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Though less indebted to retro stylings than much of the rest of the album, the song prominently features a slide guitar part played by Dave Davies. He explained, "We were trying to ... keep the instruments more subdued. That's where I thought the slide guitar came in handy, and it really changes the
423:
to more recent artists. Davies later said the song was inspired by the "breakdown of community" preceding World War II, elaborating, "Communities are still breaking down now but for other reasons. You go into a restaurant expecting to see people having dinner with one another and they're all looking
431:
Dave Davies reflected on the song's resonance, "One of my favorite Ray songs. It's an important song, not just on this album, but any album, and it's still valid today. It's a very perceptive track with a great feel. It was a privilege to be a part of it. We were trying to get a sort of thoughtful,
460:"20th Century Man" was released as a single in December 1971 in the US (it would never see single release in the UK), and was backed by "Skin and Bone". It failed to gain a significant hold on the charts, not managing to reach the
402:
In "20th
Century Man", the singer expresses his regrets and worries about the modern world, criticizing technology, the state bureaucracy, and modern art; in the latter, he claims to prefer time-honored masters such as
444:, with a heavier rock sound and beat. It begins with a gentle strum on the acoustic guitar, but slowly rises and changes into a powerful rock song. Whilst the rest of
448:
featured purposely dated recording techniques, to give it an antiquated feel, "20th
Century Man" was recorded separately with then modern recording equipment.
483:
an edit of about 4:57 is present. A live version, which omits some of the lyrics in the bridge of the studio recording, is included on the Kinks' 1980 album
479:
full-length version, the length is 5:57. In the case of the 7" single, the length is two minutes shorter, at about 3:57. On the "Greatest Hits" compilation
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677:"JR.com: The Kinks – Muswell Hillbillies [Bonus Tracks] [Digipak] [Remaster] in Music: Country Rock"
489:. Ray Davies also performed the song in his 1996–1997 "Storyteller" show in support of his semi-fictionalized autobiography
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627:"Dave Davies shares his 14 favorite tracks from across the Kinks' two classic early '70s records"
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The Kinks: All Day and All of the Night : Day-By-Day
Concerts, Recordings etc.
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547:*Not present on this track, but part of the group on other tracks on the album
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Multiple versions and edits of "20th
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440:"20th Century Man" is a slight departure from the rest of the songs on
348:. It was released as a single in December 1971 from the band's 1971 LP
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was the last man on the block, who doesn't want his house torn down.
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597:"The Kinks' Ray Davies on the song he wants played at his funeral"
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46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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432:'Well, what's going to happen?' kind of mood."
344:" is a song recorded by the English rock band
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515:– lead guitar, slide guitar, backing vocals
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378:, and other troubles of the modern world.
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106:Learn how and when to remove this message
1904:Song recordings produced by Ray Davies
1881:
975:The Village Green Preservation Society
625:Miller, Joshua M. (27 February 2023).
624:
542:Mike Bodak; Richard Edwards – engineer
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481:The Kinks' Greatest: Celluloid Heroes
362:roots. It centered on such themes as
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44:adding citations to reliable sources
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13:
1748:People Take Pictures of Each Other
1090:Where Have All the Good Times Gone
435:
14:
1930:
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428:. That's me being a bit grumpy".
1685:Last of the Steam-Powered Trains
1239:(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman
20:
1629:Rosy Won't You Please Come Home
31:needs additional citations for
1860:Give the People What They Want
1142:Everybody's a Star (Starmaker)
679:. 26 July 2011. Archived from
669:
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589:
539:John Beecham – trombone, tuba*
509:– acoustic guitar, lead vocals
1:
1440:Down All the Days (Till 1992)
855:Dedicated Follower of Fashion
551:
1727:All of My Friends Were There
789:All Day and All of the Night
569:"Muswell Hillbillies (1971)"
500:
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1899:Songs written by Ray Davies
1636:Love Me Till the Sun Shines
1608:I'm Not Like Everybody Else
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829:Who'll Be the Next in Line
808:Ev'rybody's Gonna Be Happy
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1699:Sitting by the Riverside
1253:Catch Me Now I'm Falling
1156:You Can't Stop the Music
801:Tired of Waiting for You
530:John Gosling – keyboards
120:1971 single by the Kinks
1671:Do You Remember Walter?
