Denmark Street

Album: Lola vs. Powerman And The Moneygoround, Part 1 (1970)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Written by Kinks frontman Ray Davies, this song is a musical tribute to Denmark Street in London, where British music publishers were headquartered. The song has a cynical edge, as Davies sings about how you can play your song to a publisher who will hate it but buy it anyway because the buying public might dig it. It's then off to the record label, where the same conversation repeats.

    Later on the album, the Kinks take another look at the music industry machine on the track "Top Of The Pops," which is about promoting the single up the charts.
  • Running just two minutes, this song has no discernable chorus as Ray Davies runs the narrative from start to finish. It was released on the Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One album, which got the band back on track with the hit "Lola."
  • The Kinks, known at the time as The Ravens, signed a management deal with a company called Denmark Productions in 1963, which peddled their demo around Denmark Street, eventually landing them a deal with Pye Records. The group reeled off a string of hits, starting with their first single, "You Really Got Me," but suffered from vicious infighting and ended up in a legal tangle that cost them dearly. "Denmark Street," and much of the Lola album, was an attack on Denmark Productions.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.

Maxi Priest

Maxi PriestSongwriter Interviews

The British reggae legend tells the story of his #1 hit "Close To You," talks about his groundbreaking Shabba Ranks collaboration "Housecall," and discusses his latest project with Robin Trower.

Paul Stanley of Kiss, Soul Station

Paul Stanley of Kiss, Soul StationSongwriter Interviews

Paul Stanley on his soul music project, the Kiss songs with the biggest soul influence, and the non-make-up era of the band.

Second Wind Songs

Second Wind SongsSong Writing

Some songs get a second life when they find a new audience through a movie, commercial, TV show, or even the Internet.

Bob Daisley

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.

Devo

DevoSongwriter Interviews

Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing.