The Kinks and Beatles Daily Deep Dive

It is one of the shortest songs ever released by The Kinks and yet it is a fully formed and realized composition. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

Possibly Ringo Starr's most autobiographical song and a true statement about his uncertainty surrounding the Beatles breakup. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

If you're into cool riffs, clever lyrics, crunchy guitars, and general rock and roll goodness, this is a good song for you. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

A standout track on a mostly forgettable Paul McCartney album. 

It's a fun little track from Face to Face that hints at many songs to come in the Kinks' catalog. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

This John Lennon album track is a rocker with one of the best bands of session players one could assemble at the time. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

Ray Davies released some of his finest material on his solo albums, including this song which is funky and poppy, and beautiful all at once. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

The evolution of this song from early takes to final release proves that The Beatles were never opposed to new ideas or scrapping work for a better product. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

One of the Kinks' biggest hits and a staple of classic rock and roll. Incidentally, also one of the Doors' biggest hits. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

More time was devoted to recording this one song than was devoted to the entirety of The Beatles' first album. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

This single off of Dave Davies' first solo album finds him in his best voice and most creative musically. 

Often cited as John's first introspective song, this country ditty was recorded remarkably fast for the Beatles For Sale album. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

This Kinks song features two musicians who aren't truly Kinks members, a stale guitar riff, and one of Dave's most shredding solos. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

It's rare for The Beatles to release a heavy bluesy waltz with a bridge in 12/16 time but, the one time they do it, it really works well. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

Nobody writes a slow swing song about the depression following the end of a sporting season quite like Ray Davies. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

A Paul McCartney song so beautiful even John Lennon had to admit he liked it. For No One is a baroque pop masterpiece. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

The Contenders opens one of The Kinks' finest albums with a bluesy rock that doesn't last nearly long enough. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

It may be a simple song with simple lyrics but it took The Beatles three different sessions with three different drummers to get it right. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

It's regarded by many as the prettiest song Ray Davies ever wrote. Others consider it the prettiest song anyone ever wrote. Regardless, Waterloo Sunset is a perfect song and a Kinks masterpiece. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

George Harrison scored a minor hit in the mid 1970s with this New Year treat but one must wonder how it could have charted if he didn't wait until the end of December to release it. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

In Juke Box Music, Ray Davies took three chords and churned out one of the band's best juke box songs of the era. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

I'm sorry but when you get David Gilmour to play on your record, you have to give him more than power chords to play. We Got Married should have an epic Gilmour solo but, alas, it does not. 

Ray Davies does not get enough recognition for his ability to fuse two or more seemingly independent songs into one majestic track like Mr Churchill Says. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

It's a fun little Christmas tune that perfectly suits Ringo's voice and production style. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe

Only Ray Davies could write a rocker that was both sweet and cynical, festive and anti-Christmas all rolled up into one. Get full access to Hero Habit at herohabit.substack.com/subscribe