1213:A Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy
843:Till the End of the Day
1050:Supersonic Rocket Ship
909:Susannah's Still Alive
652:"U.S. Chart Positions"
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326:Supersonic Rocket Ship
1587:Dancing in the Street
1378:Living on a Thin Line
1347:Don't Forget to Dance
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1664:She's Got Everything
1397:Rock 'n' Roll Cities
1380:" (radio promo only)
1175:No More Looking Back
1083:Sweet Lady Genevieve
1069:One of the Survivors
956:" (Dave Davies solo)
937:" (Dave Davies solo)
911:" (Dave Davies solo)
897:" (Dave Davies solo)
836:A Well Respected Man
40:improve this article
1909:RCA Records singles
1818:Sitting in My Hotel
748:singles discography
527:– drums, percussion
477:Muswell Hillbillies
446:Muswell Hillbillies
442:Muswell Hillbillies
421:Thomas Gainsborough
405:William Shakespeare
395:Muswell Hillbillies
368:housing development
351:Muswell Hillbillies
184:26 Nov 1971 (UK LP)
181:24 Nov 1971 (US LP)
154:Muswell Hillbillies
1776:This Time Tomorrow
1762:Mr. Churchill Says
1536:State of Confusion
1463:How Do I Get Close
409:Rembrandt van Rijn
297:singles chronology
126:"20th Century Man"
55:"20th Century Man"
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1811:Muswell Hillbilly
1580:Stop Your Sobbing
1573:Bald Headed Woman
1297:You Really Got Me
1149:Ducks on the Wall
782:You Really Got Me
775:You Still Want Me
601:Los Angeles Times
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376:the welfare state
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178:Dec 1971 (single)
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1914:Blues rock songs
1797:Have a Cuppa Tea
1734:Wicked Annabella
1201:Father Christmas
1118:" (band version)
1057:Celluloid Heroes
1038:20th Century Man
895:Death of a Clown
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1246:A Gallon of Gas
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881:Mister Pleasant
869:Dead End Street
862:Sunny Afternoon
768:Long Tall Sally
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683:on 26 July 2011
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168:"Skin and Bone"
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709:By Doug Hinman
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700:External links
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1526:" (Australia)
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1492:Other singles
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1309:Better Things
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1277:1980s singles
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755:1960s singles
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603:. 24 May 2023
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248:3:57 (single)
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57: –
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51:Find sources:
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35:
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29:This article
27:
23:
18:
17:
1894:1971 singles
1832:Life Goes On
1825:The Hard Way
1517:Picture Book
1475:Only a Dream
1335:Come Dancing
1130:Preservation
1037:
954:Hold My Hand
706:
685:. Retrieved
681:the original
671:
659:. Retrieved
655:
646:
634:. Retrieved
631:Guitar World
630:
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194:Aug–Sep 1971
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96:October 2016
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38:Please help
33:verification
30:
1706:Animal Farm
1650:Two Sisters
1643:David Watts
1558:Other songs
1538:" (Germany)
1494:(non-UK/US)
1404:How Are You
1366:Do It Again
1323:Predictable
1187:Sleepwalker
1102:Money Talks
961:Plastic Man
815:Set Me Free
636:28 February
534:Mike Cotton
519:John Dalton
513:Dave Davies
497:, in 1998.
397:Liner Notes
284:Producer(s)
1919:1971 songs
1883:Categories
1853:Low Budget
1622:Party Line
1594:I Need You
1550:" (Europe)
1507:" (Europe)
982:Shangri-La
947:Starstruck
687:10 October
552:References
536:– trumpet*
525:Mick Avory
507:Ray Davies
372:alienation
289:Ray Davies
276:Ray Davies
261:RCA Victor
66:newspapers
1769:Strangers
1524:Australia
1482:Scattered
1316:Destroyer
1220:Live Life
921:Wonderboy
745:The Kinks
661:3 October
607:6 October
581:3 October
501:Personnel
463:Billboard
424:at their
346:the Kinks
295:The Kinks
145:the Kinks
1846:Attitude
1428:The Road
1359:Good Day
1299:" (live)
1292:" (live)
1267:Pressure
989:Victoria
471:Versions
382:Synopsis
207:(London)
191:Recorded
173:Released
1839:Misfits
1692:Big Sky
968:Drivin'
465:Hot 100
452:mood."
426:iPhones
364:poverty
360:country
330:(1972)
321:(1971)
312:(1971)
263:74-0620
238:(album)
80:scholar
1741:Monica
1548:Did Ya
1019:Apeman
413:Titian
241:4:57 (
224:Length
205:Morgan
200:Studio
163:B-side
141:Single
82:
75:
68:
61:
53:
1657:Polly
1505:Dandy
572:(PDF)
491:X-Ray
356:blues
256:Label
213:Genre
87:JSTOR
73:books
1783:Rats
1543:1991
1531:1983
1512:1969
1500:1966
1470:1993
1458:1990
1435:1989
1423:1988
1411:1987
1392:1986
1373:1985
1354:1984
1342:1983
1330:1982
1304:1981
1290:Lola
1285:1980
1234:1979
1208:1978
1182:1977
1163:1976
1137:1975
1097:1974
1064:1973
1045:1972
1026:1971
1012:Lola
1007:1970
942:1969
928:Days
916:1968
876:1967
850:1966
796:1965
763:1964
689:2018
663:2016
638:2023
609:2023
583:2016
419:and
358:and
218:Rock
59:news
245:LP)
143:by
42:by
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