The Village Green Preservation Society [Super Deluxe Edition]

by The Kinks

Overview

Ray Davies' sentimental, nostalgic streak emerged on Something Else, but it developed into a manifesto on The Village Green Preservation Society, a concept album lamenting the passing of old-fashioned English traditions. As the opening title song says, the Kinks -- meaning Ray himself, in this case -- were for preserving "draught beer and virginity," and throughout the rest of the album, he creates a series of stories, sketches, and characters about a picturesque England that never really was. It's a lovely, gentle album, evoking a small British country town, and drawing the listener into its lazy rhythms and sensibilities. Although there is an undercurrent of regret running throughout the album, Davies' fondness for the past is warm, making the album feel like a sweet, hazy dream. And considering the subdued performances and the detailed instrumentations, it's not surprising that the record feels more like a Ray Davies solo project than a Kinks album. The bluesy shuffle of "Last of the Steam-Powered Trains" is the closest the album comes to rock & roll, and Dave Davies' cameo on the menacing "Wicked Annabella" comes as surprise, since the album is so calm. But calm doesn't mean tame or bland -- there are endless layers of musical and lyrical innovation on The Village Green Preservation Society, and its defiantly British sensibilities became the foundation of generations of British guitar pop. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	10/26/2018
Label:	Sanctuary
UPC:	4050538420876
Rank:	73926

Tracks

Disc 1

1. The Village Green Preservation Society
2. Do You Remember Walter?
3. Picture Book
4. Johnny Thunder
5. Last of the Steam-Powered Trains
6. Big Sky
7. Sitting by the Riverside
8. Animal Farm
9. Village Green
10. Starstruck
11. Phenomenal Cat
12. All of My Friends Were There
13. Wicked Annabella
14. Monica
15. People Take Pictures of Each Other

Disc 2

16. The Village Green Preservation Society
17. Do You Remember Walter?
18. Picture Book
19. Johnny Thunder
20. Last of the Steam-Powered Trains
21. Big Sky
22. Sitting by the Riverside
23. Animal Farm
24. Village Green
25. Starstruck
26. Phenomenal Cat
27. All of My Friends Were There
28. Wicked Annabella
29. Monica
30. People Take Pictures of Each Other

Disc 3

31. The Village Green Preservation Society [Swedish Version]
32. Do You Remember Walter? [Swedish Version]
33. Picture Book [Swedish Version]
34. Johnny Thunder [Swedish Version]
35. Monica [Swedish Version]
36. Days [Swedish Version]
37. Village Green [Swedish Version]
38. Mr. Songbird [Swedish Version]
39. Wicked Annabella [Swedish Version]
40. Starstruck [Swedish Version]
41. Phenomenal Cat [Swedish Version]
42. People Take Pictures of Each Other [Swedish Version]

Disc 4

43. The Village Green Preservation Society
44. Do You Remember Walter?
45. Picture Book
46. Johnny Thunder
47. Last of the Steam-Powered Trains
48. Big Sky
49. Sitting by the Riverside
50. Animal Farm
51. Village Green
52. Starstruck
53. Phenomenal Cat
54. All of My Friends Were There
55. Wicked Annabella
56. Monica
57. People Take Pictures of Each Other
58. Days [Stereo Mix]
59. She's Got Everything [Stereo Mix]
60. Mr. Songbird [Stereo Mix]
61. Wonderboy [Stereo Mix]
62. Polly [Stereo Mix]
63. Berkeley Mews [Stereo Mix]
64. Rosemary Rose [Stereo Mix]
65. Misty Water [Stereo Mix]
66. Did You See His Name? [Stereo Mix]
67. Do You Remember Walter? [European Stereo Mix Without Tambourine]
68. Animal Farm [Alternate Stereo Mix]
69. People Take Pictures of Each Other [European Stereo Mix With Big Band Coda]

Disc 5

70. The Village Green Preservation Society
71. Do You Remember Walter?
72. Picture Book
73. Johnny Thunder
74. Last of the Steam-Powered Trains
75. Big Sky
76. Sitting by the Riverside
77. Animal Farm
78. Village Green
79. Starstruck
80. Phenomenal Cat
81. All of My Friends Were There
82. Wicked Annabella
83. Monica
84. People Take Pictures of Each Other
85. Days [Mono Single Mix]
86. She's Got Everything [Single Mix]
87. Mr. Songbird
88. Wonderboy [Mono Single Mix]
89. Polly [Single Mix]
90. Till Death Us Do Part [Mono Mix]
91. Berkeley Mews [Single Mix]
92. Village Green [Alternate Vocal]
93. Lavender Hill [Mono Mix]
94. Rosemary Rose [Mono Mix]
95. Pictures in the Sand [Mono Mix]
96. Misty Water [Mono Mix]
97. Did You See His Name?
98. Last of the Steam-Powered Trains [With Alternate Ending]

Disc 6

99. The Village Green Preservation Society [Alternate Mix With Session Chat]
100. Do You Remember Walter? [Backing Track]
101. Picture Book [Alternate Mix With Session Chat]
102. Johnny Thunder [Alternate Mix With Session Chat]
103. Last of the Steam-Powered Trains [Alternate Mix With Session Chat]
104. Big Sky [Alternate Mix With Session Chat]
105. Animal Farm [Takes 16 & 17 With Session Chat]
106. Village Green [Unissued Mix From Acetate]
107. Starstruck [Alternate Mix With Session Chat]
108. Phenomenal Cat [Alternate Mix With Session Chat]
109. Monica [Alternate Mix With Session Chat]
110. People Take Pictures of Each Other [Alternate Mix With Session Chat]
111. Egg Stained Pyjamas [Backing Track]
112. Days [Alternate Mix With Session Chat]
113. She's Got Everything [Alternate Mix With Session Chat]
114. Misty Water [Alternate Stereo Mix]
115. Mr. Songbird [Alternate Mix]
116. Pictures in the Sand [Backing Track] [Stereo Mix]
117. Berkeley Mews [Alternate Mix With Session Chat]
118. Easy Come, There You Went [Backing Track] [Alternate Mix Stereo]
119. Did You See His Name? [Alternate Mix With Session Chat]
120. Mick Avory's Underpants [Backing Track] [Mono Mix]
121. Spotty Grotty Anna [Stereo Backing Track]
122. Lavender Hill [Stereo Backing Track]
123. Village Green [Backing Track] [Stereo Mix]

