Sunny Afternoon

Recorded in May 1966 at Pye Studios in London, with Ray Davies on lead vocal and acoustic guitar, Dave Davies on electric guitar, Pete Quaife on bass and Mick Avory on drums. Shel Talmy produced the session. Released in June 1966, the single topped the UK Singles Chart for two weeks and reached number 14 in the United States. Its satirical portrait of a wealthy man resisting taxation became one of Ray Davies's sharpest observations of British class and social life. The song remains one of the Kinks' signature recordings and a defining example of their distinctly English narrative songwriting. It later provided the title and central musical theme for the successful stage musical about the band's career.