Song of the Day: The Kinks “Lavender Hill”

“Lavender Hill” is a gorgeous, yearning music hall meets psych rarity from storied British-invasion oddballs, The Kinks. Initially recorded during the late ’60s, during the We Are The Village Green Preservation Society era, the song did not see light until it was released on the odds ‘n’ sods collection, The Great Lost Kinks Album in 1973. The song is built around a minor key oboe and harpsichord vamp, a cascade of backing vocals and one of Ray Davies‘ very best lead vocal turns. The song is also helped along by some deeply wistful and poetic lyrics.

I want to walk eternity,
In through the land of make believe.
And watch the clouds roll over me,
And let the sun shine down on me.
The only place that I want to be,
Lavender Hill for me.
Wish I could live on sugar and milk,
Then I could live on Lavender Hill.
Then I could raise my head to the sky,
And let the sun saturate me with love.
I want to walk you up Lavender Hill,
Everybody loves Lavender Hill.
Even the bird that sits in the tree,
Seems to sing sweet melodies.
Even the breeze is whispering,
Lavender Hill for me.
While people eat their biscuits with tea,
They dream of daffodils that sway in the breeze.
And every Sunday afternoon,
Tidy ladies shine their shoes.
And every little lady dreams,
Lavender memories.
Lavender Hill for me.
Lavender Hill for me.
I want to walk you up Lavender Hill.
I want to walk you up Lavender Hill.

Unfortunately, The Great Lost Kinks Album has been out of print since its initial, highly limited 1973 LP release. The song was never released officially on CD (though a dodgy bootleg copy circulated in the mid-’90s. Fortunately, quality LP rips have made their way to Youtube, allowing for those unable to find a copy of the original LP to enjoy this gorgeous song. It remains one of The Kinks‘ very best song – and even if the rest of the LP is heavy on filler – if you can find it, it is worth owning just to have a “Lavender Hill” available to throw on the turntable whenever the mood strikes.