Lola (song)
Encyclopedia
"Lola" is a song written by Ray Davies
and performed by The Kinks
which details a romantic encounter between a young man and a transvestite he meets in a club in Soho
, London
.
Released in June 1970, in the UK on the 12th and in the USA on the 28th, the single was taken from the album Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One
and reached #2 in the UK charts and #9 in the US. It was ranked 422nd on the List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
and its C-D-E power riff
is recognized among the famous riffs of rock.
. Davies said,
In his autobiography, Dave Davies
mentions that he came up with the music for what would become Lola. After Dave had shown his brother the music, Ray came up with the lyrics. Dave goes on to claim his brother took all the credit for the song.
The original song recorded in stereo
had the word "Coca-Cola
" in the lyrics, but because of BBC Radio's policy against product placement, Ray was forced to make a six thousand mile round-trip flight from New York to London — interrupting the band's American tour — to change those words to the generic "cherry cola" for the single release.
The success of the single had important ramifications for the band's career at a critical time, allowing them to negotiate a new contract with RCA Records
, construct their own London Studio, and assume more creative and managerial control.
, was released in the US in July 1980 to promote the live album One for the Road
. The B-side was the live version of "Celluloid Heroes
". The single was a moderate success, reaching #81 on the Billboard Hot 100
. It was also released in some countries in Europe (although not the UK) in April 1981. It was a big hit in the Netherlands, matching the #1 peak of the original version, and in Belgium where it reached #2. It also charted in Australia. Although not released as a stand-alone single in the UK, it was included on a bonus single (b/w the live version of "David Watts") with initial copies of "Better Things" in June 1981.
1 Live version
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...
and performed by 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...
which details a romantic encounter between a young man and a transvestite he meets in a club in Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Released in June 1970, in the UK on the 12th and in the USA on the 28th, the single was taken from the album Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One
Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One
Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part OneAlternatively titled Kinks Part One: Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround; commonly abbreviated to Lola Versus Powerman is the eighth studio album by British rock band The Kinks, recorded and released in 1970...
and reached #2 in the UK charts and #9 in the US. It was ranked 422nd on the List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone, issue number 963, published December 9, 2004, a year after the magazine published its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"....
and its C-D-E power riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
is recognized among the famous riffs of rock.
Inspiration for the song
In the book The Kinks: The Official Biography, Davies says that he was inspired to write this song after the band manager Robert Wace had spent the night dancing with a transvestiteTransvestism
Transvestism is the practice of cross-dressing, which is wearing clothing traditionally associated with the opposite sex. Transvestite refers to a person who cross-dresses; however, the word often has additional connotations. -History:Although the word transvestism was coined as late as the 1910s,...
. Davies said,
In his autobiography, Dave Davies
Dave Davies
David Russell Gordon "Dave" Davies is an English rock musician best known for his role as lead guitarist and vocalist for the English rock band The Kinks....
mentions that he came up with the music for what would become Lola. After Dave had shown his brother the music, Ray came up with the lyrics. Dave goes on to claim his brother took all the credit for the song.
The original song recorded in stereo
Stereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
had the word "Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
" in the lyrics, but because of BBC Radio's policy against product placement, Ray was forced to make a six thousand mile round-trip flight from New York to London — interrupting the band's American tour — to change those words to the generic "cherry cola" for the single release.
The success of the single had important ramifications for the band's career at a critical time, allowing them to negotiate a new contract with RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, construct their own London Studio, and assume more creative and managerial control.
Live single
A live version of the song, recorded in 1979 in Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, was released in the US in July 1980 to promote the live album One for the Road
One for the Road (The Kinks album)
In their brief review, Allmusic wrote that "One for the Road is a fascinating document of trailblazing elder statesmen who paved the way for heavy metal and punk, but never felt a glorious pop song was out of their grasp."-Track listing:...
. The B-side was the live version of "Celluloid Heroes
Celluloid Heroes
"Celluloid Heroes" is a song performed by The Kinks and written by their lead vocalist and principal songwriter, Ray Davies. It debuted on their 1972 album Everybody's in Show-Biz.-Lyrical themes:...
