David Watts (The Jam song)
Encyclopedia
"David Watts" is a song written by Ray Davies
that originally appeared on the Kinks
's 1967 album
Something Else by the Kinks
. It was also the American and Continental Europe B-side to Autumn Almanac
. It has been included on several compilation album
s, including The Kink Kronikles
(1972).
It is about the singer's great admiration of fellow schoolboy David Watts, who appears to have a "charmed life." There is an undercurrent of either deep jealousy or, as AllMusic put it, "a schoolboy crush." It is also, as Jon Savage has written, one of Ray Davies' "sharpest homoerotic songs". As Ray Davies has confirmed in "The KInks: The Official Biography" by Savage, "David Watts is a real person. He was a concert promoter in Rutland". Ray goes on to relate how the real Watts was gay and demonstrated an obvious romantic interest in brother Dave. In this light, lines like "he is so gay and fancy free"; and "the girls of the neighbourhood [who] try to go out with David Watts....but can't succeed.." provide a second level of interpretation based on this ironic in-joke.
The song was later covered
by The Jam
, who released it on 26 August 1978 as the first single
from their third studio album, All Mod Cons
. The Jam version, which reached #25 in the UK Singles Chart
, featured bassist
Bruce Foxton
on vocals rather than Paul Weller
as it wasn't in the right key for the Jam frontman. It was backed by "'A' Bomb in Wardour Street", also from All Mod Cons.
Ray Davies
Ray Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
that originally appeared on the Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
's 1967 album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
Something Else by the Kinks
Something Else by the Kinks
Something Else by The Kinks, often referred to as just Something Else, is the fifth UK studio album by English rock group The Kinks, released in September 1967. The album marks the final involvement of American producer Shel Talmy in The Kinks' 1960s studio recordings; henceforth Ray Davies would...
. It was also the American and Continental Europe B-side to Autumn Almanac
Autumn Almanac
"Autumn Almanac" is a pop song, written by Ray Davies and recorded by the musical group The Kinks in 1967. "Autumn Almanac" has since been noted for being an "absolute classic", "a finely observed slice of English custom", a "weird character study" and for its "mellow, melodic sound that was to...
. It has been included on several compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
s, including The Kink Kronikles
The Kink Kronikles
The Kink Kronikles is a USA compilation double album of singles, B-sides, album tracks and previously unreleased tracks recorded by The Kinks between 1966 and 1970...
(1972).
It is about the singer's great admiration of fellow schoolboy David Watts, who appears to have a "charmed life." There is an undercurrent of either deep jealousy or, as AllMusic put it, "a schoolboy crush." It is also, as Jon Savage has written, one of Ray Davies' "sharpest homoerotic songs". As Ray Davies has confirmed in "The KInks: The Official Biography" by Savage, "David Watts is a real person. He was a concert promoter in Rutland". Ray goes on to relate how the real Watts was gay and demonstrated an obvious romantic interest in brother Dave. In this light, lines like "he is so gay and fancy free"; and "the girls of the neighbourhood [who] try to go out with David Watts....but can't succeed.." provide a second level of interpretation based on this ironic in-joke.
The song was later covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by The Jam
The Jam
The Jam were an English punk rock/New Wave/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were formed in Woking, Surrey. While they shared the "angry young men" outlook and fast tempos of their punk rock contemporaries, The Jam wore smartly tailored suits rather than ripped...
, who released it on 26 August 1978 as the first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from their third studio album, All Mod Cons
All Mod Cons
All Mod Cons is a 1978 album by the British band The Jam, their third full-length LP. The title, a British idiom one might find in housing advertisements, is short for "all modern conveniences" and is a pun on the band's association with the mod revival.The album was more commercially successful...
. The Jam version, which reached #25 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, featured bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Bruce Foxton
Bruce Foxton
Bruce Foxton is an English rock and roll musician who is best known as the bass player in punk rock bands The Jam and Stiff Little Fingers.-Biography:...
on vocals rather than Paul Weller
Paul Weller
Paul Weller is an English singer-songwriter. Starting with the band The Jam , Weller then went on to branch out musically to a more soulful style with The Style Council...
as it wasn't in the right key for the Jam frontman. It was backed by "'A' Bomb in Wardour Street", also from All Mod Cons.