David Watts (song)

"David Watts" is a song written by Ray Davies that originally appeared on the Kinks' 1967 album Something Else by the Kinks.[1] It was also the American and Continental Europe B-side to "Autumn Almanac". It has been included on several compilation albums, including The Kink Kronikles (1972).

"David Watts"
Single by the Kinks
from the album Something Else by the Kinks
A-side"Autumn Almanac" (US & Europe)
Released15 September 1967 (1967-09-15)
RecordedFebruary–March 1967
StudioPye (No. 2), London
Length2:27
LabelReprise 0647 (US)
Songwriter(s)Ray Davies
Producer(s)Ray Davies
The Kinks US singles chronology
"Waterloo Sunset"
(1967)		 "David Watts"
(1967)		 "Wonderboy"
(1968)

Background

The song is about the singer's great admiration of fellow schoolboy David Watts, who appears to have a "charmed life". There is an undercurrent of either deep envy or, as AllMusic put it, "a schoolboy crush". It is also, as Jon Savage has written, one of Ray Davies' "sharpest homoerotic songs". As Ray Davies confirmed in The Kinks: The Official Biography by Savage, "David Watts is a real person. He was a concert promoter in Rutland." Ray goes on to relate how the real Watts was gay and demonstrated an obvious romantic interest in brother Dave. In this light, lines such as "he is so gay and fancy free" and "all the girls in the neighbourhood try to go out with David Watts... but can't succeed" provide a second level of interpretation based on this ironic in-joke.[2]

The Jam version
"David Watts"
Single by The Jam
from the album All Mod Cons
A-side" 'A' Bomb in Wardour Street"
Released18 August 1978 (1978-08-18)
GenreMod revival
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)Ray Davies
Producer(s)Vic Smith, Chris Parry
The Jam singles chronology
"News of the World"
(1978)		 "David Watts" / "'A' Bomb in Wardour Street"
(1978)		 "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight"
(1978)

The song was later covered by The Jam, who released it on 18 August 1978 as the first single from their third studio album, All Mod Cons (with different mixes used for the single and album versions). This version, which reached No. 25 in the UK Singles Chart, featured bassist Bruce Foxton on lead vocals rather than Paul Weller, as it was not in the right key for the Jam frontman.[3] The track was released as a double A-side along with ""A" Bomb in Wardour Street", of which a distinct, slightly shorter version was used for the single release and which would also appear later that year on All Mod Cons.

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References
  1. "Kinks Song List". Kindakinks.net. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  2. Savage, Jon The Kinks : The Official Biography London: Faber and Faber, 1984 pp.94–96
  3. "David Watts by The Jam Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
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