Disc 7

124. Interview: Ray Talks About Working [Recorded July 1968]
125. Days [Top Gear, Recorded 1st July 1968]
126. Waterloo Sunset [Top Gear, Recorded 1st July 1968]
127. Interview: Ray Talks About Solo Records [Recorded July 1968]
128. Love Me Till the Sun Shines [Top Gear, Recorded 1 July 1968]
129. Monica [Top Gear, Recorded 1st July 1968]
130. Interview: Ray Talks About Village Green [Recorded November 1968]
131. The Village Green Preservation Society [Saturday Club, Recorded 26th November 1968]
132. Animal Farm [Live at the BBC, Saturday Club, 26th November 1968]
133. Interview: Ray & Dave Talk About Last of the Steam-Powered Trains [Saturday Club, Broadcast 18th January 1969] [Mono]
134. Last of the Steam-Powered Trains [Live at Julie Felix Show, 7 January 1969] [Mono]
135. Picture Book [Live Vocals] [Julie Felix Show, Recorded 7 January 1969] [Mono]
136. Do You Remember Walter? [BBC Mix] [Symonds on Sunday, Recorded 2 April 1968]
137. Medley: Dedicated Follower of Fashion/A Well Respected Man/Death of a Clown [TV Pre-Mix of Uniquely Recorded Medley]
138. Sunny Afternoon [TV Pre-Mix Minus Melodica] [Colour Me Pop, Recorded 22 July 1968]
139. Picture Book [Live TV Pre-Mix] [Colour Me Pop, Recorded 22 July 1968]
140. Days [TV Pre-Mix] [TV Pre-Mix] [Colour Me Pop, Recorded 22 July 1968]
141. Lazy Old Sun [TV Pre-Mix] [Colour Me Pop, Recorded 22 July 1968]
142. Two Sisters [TV Pre-Mix] [Colour Me Pop, Recorded 22 July 1968]
143. Monica [TV Pre-Mix] [Colour Me Pop, Recorded 22 July 1968]
144. Lincoln County [TV Pre-Mix Minus Strings Overdub] [Colour Me Pop, Recorded 22 July 1968]
145. Where Did My Spring Go? Where Was Spring? [Recorded 1969]
146. When I Turn Off the Living Room Light (Where Was Spring?) [Recorded 1969]

Disc 8

147. Medley: Home Demos
148. Days [Acoustic Version]
149. Mr. Songbird [Alternate Mix] [Stereo]
150. The Village Green Preservation Society [Alternate Mix] [Stereo]
151. Johnny Thunder [Backing Track] [Stereo Mix]
152. Big Sky [Alternate Mix] [Stereo]
153. Phenomenal Cat [Backing Track]
154. Picture Book [Vocals and Guitar] [Stereo Mix]
155. Animal Farm [Backing Track] [Stereo Mix]
156. Time Song [Monitor Mix] [Stereo]
157. The Village Green Preservation Society [Preservation Version] [Stereo]
158. Medley: Picture Book/People Take Pictures of Each Other [Preservation Version] [Stereo]
159. Village Green (Overture) [Preservation Version] [Stereo]
160. Days [Live]
161. Village Green Suite: Ray Davies Spoken (Intro)
162. Village Green Suite: Village Green
163. Village Green Suite: Picture Book [Live]
164. Village Green Suite: Big Sky
165. Village Green Suite: Do You Remember Walter?
166. Village Green Suite: Johnny Thunder
167. Village Green Suite: The Village Green Preservation Society [Live]
168. The Way Love Used to Be

Disc 9

169. Days [Mono Single Mix]
170. Starstruck

Disc 10

171. Starstruck
172. Picture Book

Disc 11

173. The Village Green Preservation Society
174. Do You Remember Walter?

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Kinks   Primary Artist
Ray Davies   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Harmonica,Keyboards,Lead Vocals,Featured Artist
John Dalton   Bass,Vocals,Guitar (Bass)
Clem Cattini   Drums
The Mike Cotton Sound   Horn
John Gosling   Keyboards
Peter Quaife   Vocals (Background),Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Alexander Greenlaw Quaife   Bass
The DR Symphony & Vocal Ensemble   Ensemble,Featured Artist
Nicky Hopkins   Keyboards
Pip Williams   Conductor
Rasa Davies   Vocals (Background)
Dave Davies   Guitar,Vocals,Harmonica,Keyboards,Lead Guitar,Lead Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Mick Avory   Drums

Technical Credits

The Kinks   Composer,Arranger
David Whitaker   String Arrangements
Paul Bevoir   Design,Artwork
Barrie Wentzell   Original Cover Photography
Alan Florence   Engineer
Daniel Hersch   Mastering
John Prosser   Original Cover Photography
Alan MacKenzie   Engineer
Ray Davies   Composer,Lyricist,Producer,Remixing
Mike Bobak   Engineer
Alan McKenzie   Performer
Brian Humphries   Engineer,Performer
Nick Watson   Mastering
Alan O'Duffy   Engineer