". The single was a moderate success, reaching #81 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. It was also released in some countries in Europe (although not the UK) in April 1981. It was a big hit in the Netherlands, matching the #1 peak of the original version, and in Belgium where it reached #2. It also charted in Australia. Although not released as a stand-alone single in the UK, it was included on a bonus single (b/w the live version of "David Watts") with initial copies of "Better Things" in June 1981.
Chart performance
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| 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 ... |
2 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Dutch GfK GfK The GfK Group, established in 1934 as Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung is Germany's largest market research institute, and the fourth largest market research organisation in the world, after Nielsen Company, Kantar Group, and IMS Health... chart |
1 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
1 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
1 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 1 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 4 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
9 |
| Chart (1980/1981) | Peak position |
Belgian Singles Chart
|
2 |
| Dutch GfK GfK The GfK Group, established in 1934 as Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung is Germany's largest market research institute, and the fourth largest market research organisation in the world, after Nielsen Company, Kantar Group, and IMS Health... chart |
1 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
81 |
1 Live version
Cover versions
- "Lola" was covered in Greek by Hellenic 70s pop idol Paschalis in 1972.
- "Lola" was covered by Don FardonDon FardonDon Fardon is an English pop singer.-Career:His biggest success was to be his cover version of John D. Loudermilk's "Indian Reservation" . The global sales were estimated at over one million copies...
in 1974. - "Lola" was covered by The RaincoatsThe RaincoatsThe Raincoats are a British post-punk band. Ana da Silva and Gina Birch formed the group in 1977 while they were students at Hornsey College of Art, London, England.-Career:...
on their 1979 album1979 in musicSee also:Record labels established in 1979* 1979 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1979.-January–February:*January 1...
, The RaincoatsThe Raincoats (album)The Raincoats, released in 1979 , was the debut album by The Raincoats. The album is perhaps best known for its off-kilter cover of "Lola" by The Kinks and the album's seventh track "The Void", which was covered by Hole in 1994. The album was re-released by Rough Trade in 1994, with liner notes by...
. - In 1984 German singer Heinz Rudolf KunzeHeinz Rudolf KunzeHeinz Rudolf Erich Arthur Kunze is a German writer and rock singer. His greatest hits were Dein ist mein ganzes Herz and Mit Leib und Seele in 1985 and 1986.- Biography :Kunze was born on 30 November 1956 in the refugee camp...
recorded a German version that was released as a single. - In 1984 the French darkwave band Tanit covered "Lola".
- Andy TaylorAndy Taylor (guitarist)Andy Taylor is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as a member of Duran Duran and The Power Station....
(of Duran DuranDuran DuranDuran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
) covered the song for his 1990 album DangerousDangerous (Andy Taylor album)Dangerous is a 1990 covers album by the British guitarist Andy Taylor, who is most famous for his work in the band Duran Duran. It was a follow-up to his earlier solo album Thunder....
. - In April 1989 Leeds-based band Cud covered "Lola".
- Bad MannersBad MannersBad Manners are an English 2 Tone ska band. They quickly became the novelty favourites of the UK pop scene through their bald outsized frontman's on-stage antics, earning early exposure through their Top of The Pops exploits and an appearance in the live film documentary, Dance Craze.They were at...
covered the song on their 1993 album1993 in musicThis is a summary of significant events in music in 1993.-January–February:*January 8 – The U.S. Postal Service issues an Elvis Presley stamp. The design was voted on in February 1992....
Fat SoundFat SoundFat Sound is the seventh studio album by Bad Manners, released in 1992 on Pork Pie Records.-Track listing:All songs by Bad Manners unless noted.# "Mambo/Ska No...
. - Mollies Revenge covered the song on their 1997 album Every Dirty Word.
- In 2000 Damon AlbarnDamon AlbarnDamon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
covered the song on the soundtrack for the icelandic movie 101 Reykjavík101 Reykjavík101 Reykjavík is a 2000 film set in Reykjavík, Iceland based on a book of the same name by Hallgrímur Helgason. It was directed by Baltasar Kormákur and stars Victoria Abril and Hilmir Snær Guðnason. The name of the film is taken from the postal code for down-town Reykjavík, "the old city"...
