NEW * Sunny Afternoon - The Kinks {Stereo} 1966
Video Overview & Insights
1966.....#14 U.S. Billboard Hot 100, #11 U.S. Cash Box Top 100, #1 UK Singles, #1 Canada, #13 Australia, #2 New Zealand
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Original video edited and AI remastered with HQ stereo sound.
"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 Beatles, the song references the high levels of progressive tax taken by the British Labour government of Harold Wilson. Its strong music hall flavour and lyrical focus was part of a stylistic departure for the band (begun with 1965's "A Well Respected Man"), which had risen to fame in 1964โ65 with a series of hard-driving, power-chord rock hits.
Yea everyone liked this,,
Released as a single on 3 June 1966, it went to No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart on 7 July 1966, remaining there for two weeks. The track also went to No. 1 in Ireland on 14 July 1966. In America, it peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart early autumn 1966. The promotional video for the single featured the band performing in a cold, snowy environment.
Billboard praised the single's "off-beat music hall melody and up-to-date lyrics." Cash Box said that it is a "slow-moving, blues-drenched, seasonal affair with a catchy, low-key repeating riff." "Sunny Afternoon" was placed at No. 200 on Pitchfork Media's list of The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s.
Under appreciated! Love the Kinks. Could really get unique sounds out of their guitars. Reminds me of great times.
More User Perspectives
I think missing out in america shattered the band. I could imagine them going much further than they did.
Media is very cruel
I remember, at the time, hearing that this might be the Kinks last recording! Don't recall why the radio broadcaster said this. One of their gems from back then.
@surfinwax58All day and all of the night! So underrated they were
@bdoderleinPretty lip-sync'd on this show
@1968OlympicaI got pulled into the Kinks vortex recently. Crazy attitude & talent. Ray Davies has a spark of genius about him.
@martinheath2Une video en play back, super mal synchronisรฉe, รงa gache un peu, dommage !!................
@Santa-8188-FunWhy don't people miss Pete Quaife?
@Stukarakuda73[Verse 1]
The tax man's taken all my dough
And left me in my stately home
Lazin' on a sunny afternoon
And I can't sail my yacht
He's taken everything I've got
All I've got's this sunny afternoon
[Chorus]
Save me, save me, save me from this squeeze
I got a big fat mama tryna break me
And I love to live so pleasantly
Live this life of luxury
Lazin' on a sunny afternoon
In the summertime
[Verse 2]
My girlfriend's run off with my car
And gone back to her ma and pa
Tellin' tales of drunkenness and cruelty
Now I'm sittin' here
Sippin' at my ice-cold beer
Lazin' on a sunny afternoon
[Chorus]
Help me, help me, help me sail away
Well, give me two good reasons why I oughta stay
'Cause I love to live so pleasantly
๐
@jeanmass-s5yI was a sophomore in high school
@carlotafetzer815Poor Ray sings with disgust and resignation as the protagonist. Dave smiles as the happy chappy. Mick plays the drums. I think Pete Quaife had a car accident around this time and had a broken foot.
60 years on and still genius. The singer or chap can only sip his ice cold beer as he deals with the modern world and all his problems.
Now colorize and sharpen it with the new A i tools
@gelmann2The Kinks were telling everyone in their lyrics about the filth and perverts abounding in the hierarchy of the day.
No-one listened,
Whereโs Quaife?
@Phillyfan45Oh yes some great memories come back listening to this one!! Not a care in the world! ๐ฅณ๐๐ถ๐คฉ
@akgypsy54Great song; terrible lip syncing. They did that on the shows back then.
@BillHeIsRisenOne very good suggestion on mem'l day 2026
GET THE KINKS OUT
Gorillaz??? Un poco ๐ฎ
@JohnnyLuisEnriquezRoque-ge7fngreat! watchin', 16 May 2026.
@willharris3798When I was 12 year's old at the seaside ๐๐ค๐ค๐ค
@Lighthousekeeper-t6yStill holds up to anything new
@LoryNortonBest band ever hands down ๐ป
@gothwhiteincOriginal MGTOW song
@misanthropist3Now.
@VickieMejia-u7xA great and awesome group, have always loved their music.
@LarryParker-y9yOur Love Blood Red Strawberลys and Blood Red Cherries From sister's Victoria Dee Mejias The Realll Rudalphs For Reals Real Cherries Blody And Strawberries Blody .
@VickieMejia-q3nHow cool is that ! Still !
@halbertking2683I was 16 years then,and still love it.
@ronaldderondeยกรlvaro Henrรญquez!...๐ฏ
@TadeodeWiesent1Not able to think that this is 60 years on
@crawfordgI'm the best songwriter in history and I Say f yes๐ช
@Davide_De_FilippiThis songs a masterpiece โค
@garydixon6315not the best lip syncing performance I've ever seen! Tho the song is great.
@harryr3fulTax man blues๐ข girl friend squeeze ๐ข
@RobertStorey-ik9boRay is the geezer
@TheIkaraCultRAY DAVIES He looks doesn't care less so what ๐ lifes great.
@RobertStorey-ik9boGreat Song, Great Band, The worst lipsyncing though haha
@hyfr5053๐ ๐ฎ
@ginettelavastre7797Now i don't wish to cast any libelous dispersions. But it looks to me that Ray Davies is, what when I was young we would term "whizzing his tits off"
@hedspinnerUKis wel oud maar wel goed ๐๐๐๐๐
@mathieujanssen3022The Kinks was a band group that I admired in the 60' and also another hit song they produced Lola was also beating the chats during that era, I remember it so well and enjoying it.
@albertojames1945I'll follow this by listening to Mogo Jerrys in the summertime.
Who's with me??
Blazin on a sunny afternoon... Happy place ๐
@nasnino724These guys never achieved the status they deserved.
Bad timing? Bad management?
Who knows?
Definitely one of the most unique, and talented groups to come out of the British Invasion.
Where's Pete?
@Slig1977Anybody else still enjoying "Sunny Afternoon" today. ๐ต๐ต๐ต
@boris8787Look! Itโs Chrissieโs husband! You absolutely owe the Kinks, well, everything!!
@normanbaratelli4651