Hip Hop Fan Reacts To Lola by The Kinks

The key to the song is that the world is mixed up and muddled up...except for Lola. She is happy and comfortable in her own skin, while everyone else isn't.

The delightful ambiguity of "I'm glad I'm a man and so is Lola". First class writing.

This is based on a true story. The Kinks and their manager went to a nightclub in Paris, and their manager spent the night dancing and making out with this one girl. When they all stumbled out of the club at dawn, everyone saw that the manager's girl had a five o-clock shadow!

“It’s a mixed up muddled up shook up world EXCEPT FOR LOLA”. Lola is strong and confident!

That last lyric- “I’m glad I’m a man….and so is Lola” just adds to the overall power of the song. And so is Lola what? Glad or a man? Brilliantly written. We all know what Davies is talking about, but he never actually says it. One of many genius efforts by one of the 20th centuries best songwriters. Waterloo Sunset for the win, if you are looking for another Kinks’ masterpiece.

I love the respectful way they treated the topic. They weren’t homophobic or disgusted by the thought of meeting a trans person and falling for her. I just love this song. And cheers to you for your , as always, great analysis of lyrics.

I’m hard pressed to think of a more defiantly British band than the Kinks. From Waterloo Sunset, to The Village Green Preservation Society, all the way to the 80s tracks like Come Dancing, over and over they celebrated the minutiae of British people and British life. Hell they did an entire Rock opera called Arthur, not about King Arthur, but an ordinary bloke named Arthur. they also wrote hands down the greatest anti-war song ever, the under-appreciated masterpiece Some Mother’s Son, which I play every Remembrance Day without fail. God Save The Kinks.

Harmonies always seem to be great when brothers sing. Ray and Dave's voices just blend so well.

Just goes to show that our generation was always more accepting of people than the current day narrative allows.

Loved your discussion of this classic song, Syeed. Lou Reed had a similar hit everyone sang without giving it much more thought than “Lola.” Reed’s was called “Take A Walk On The Wild Side.” Similar story, similar time, great music and hook.

The Kinks are a band that will constantly surprise you the deeper you delve into their magnificent catalogue.

As sharp, witty and sophistiqué as it got in 1970. Ray turns the world on its head a couple of times in a couple of minutes and brother Dave is howling ethereally alongside him in addition to bringing those beautifully sculpted guitar lines in his impassioned way just to drive home the licentiousness, looseness and overall loveliness of the sitch, b*%@$.

Ray Davies is widely recognized as one of rock's greatest songwriters and was absolutely revolutionary. The Kinks are like the rock star's rock stars they are so highly regarded. You Really Got Me changed the course of modern music. Kinks style guitar riffs are everywhere and the number of other major artists who have covered their songs is astounding.

I saw The Kinks repeatedly over the years and this song was always a showstopper. Ray would tease the crowd with the opening acoustic riffs, listen to the response and say "No, you're not ready yet" several times thru the show. By time they would play it the audience was already super hyped for it. Being in a crowd of thousands of people and singing along to the song and the out chorus was just such a huge pile of fun! Celluloid Heros is a classic by them, Apeman is a cheery look at rampant pollution and nuclear annihilation, but for out and out fun R&R give a listen to Ducks On The Wall.

There's a great musical based on the Kinks' story. It's called 'Sunny Afternoon'. It's great fun and at the end, it's like being at a Kinks concert.

One of their best songs "Celluloid Heroes" refers to all the movie stars of the 1930s. Great track. They also backed up Joan Jett on her '90s remake.

This might be one of the first commercially successful LGBTQ+ songs. A VERY progressive track for 1970 about accepting attention/love in whatever shape or form it presents itself.

I have a younger sister who, when this song came out, hated it with a purple passion. For the life of me I couldn't figure out why. Maybe because her name is Lola

The idea of bi-sexuality and trans people was pretty rampant really around that time. Bowie among others certainly addressed these topics. Mick Jagger was wearing makeup, etc.

Kinks are full of great witty and emotional lyrics. After '66 they expand so much poetically. Waterloo Sunset is a must listen, up there with A Day in the Life and God Only Knows of God-tier 60's songs. Other ones with great lyrics are Do You Remember Walter?, Picture Book, Sunny Afternoon, Top of the Pops. So many hits, you can't go wrong.