Youtube Of The Day – The Kinks – Come Dancing / myLot

Preston, England

November 17, 2015 7:57am CST

Though it sounds remarkably upbeat the more you know about this song the more heart-breaking it actually is. First of all it laments the closure of popular dance-hall night clubs that made and broke whole families in working class communities. Their closure leaves many with tearful nostalgia. Secondly, Ray Davies wrote the song about the adventures of his grown up sister lamenting the closure of the Palladium, but his sister died young, and he is only picturing the fate of the club as she might have seen it and shared her thoughts with him had she survived. Knowing this gives the song an unbearable degree of poignancy. Arthur Chappell

The Kinks ::::: Come Dancing.

www.youtube.com

"Come Dancing" is a 1982 recording by British rock group The Kinks; a 1983 hit single in both the US and the UK, the track was included on the album State of...

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5 responses

Catherine

@bluesa (15022)

• Johannesburg, South Africa

17 Nov 15

One will often find that when one carefully listens to an upbeat song, that they have a deeper meaning, it is easy to think that a sad or meaningful song should be slow, but that is not always the case.

1 person likes this

Arthur Chappell

@arthurchappell (44941)

• Preston, England

17 Nov 15

that is very true - I am always interested in the stories within song lyrics and how they came to be written

1 person likes this

Catherine

@bluesa (15022)

• Johannesburg, South Africa

17 Nov 15

@arthurchappell , yes, I am always telling my friends to listen to the words in a song, not just the beat of it.

1 person likes this

RasmaSandra

@RasmaSandra (98026)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

17 Nov 15

@arthurchappell I've always been interest in the stories behind songs. Thanks for sharing.

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PaintsOnSlate

@PainsOnSlate (21845)

• Canada

17 Nov 15

i loved all the clips from old movies, I don't remember the song but enjoyed watching this. In 1983 I was a busy mom. Knowing some of the history does make it a sad song.

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Arthur Chappell

@arthurchappell (44941)

• Preston, England

17 Nov 15

yes the footage of real dance halls is very well used

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