The Road (song)

For other songs, see The Road (disambiguation).

1988 single by The Kinks

"The Road"

Single by The Kinks
from the album  Live: The Road
B-side| "Art Lover" (live)
Released| 11 January 1988 (US)
16 May 1988 (UK)
Recorded| September 1987
Genre| Rock
Length| 6:13
Label| MCA
Songwriter(s)| Ray Davies
Producer(s)| Ray Davies
The Kinks singles chronology
| "Lost and Found"
(1987)  | "The Road"
(1988)  | "Down All the Days (Till 1992)"
(1989)

|
|

"The Road" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks, written by frontman Ray Davies, and serves as the opening track of their 1988 live album Live: The Road.

## Lyrics

[edit]

Described as "a chronicle of the band's typical touring experiences" by AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine, "The Road" mentions the singer's experiences in with "bed and breakfasts and the greasy spoons ... loser bars and the noisy rooms ... [and] the casualties who did too many lines."[1] This topic of touring has been addressed by Ray Davies multiple times prior to the writing of this song, from "This Time Tomorrow" from Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One to "Life on the Road" from the album Sleepwalker.

## Release and reception

[edit]

"The Road" was released on the 1988 album, Live: The Road, where it was the song recorded in the studio (and one of the two songs on the album never before released). However, prior to the release of Live: The Road, "The Road" saw single release in Britain (but not America.) Backed with a version of "Art Lover" from Live: The Road, the single failed to chart, being the first of three consecutive singles not to chart in the United Kingdom. It has since appeared on the compilation albums Lost & Found (1986-1989) and Picture Book.

Despite citing the song as a highlight from both Live: The Road and Lost & Found (1986-1989), Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that "like the rest of [Live: The Road], the song wasn't anything special."[1][2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "AllMusic 'Live: The Road'".
2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "AllMusic 'Lost and Found (1986-1989)".

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The Kinks singles discography

1960s singles
(UK & US)|

1964
"Long Tall Sally"
"You Still Want Me"
"You Really Got Me"
"All Day and All of the Night"

1965
"Tired of Waiting for You"
"Ev'rybody's Gonna Be Happy"
"Set Me Free"
"See My Friends"
"Who'll Be the Next in Line"
"A Well Respected Man"
"Till the End of the Day"

1966
"Dedicated Follower of Fashion"
"Sunny Afternoon"
"Dead End Street"

1967
"Mister Pleasant"
"Waterloo Sunset"
"Death of a Clown" (Dave Davies solo)
"Autumn Almanac"
"Susannah's Still Alive" (Dave Davies solo)

1968
"Wonderboy"
"Days"
"Lincoln County" (Dave Davies solo)

1969
"Starstruck"
"Hold My Hand" (Dave Davies solo)
"Plastic Man"
"Drivin'"
"The Village Green Preservation Society"
"Shangri-La"
"Victoria"

1970s singles
(UK & US)|

1970
"Lola"
"Apeman"

1971
"God's Children"
"20th Century Man"

1972
"Supersonic Rocket Ship"
"Celluloid Heroes"

1973
"One of the Survivors"
"Sitting in the Midday Sun"
"Sweet Lady Genevieve"
"Where Have All the Good Times Gone"

1974
"Money Talks"
"Mirror of Love"
"Mirror of Love" (band version)
"Holiday Romance"
"Preservation"

1975
"Everybody's a Star (Starmaker)"
"Ducks on the Wall"
"You Can't Stop the Music"

1976
"I'm in Disgrace"
"No More Looking Back"

1977
"Sleepwalker"
"Juke Box Music"
"Father Christmas"

1978
"A Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy"
"Live Life"
"Black Messiah"

1979
"(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman"
"A Gallon of Gas"
"Catch Me Now I'm Falling"
"Moving Pictures"
"Pressure"

1980s singles
(UK & US)|

1980
"Lola" (live)
"You Really Got Me" (live)

1981
"Better Things"
"Destroyer"
"Predictable"

1982
"Come Dancing"

1983
"Don't Forget to Dance"

1984
"Good Day"
"Do It Again"

1985
"Living on a Thin Line" (radio promo only)
"Summer's Gone"

1986
"Rock 'n' Roll Cities"
"How Are You"

1987
"Lost and Found"

1988
"The Road"

1989
"Down All the Days (Till 1992)"

1990s singles
(UK & US)|

1990
"How Do I Get Close"

1993
"Only a Dream"
"Scattered"

Other singles
(non-UK/US)|

1966
"Dandy" (Europe)

1969
"Picture Book" (Australia)
"Australia" (Australia)

1983
"State of Confusion" (Germany)

1991
"Did Ya" (Europe)

Other songs|

"So Mystifying"
"Bald Headed Woman"
"Stop Your Sobbing"
"Dancing in the Street"
"I Need You"
"I Go to Sleep"
"I'm Not Like Everybody Else"
"Big Black Smoke"
"Party Line"
"Rosy Won't You Please Come Home"
"Love Me Till the Sun Shines"
"David Watts"
"Two Sisters"
"Polly"
"She's Got Everything"
"Do You Remember Walter?"
"Johnny Thunder"
"Last of the Steam-Powered Trains"
"Big Sky"
"Sitting by the Riverside"
"Animal Farm"
"Village Green"
"Phenomenal Cat"
"All of My Friends Were There"
"Wicked Annabella"
"Monica"
"People Take Pictures of Each Other"
"Berkeley Mews"
"Mr. Churchill Says"
"Strangers"
"This Time Tomorrow"
"Rats"
"Got to Be Free"
"Have a Cuppa Tea"
"Oklahoma U.S.A."
"Muswell Hillbilly"
"Sitting in My Hotel"
"The Hard Way"
"Life Goes On"
"Misfits"
"Attitude"
"Low Budget"
"Give the People What They Want"
"Heart of Gold"
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