Apeman (song)
"Apeman" is a 1970 song by the English rock band the Kinks. It was written by Ray Davies and appears on the album Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One.
| "Apeman" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by the Kinks | ||||
| from the album Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One | ||||
| B-side | "Rats" | |||
| Released | 20 November 1970 (U.K.) 16 December 1970 (U.S.) | |||
| Recorded | Aug-Sep 1970 at Morgan Studios, Willesden, London | |||
| Genre | Calypso, rock | |||
| Length | 3:54 | |||
| Label | Pye 7N 45016 (U.K.) Reprise 0979 (U.S.) | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Ray Davies | |||
| Producer(s) | Ray Davies | |||
| The Kinks singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One track listing | ||||
13 tracks
| ||||
In the song, Davies is fed up with the modern world and declares that he wants to "sail away to a distant shore and make like an apeman". He also expresses how man created our problems and, given half a chance, he would leave the cities and traffic to live in the jungle. It reflects the nostalgia expressed on the albums Lola vs. Powerman and The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society.
Background
"Apeman", alongside many other songs from the Lola vs. Powerman album, was written by Ray Davies during a family trip to Cornwall in July 1970.[1]
Single release
"Apeman" was released as a single in the fall of 1970, with a B-side of the Dave Davies composition "Rats". While it did not do as well on the U.S. Pop Singles chart as its predecessor, "Lola" did, only reaching #45, it was a major hit in the UK, peaking at No. 5 on the singles chart, their last Top 10 entry in their home country. It was also the band's Top 10 hit in Australia, reaching #9 on its chart.
Due to publishing issues the band was experiencing at the time, the British edition of the single was published under "Copyright Control," a term used when no publisher is assigned.[1]
Controversy and re-dubbing
The Kinks caused some controversy, because in the line "...the air pollution is a-foggin' up my eyes...", the word "a-foggin'" sounded too much like "a-fucking'".[1] Like the band's previous single "Lola" where Ray Davies had to change "Coca-Cola" to "cherry cola", he again had to fly back to London to re-record this line, dubbing over with a more clear "a-foggin'" prior to its single release, in turn causing a delay in the US single release of the song.[2][1] The original lyric remains intact on the album, and is heard at 2:20. On their Top of the Pops performance filmed later in November, the changed lyric can be heard on the backing tape.[3]
Reception
Upon release in Britain, the NME called the song "a very commercial disc with an irresistible hook chorus."[1] Record Mirror said, "As ever, Ray [Davies] has something to say. As ever The Kinks do a thoroughly professional, style-changing job."[1] After its US release, Billboard praised the song as "an easy-beat calypso rocker with a clever lyric."[1]
Promo video
A colour promo video made for the song was filmed at Hampstead Heath, the same location used for The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society's cover picture.[4] The video featured the band's newly recruited pianist John Gosling dressed up as an ape. Kinks guitarist Dave Davies said of this, "It was [manager] Grenville [Collins] who thought we should use a piano and keyboards. So John Gosling joined thinking that, 'Hey man, I've hit it big! We very quickly brought him down to earth. He was Lola for that song and then an ape [for 'Apeman']."[4]
Personnel
Personnel according to Doug Hinman.[1]
- Ray Davies - Acoustic guitars, lead vocal
- Dave Davies - Double-tracked lead guitar, backing vocal
- John Dalton - Bass, backing vocal
- Mick Avory - Drums
- John Gosling - Piano, organ
Chart performance
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada RPM Top Singles[5] | 19 |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[6] | 8 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[7] | 14 |
| South Africa (Springbok Radio)[8] | 12 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[9] | 5 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[10] | 45 |
Cover versions and usage in movies and television
"Apeman" is featured in the film Mondovino, and also appeared in the 1986 movies Club Paradise starring Robin Williams, and Link starring Terence Stamp. The song is used in the first episode of the comedy TV series The Last Man on Earth to show the lead character's descent into a primitive style of living once civilization has ended.
The song was first covered by British singer and teenage heartthrob Jack Wild on his 1971 album Everything's Coming Up Roses, released by Buddah Records. The Esso Trinidad Steel Band also covered this in 1971 on their Van Dyke Parks produced self-titled album. It was subsequently covered by Fish for his 1993 album Songs from the Mirror and by the Format, who included it on their 2007 B-Sides & Rarities album.
References
- Hinman, Doug. The Kinks: All Day and All of the Night. Backbeat Books. pp. 144–162.
- "Today in Entertainment History". The Associated Press. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- "Paper on LVPATMPT" (PDF). Kindakinks.net. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- Hasted, Nick. You Really Got Me: The Story of The Kinks. Omnibus Press.
- "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 20 February 1971. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – The Kinks – Apeman". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 14 February 2019. To see peak chart position, click "TITEL VON The Kinks"
- "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 03, 1971" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40
- Currin, Brian. "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1965 - 1989 Songs (A-B)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- "The Kinks Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
