s. The band moved to London upon finding fame in 1964. The Animals were known for their gritty, bluesy sound an ...

, but it was turned down, so the Kinks released their own version with guitarist

on lead vocals. This went against the norm where each brother usually sang songs they had written themselves. Later performances of the song were sung by Ray, with Dave providing backing vocals and Eric Clapton-influenced guitar solos. Both the Davies brothers continue to perform the song in their solo concerts. Dave Davies described the song as "a Kinks fans favourite." He also said, " was never a hit for the Kinks, but over the years every true Kinks fan relates to that particular song, and it's funny, because that particular version is one of the only songs where Ray and I actually swap lead vocals. Elsewhere, when he sings lead I do the octave harmonies, or where I sing lead he's doing background vocals. Ray and I have very different ranges, fortunately, and our textures are different, which really helps for distinctive harmonies."

Music and lyrics

The song is a defiant anthem of non-conformity, and its lyrics exhibit sentiments of frustration, accompanied by the outsider perception of being different from the rest, while yearning to seek and find, as well as assert, one's own individual identity. The song begins with an opening signature played somewhat menacingly on a twelve-string electric guitar in the key of A minor, punctuated by subtle drum beats, which then shifts into the key of

G major G major (or the key of G) is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp. Its relative minor is E minor and its parallel minor is G minor. The G major scale is: Notable com ...

when the lyrics begin, highlighting the song's angry stance. ::I won't take all that they hand me down ::And make out a smile though I wear a frown ::And I'm not gonna take this all lying down ::Cause once I get started I go to town ::Cause I'm not like everybody else Yet the mood also conveys a sense of sadness, and in the third verse expresses love and a sense of remorse, but with a cautious warning: ::But darling, you know that I love you true ::Do anything that you want me to ::Confess all my sins like you want me to ::There's one thing I will say to you ::I'm not like everybody else As the song progresses into its last bars, it builds up to a cathartic finale with intense playing from all of the members of the Kinks and then comes to a crashing close.

Release and reception

The song was first released as the B-side to their single "

" but soon became a favourite and was often part of the Kinks live act.

continues to play the song regularly and used the song as an opening number in his 2006-2008 solo live appearances. '' Cash Box'' said that it is a "rhythmic ode about a highly individual type of guy." The song has been included on many compilations including ''

'' in the UK in 1967, '' The Great Lost Kinks Album'' in the US in 1973 and the 2002 greatest hits release '' The Ultimate Collection''. It also appears as a bonus track on the 1998 CD reissue of '' Face to Face'', the 2011 deluxe edition of ''

The Kink Kontroversy ''The Kink Kontroversy'' is the third studio album by the English rock band the Kinks, released on 26 November 1965 in the United Kingdom and in March 1966 in the United States, where it was the first American Kinks album to feature an identica ...

'', and the compilation "The Anthology 1964-1971".

Personnel

According to band researcher Doug Hinman: *

lead vocal, electric guitar *

backing vocal, electric 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 ...

bass * Mick Avory drums

References

Sources

* * {{authority control 1966 singles The Kinks songs Song recordings produced by Shel Talmy Songs written by Ray Davies 1966 songs Reprise Records singles Pye Records singles Protopunk songs