- Sunny Afternoon
Infobox Single
Name = Sunny Afternoon
Artist =The Kinks
from Album = Face to Face
B-side = "I'm Not Like Everybody Else "
Released =3 June , 1966 (UK)
July, 1966 (US)
Recorded =13 May , 1966; Pye Studios (No.2), London
Format =7" single (45 RPM)
Genre = Rock
Length = 3:36
Label = Pye 7N 17125 (UK)
Reprise 0497 (US)
Writer =Ray Davies
Producer =Shel Talmy
Chart position = * #1UK Singles Chart
* #14 US Pop Singles
Last single = "A Well Respected Man "
(1966 )
This single = "Sunny Afternoon"
(1966 )
Next single = "Dead End Street"
(1966 )"Sunny Afternoon" is a song byThe Kinks , written by chief songwriterRay Davies [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20061004_ray.shtml Interview with Ray Davies] on theBBC website] . The track later featured on the "Face to Face" album. Its strongMusic Hall flavour and lyrical focus was a stylistic departure for the band, who had risen to fame in 1964-65 with a series of hard-driving, power-chord rock hits. Ray Davies' songwriting interests for the next 3-4 years would remain broadly in the vein of this song, a period which most critics and fans regard as the band's most creative and artistically successful.Released as a single in
3 June , 1966, it went to number 1 on the UK charts on7 July 1966, remaining there for two weeks. The track also went to number 1 in Ireland on18 July 1966. In America, it peaked at number fourteen. "Sunny Afternoon" was placed at #200 onPitchfork Media 's list of The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s. [ [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/37886-the-200-greatest-songs-of-the-1960s The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s] ]The promotional video for the single ironically featured the band performing in a cold, snowy environment.
The song was also recently used on adverts for Bulmers Irish Cider (Magners).
Cover versions
The song has been covered a number of performers, including by the
Stereophonics on their live DVD, "Live at Morfa Stadium ", by former Space singerTommy Scott on "Reload", byJimmy Buffett on his 1994 album "Fruitcakes".References
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