. - Natural Born Hippies covered the song as "Lola (If you ever..)" for their 1999 album Popshit.
- In 2005, transsexual musician Dana Baitz recorded a cover version of the song, telling the story from Lola's perspective.
- MadnessMadness (band)In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...
covered the song on their 2005 album2005 in music-Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:...
The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. 1 is a cover album by the British ska band Madness. It was released in 2005 . The album was successful and reached #11 in the UK which at the time was their highest chart position in the UK since 1984's Keep Moving.-The Dangermen:Prior to recording the album, Madness...
. In the sleevenotes, Lee ThompsonLee Jay ThompsonLee Jay Thompson , nicknamed Kix or El Thommo, is an English musician, best known as the saxophonist and songwriter of the second wave ska band, Madness....
mentions an unreleased answer songAnswer songAn answer song is, as the name suggests, a song made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. It is also known as a response song. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s through 1950s...
written by Thompson and Chris ForemanChris ForemanChris Foreman , nicknamed Chrissy Boy, is an English guitarist, best known as a member of a second wave ska band, Madness.Foreman started Madness with Mike Barson and Lee Thompson in 1976...
for their Crunch! project, titled "Mistress, Mistress". - In 2005 Dutch singer Jan RotJan RotJan Rot is a Dutch singer-songwriter who is famous in the Netherlands for his many translations of songs, pop as well as classic. His Dutch translation of Bach's St.Matthews Passion peaked Easter 2006 on the Dutch popalbum charts.-External links:*...
recorded a Dutch translation for his album Nachtlied, a bundle of songs about the night - In September 2007, Robbie WilliamsRobbie WilliamsRobert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
recorded a cover of "Lola" to celebrate the 40th Birthday of BBC Radio 1Radio 1 Established 1967The compilation album Radio 1 Established 1967 is a collection of covers especially recorded for Radio 1 by a number of artists. The album celebrates the 40th anniversary of BBC Radio 1. There are 40 songs recorded by 40 different artists . Each artist was given a year, and were allowed to cover a...
. His version spent one week at number 91 in the Romanian Singles Chart. - McFlyMcFlyMcFly are an English pop rock band who first found fame in 2004. The band consists of Tom Fletcher , Danny Jones , Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd . They were signed to the Island Records label from their 2004 launch until December 2007, before creating their own label, Super Records...
collaborated with Busted for a cover of the song (which was a B-side on the "5 Colours in Her Hair" single) - "Lola" was covered by TravisTravis (band)Travis are a post-Britpop band from Glasgow, Scotland, comprising Fran Healy , Dougie Payne , Andy Dunlop and Neil Primrose...
in 2008 as a B-side for the single "Something AnythingSomething Anything"Something Anything" is the second single taken from Indie band Travis' sixth studio album Ode To J. Smith. The single peaked at #113 on the UK Singles Chart, due to a major lack of promotion-Background:The single was released on September 15, 2008...
", released on 15 September, and is featured in their latest album Ode to J. SmithOde to J. SmithOde to J. Smith is the sixth studio album by Scottish alternative rock band Travis, released on 29 September 2008 in the United Kingdom and received generally positive reviews. The album was released in the United States on 4 November 2008...
, released 29 September. - Spanish rock band M-ClanM-ClanM Clan is a Spanish rock band. The band, initially named Murciélagos Clan, was formed in Murcia, in 1992 by Carlos Tarque and Ricardo Ruipérez....
did a Spanish language version of the song in their album Sopa fria. - Contestant Mookie Morris performed the song on Canadian Idol (Season 6)Canadian Idol (season 6)The sixth season of Canadian Idol is the sixth and final installation of the Idol series in Canada and premiered on June 3, 2008, on the CTV Television Network. It is again hosted by Ben Mulroney, with the addition of Jully Black as a special correspondent and general mentor to the contestants....
in 2008. - "Lola" was covered in concert by Widespread PanicWidespread PanicWidespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
on October 31, 2010, at the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. - Covered by the late ska artist Nicky Thomas.
