Tunes Du Jour Presents The Kinks

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Let’s dive into the world of The Kinks, a band whose journey through the 60s, 70s, and beyond offers such a rich collection of sounds and stories. When you look at a playlist like this, it’s immediately apparent that they weren’t a one-trick pony. They exploded onto the scene with the raw, undeniable energy of tracks like “You Really Got Me” and “All Day and All of the Night.” These weren’t just catchy tunes; their distorted guitar riffs were groundbreaking, laying some early groundwork for hard rock and punk even, establishing Ray and Dave Davies as formidable musical forces. Songs like “Till the End of the Day” and “Set Me Free” from the same era show this potent, direct approach.

But to only focus on their early rock anthems would be to miss a huge part of what makes The Kinks so enduring. Ray Davies, as principal songwriter, quickly developed a keen observational eye, turning his gaze to the quirks and nuances of British life. This is where you get sharply drawn character sketches like “A Well Respected Man” and “Dedicated Follower of Fashion,” both dissecting social types with wit and a touch of cynicism. “Sunny Afternoon” masterfully combines a deceptively jaunty tune with lyrics about a fallen aristocrat, while tracks like “Dead End Street” and “Shangri-La” paint vivid, often poignant, pictures of working-class struggles and aspirations. This knack for social commentary, for finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, became a hallmark.

As they progressed, The Kinks also embraced a more introspective and wistful style. Think of the timeless beauty of “Waterloo Sunset,” a song that captures a fleeting moment of peace and urban romance with such elegance. Or “Days,” a simple yet profound reflection on gratitude and lost love. “Autumn Almanac” and “The Village Green Preservation Society” (the song) are wonderful examples of their ability to evoke nostalgia and a yearning for a simpler, perhaps idealized, past. Dave Davies also contributed distinct gems, with “Death Of A Clown” and the heartfelt “Strangers” showcasing his own songwriting talents.

Through changing musical landscapes, The Kinks continued to evolve while retaining that unique Davies perspective. “Lola” became an international hit with its then-controversial subject matter handled with characteristic charm and storytelling flair. Later tunes like “Come Dancing” looked back with affection, while “Celluloid Heroes” offered a more melancholic take on fame. From the almost pastoral “Muswell Hillbilly” to the defiant “I’m Not Like Everybody Else” or the hopeful “This Time Tomorrow,” their catalogue is a fascinating exploration of human experience, all delivered with a distinctively British voice. It’s quite the collection, isn’t it?

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Tunes Du Jour Presents 1967

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Nineteen sixty-seven stands as a pivotal moment in the evolution of popular music, a year when artistic boundaries expanded dramatically across multiple genres. The musical landscape was transformed by groundbreaking releases from established artists and remarkable debuts from newcomers who would become legends. From Aretha Franklin’s powerful rendition of “Respect” to Pink Floyd’s psychedelic “See Emily Play,” the year produced an extraordinary collection of songs that continue to resonate decades later.

Soul music experienced a remarkable surge, with Aretha Franklin’s definitive version of “Respect” establishing her as the genre’s preeminent female voice. The raw emotion of Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness,” the exuberance of Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher,” and the groove-driven “Soul Man” by Sam & Dave showcased the genre’s diversity and emotional range. Motown continued its dominance with several more hits for Diana Ross & the Supremes, including “The Happening,” while Smokey Robinson & the Miracles added “I Second That Emotion” to their growing catalog of hits. Marvin Gaye enjoyed multiple chart successes in 1967, with “Your Precious Love” being just one of several duets with Tammi Terrell that would define this productive period.

Meanwhile, rock music underwent seismic shifts as experimentation became the norm. The Beatles had an astonishingly prolific year, releasing the landmark album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band while also producing standalone singles of remarkable quality like “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane.” The Doors’ extended opus “Light My Fire” and The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s revolutionary “Purple Haze” redefined what electric guitars could accomplish. The Rolling Stones contributed the melancholic beauty of “Ruby Tuesday,” which ironically became the bigger hit after radio stations deemed its intended A-side, “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” too controversial for airplay. The Who’s powerhouse “I Can See for Miles” and Buffalo Springfield’s protest anthem “For What It’s Worth” reflected rock’s increasing social consciousness. Perhaps most radical was The Velvet Underground’s “Heroin,” which brought an unprecedented rawness to discussions of addiction.

The year’s diversity extended far beyond these genres. The Monkees transcended their manufactured origins with the wistful “Daydream Believer,” while Van Morrison crafted the timeless “Brown Eyed Girl.” Bobbie Gentry’s Southern Gothic narrative “Ode to Billie Joe” demonstrated songwriting’s storytelling potential, and Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” merged classical influences with rock sensibilities. Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” and Pink Floyd’s “See Emily Play” pushed psychedelic music further into the mainstream, establishing both bands as significant forces in the burgeoning psychedelic scene.

What made 1967 truly remarkable was how these diverse sounds coexisted and influenced each other, creating a musical conversation that crossed genre lines. This was the year when album-oriented rock solidified, soul music reached new emotional depths, and psychedelia flowered into mainstream consciousness. The thirty songs listed here barely scratch the surface of a year that saw popular music mature into an art form capable of expressing the full spectrum of human experience. Many artists were at their creative peaks, producing multiple hit singles and groundbreaking albums within this single exceptional year. These recordings capture a moment when musical innovation accelerated at an unprecedented pace, leaving an enduring legacy that continues to inspire and influence musicians more than half a century later.

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Tunes Du Jour Celebrates PRIDE!

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Music has long been a powerful force for self-expression and building community for LGBTQ+ artists and listeners alike. This Pride playlist celebrates the incredible diversity within the LGBTQ+ community through a wide range of styles, eras, and voices.

From enduring anthems like Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out” and Queen’s defiant “I Want To Break Free” to recent hits from Lil Nas X, Janelle Monae, and Troye Sivan, the songs seamlessly blend messages of pride, self-acceptance, and living authentically. Legendary artists like Elton John, George Michael, and Melissa Etheridge stand alongside bold new voices like Rina Sawayama and Perfume Genius, showing how LGBTQ+ musicians have blazed trails across decades.

The playlist pays tribute to tracks that turned the spotlight on LGBTQ+ experiences through storytelling, like The Kinks’ “Lola,” Pet Shop Boys’ “It’s a Sin,” and Bronski Beat’s “Smalltown Boy.” It also uplifts joyful, celebratory bops, such as “I’m Still Standing,” “Go West,” and the iconic “It’s Raining Men.” 

With a mix of pop smashes, singer-songwriter confessionals, rock anthems, and hip-hop ground-breakers, the eclectic playlist reflects how LGBTQ+ artists have fruitfully influenced every corner of the musical landscape. From Carl Bean’s pioneering disco hit “I Was Born This Way” to Gossip’s “Standing in the Way of Control,” these songs unite in championing self-love, equality, and the fundamental human rights that the LGBTQ+ community continues fighting for.

Ultimately, this playlist invites listeners of all identities and backgrounds to share in the uplifting spirit of Pride. It’s a vibrant, multi-dimensional celebration of the perseverance, creativity, and unshakeable truth at the heart of the LGBTQ+ experience.

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