Released 20 June 1969 (UK) Label Pye 7N 17776 (UK) | Format 7" vinyl Writer(s) Ray Davies | |
B-side "Mindless Child of Motherhood" Recorded May–June 1969 at Pye Studios (No. 2), London | ||
"Drivin'" is a track penned by The Kinks's Ray Davies. The song appeared on the 1969 concept album, Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire).
Contents
Background
"Drivin'," on 1 May 1969, was one of the first two tracks to be worked on by The Kinks (the other being its B-side, "Mindless Child of Motherhood"). In Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire), Drivin' shows the protagonist, Arthur Morgan, convincing his wife, Rose, to forget all of her problems (and the upheaval going on in the world) and take a drive. However, within the context of the concept album, the song offers only a brief respite from the prevailing anxieties.
According to critic Johnny Rogan and author Thomas Kitts, "Drivin'" is based on real experiences from Ray Davies' childhood when his family drove from London to the country.
Release and reception
"Drivin'" was the first single pulled from Arthur. Released in the U.K. and continental Europe (but not the U.S.), it did not chart at all, making it the first song by The Kinks (aside from their pre-"You Really Got Me" singles) to do so. Dave Davies said of the track, "[It] was a com promise record, it wasn't that bold." The follow-up single, "Shangri-La", also didn't make a dent in the charts.
The track appeared on the compilation album, Picture Book.
The song was praised by AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine for its "lazy grace". Rogan praises its "convincing lyrics," "sumptuous melody" and the "amusing percussive touches" added by Kinks' drummer Mick Avory towards the end of the song. Kitts comments that the song's rhythm, as well as some of the guitar playing by Ray's brother Dave Davies, effectively simulates a "leisurely car ride up and down hills and around curves."