You Really Got Me – The Kinks

About

The Kinks are an English rock band formed north London, in 1964 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. Ray wrote for the band the hit You Really Got Me.

I first heard about the band when I heard their song The All Day And All Of The Night, as a rock lover I immediately liked the melody and rhythm and went looking for more of their songs, which are hard not to like.

All Day And All Of The Night

Lyrics – You Really Got Me

Girl, you really got me goin’
You got me so I don’t know what I’m doin’
Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can’t sleep at night

Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I don’t know what I’m doin’, now
Oh yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can’t sleep at night

You Really Got Me
You Really Got Me
You Really Got Me

See, don’t ever set me free
I always wanna be by your side
Girl, you really got me now
You got me so I can’t sleep at night

Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I don’t know what I’m doin’, now
Oh yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can’t sleep at night

You Really Got Me
You Really Got Me
You Really Got Me
Oh no…

[Solo]

See, don’t ever set me free
I always wanna be by your side
Girl, you really got me now
You got me so I can’t sleep at night

Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I don’t know what I’m doin’, now
Oh yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can’t sleep at night

You Really Got Me
You Really Got Me
You Really Got Me

“You Really Got Me” was built around power chords (perfect fifths and octaves) and heavily influenced later rock musicians, particularly in the genres of heavy metal and punk rock. Built around a guitar riff played by Dave Davies, the song’s lyrics were described by Dave as “a love song for street kids.”

“You Really Got Me” was released in the UK on 4 August 1964 by Pye Records as the group’s third single, and reached number one on the UK singles chart the next month, remaining for two weeks.

American rock band Van Halen adapted the song for their 1978 self-titled debut album; it was released as their first single and peaked at 36 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Background

Davies said that he had been inspired to write the song one night during his college days playing with the Dave Hunt Band, when he saw an attractive girl on the dance floor. He said: “When we finished, I went off to find her, but she was gone and never returned to the club. She really got me going.”

Ray, initially planning for the song to be a “more laid-back number”, later played the chords of the song to brother Dave Davies, the Kinks’ lead guitarist. However, upon hearing the track, Dave decided that the riff would be much more powerful on a guitar. Ray said of the track’s change to a guitar-centred track, “I wanted it to be a jazz-type tune, because that’s what I liked at the time. It’s written originally around a sax line … Dave ended up playing the sax line in fuzz guitar and it took the song a step further.”

The influential distortion sound of the guitar track was created after guitarist Dave Davies sliced the speaker cone of his guitar amplifier with a razor blade and poked it with a pin.

Prior to its release, the Kinks performed “You Really Got Me” in some of their early concerts. It was a crowd favorite, with Ray Davies later claiming to feel a connection with the crowd as he performed the song. Ray later said, “Our success came from playing [the song] live. When we played ‘You Really Got Me’ people actually took notice. They realized we had something original.”

The Kinks continued to perform successfully for over 30 years through many musical styles, but “You Really Got Me” remained a mainstay in concert.

A live version of “You Really Got Me” was released on the band’s 1980 live album, One for the Road.

The cover by 2WEI is featured in the cinematic for the game ‘League Of Legends: Wild Rift’.

A Minions bonus

Bonus song of The Kinks I LOVE