Parodies
- The Kinks themselves reference "Lola" in their song "DestroyerDestroyer (The Kinks song)"Destroyer" is a song by British rock band The Kinks, written by Ray Davies. It was released as a track on the group's nineteenth album, Give the People What They Want, in August 1981, and was the album's lead single in the US...
". - In 1981, "Weird Al" Yankovic"Weird Al" YankovicAlfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
recorded a parodyParodyA parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the song, replacing "Lola" with the character YodaYodaYoda is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, appearing in the second and third original films, as well as all three prequel trilogy films. A renowned Jedi master, Yoda made his first on-screen appearance in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back where he is responsible for...
from the Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
movies. Because of permission issues with LucasfilmLucasfilmLucasfilm Limited is an American film production company founded by George Lucas in 1971, based in San Francisco, California. Lucas is the company's current chairman and CEO, and Micheline Chau is the president and COO....
and The Kinks, the song was not released on an album until 1985. - In the mid-1990s; WeetabixWeetabixWeetabix is a whole grain wheat breakfast cereal produced by Weetabix Limited of the United Kingdom. It comes in the form of palm-sized biscuits. Variants include organic and Weetabix Minis versions. The UK cereal is manufactured in Burton Latimer, Kettering, United Kingdom and in Canada and...
had a parody for one of their commercials replacing "Lola" with Akela. - On Matt GroeningMatt GroeningMatthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
's FuturamaFuturamaFuturama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
, Zapp BranniganZapp BranniganCaptain Zapp Brannigan is a fictional character in the animated sitcom Futurama. He is voiced by Billy West, but was originally intended to be voiced by Phil Hartman, with West taking over the role after Hartman's death. Brannigan is a 25-Star General in the Democratic Order of Planets, and captain...
sings the opening lyrics in a futile attempt to woo Leela. He replaces the lyrics "L-O-L-A, Lola," with "L-E-E-L-A, Leela!", in a style that pays tribute to William ShatnerWilliam ShatnerWilliam Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
's recorded performances. The gag appears in the episode "Amazon Women in the MoodAmazon Women in the Mood"Amazon Women in the Mood" is the first episode in season three of Futurama. It originally aired in North America on February 4, 2001.-Plot:...
". - In 2006, the Zoey 101Zoey 101Zoey 101 is an American television series that ran from January 9, 2005 to May 2, 2008 starring Jamie Lynn Spears as teenager Zoey Brooks, produced for Nickelodeon and syndicated worldwide. The show was initially filmed at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, then at stages in Valencia,...
episode titled "Girls Will Be Boys" was a direct reference to a line in the song "Lola". This reference was even more obvious because the character Lola on the show, played by Victoria JusticeVictoria JusticeVictoria Justice is an American actress, singer-songwriter, and dancer. She debuted as an actress at the age of 10 and has since appeared in several films and television series including the Nickelodeon series Zoey 101 and Victorious...
impersonated a boy in the episode. - in 2007 VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
radio station Rock 101 made a "twisted tune" about Vancouver CanucksVancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
goaltenderGoaltenderIn ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
Roberto LuongoRoberto LuongoRoberto Luongo is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . Born in Montreal, Quebec, he is of Italian and Irish ancestry. He employs the butterfly style of goaltending...
called "Luongo" with different lyrics explaining how VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
needs and loves him. - In 2009, after a 10-2 Buffalo SabresBuffalo SabresThe Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
blowout over the Edmonton OilersEdmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
, a Calgary radio station (The Fan 960) played a song called "Goala" complete with sound clips from the post game press conferences and Rick JeanneretRick JeanneretRichard "Rick" Jeanneret is the television and radio play-by-play announcer for the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres and its broadcast network, the Sabres Hockey Network. Having started with the team on radio during the 1971–72 season, he is the longest-tenured announcer in the NHL...
sound bites. - In 2007, Coca Cola made a TV advertisement based on the song.
- Lola is referred to on two different episodes of The Chris Isaak ShowThe Chris Isaak ShowThe Chris Isaak Show is a television sitcom which follows a fictionalized version of the life of American rock musician Chris Isaak. The show portrays Isaak and his band members as everyday people with everyday problems...
, including one involving a transvestite.