Kinks, The - Where Have All The Good Times Gone Lyrics

The original punks before anybody even new what Punk was. Classic iconic band turning out classic iconic hits in multiple decades. They influenced more Young guitar players across a generation, from Punk to classic rock to metal, than perhaps any other band from that era. Not bad for a bunch of British kids not named George Paul John and Ringo

Reminds me of my brother and sister when they use to sing this loud and proud. Great times! 😁

Yes, where have all the good times gone?

Long time gone Michael.

Roy Davis was only seventeen years old when he wrothe this song

His manager said that he was writing as if he was 40 years old, why? Ray told him that he'd been listening to the older people in the pub talk. He's still listening to other people talk and writing songs.

When you read the lyrics you see, how many lines are from Beatles songs, Yesterday,Help, Let it be ?

Yeah, Ray got a few little digs in--not a Beatles fan, especially after the Kinks opened for them, and Lennon was less than kind about the # of covers on their first album--Ray was 4 years younger, I think--but that sounds like Lennon. Pete was a fan. Dave laughed about provoking Lennon until Lennon finally told him that he was the most obnoxious person he had ever met!

Also, I had noticed that Van Halen left off that part of the song!

These guys have cranked-out some of Rock's great stuff...anthems, even...love me some Kinks!

when I heard Bowie's version of this I thought I was listening to "tired of waiting" because it's the same bass line.

Life's become hopeless for me

The Iceman life is wonderfull, it is only a song, there is more like love and happyness ❤️

YOU KNOW IT!

peter perrett does this well.also chocolate watchband,bowie also.

Never tire of hearing this song. Love The Kinks!

I don’t think so, sorry

Ik vind deze veel beter, mooier en oorspronkelijker

Van Halen’s version has a much better groove.

ME LISTENE TO MUSIC OF SIXIES. MUSIC OF SIXIES V SEXY. NOT LIEK TODAYS MUSICS. RAPPITY HOP...NO! IMM ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. ROC AND ROLE HALLE OF FAEM.

Exactly😊❤

Just listened to Van Halen's rendition which I used to prefer in my 20's when it was first released and now at 62--I'm preferring the original Kink's song.

I'm 65 and I liked VH's version because I thought it cool that they covered one of my favorite Kinks songs from my childhood. But the original by the Kinks is so much better.

Where Have All The Good Times Gone i feel you Kinks

Dankeschön

Great song, I always thought the verses have a bit of a Dylan feel, but the chorus makes it theirs.

Brexit anthem!

This is a mix of the Rolling Stones & the Beatles's sound...can't you tell?

no. Not everything has to relate to those two bands

great nickleback cover! chad would b proud!

Truly one of their best such a great riff and words never get tired of that one

Ya know, when I first listened to this (just yesterday, in fact) I didn't really like it. Now it's grown on me.
I'm going to check out their other stuff anyway, but if anyone has recommendation's, then that would be welcome :)

Every damn Kinks song is like that. You hear it once and your like 'yeah thats cool' then you go back to ya business. Then a week goes by, and the goddamn Kinks song is still running around in ya mind, then ya listen to it again when your drunk and you realise how great the song is and how good The Kinks were.

love the bob dylan delivery

Like You Really Got Me I prefer the Kinks original version

Exactly, Where HAVE the Good times Gone?! :..( The Kinks and Van Halen true brilliant bands

Only a sinner would not go sir ray,,!!!

God bless the kinks

Peter Callan o, yes He do that

I didn't even know Van Halen did a cover of this, lmao.

BOWIE VERSION '73 SLAYS VAN HALEN VERSION, & I EVEN PREFER IT TO KINKS ORIGINAL... BOWIE NOT TRYING TO DO A DYLAN IMITATION ;-)

This was during their Bob Dylan phase

The original is always the best but VH made it their own baby...Dave and Eddie Rocked the shit out of it!!!

But really, where have the good times gone??

Rachel woods the good times are in you!!!

@Frans Breukel precisely put Watson!

I like how Van Halen really took this to another direction.

Dylan's influence is massive here , love Bowie's version too

Love it. Sounds a lot like 60's Dylan.

The Kinks and Van Halen both rule. Timeless bands. But nobody tops The Kinks. :)

Has anyone here heard Bowie's

All three versions of this are great, but Van Halen's is the best

Nice cover of a Van Halen song.Kind of toned down though.

I am 63 years old. I remember listening to the kinks when I was young. the song I'm not like everybody else. I was like that when I was young. now that I am old where has all the good times gone. in two songs they have covered my life

French cover : https://youtu.be/2f5JmH56Hqg

The Kinks,with their wry slant on British Society,& life in general.So clever that Ray Davies.Wish I had the creative command he does.But hey few people are born with that much insight.Credit to him.(A Fan).

Realistically,Van Halen cover of a classic was very good.With a nice modern twist on a Ray Davies classic.Personally I still prefer the original.

Lady Gaga should have been born in the 1920.She would have been great leading the Glenn Miller Band in the mid to late 40s.Much suited to old style Swing.Perfect setting for her heavy makeup & Black Fishnet Hair Bonnet!!!

I wonder if Ray Davies had an issue with Mc Cartney?

Let me tell you yes! And for good reason.Won't get into it but that's life!

Dave Field "guess you need some bringing down, get your feet back on the ground"...This is quite explicit. Thanks for the clarification, would be nice to know what the issue was.

Van Halen did this SO much better.

No !Just differently!

This SUCKS!!! VH RULES !!!

things im askin in 2017

I hear a Dylan influence. Specifically "Like a Rolling Stone".

I know Van Halen covered but I never heard the original Kinks version, it's sure as hell different but it's still a great song nonetheless

Man the Kinks really fucked up that Van Halen song!! baahaa!

ian jones 👹

"songs that are older than you might think" sounds like a good drinking game!😜

Even though Van Halen is one of my favorite bands, The Kinks were a beast af band. They were a top band in there time, and even though i'm 16, I love this music.

Yes indeed the clash suck

@Peter Callan The Clash rules

The clash really suck the royal bag

@Peter Callan agreed. Terrible.

What a thrilling set of replies!


Anyway, to the OP, the Kinks are awesome. You should hear the Village Green Preservation Society. Criminally ignored, it's one of the best albums of all time.

amazing really, pure class

Love the harmonies!

The good times went bye bye when those limey lads quit making their guitars ring so groovily such as in this track.

One of the greatest songs of all time for my money.

StoneCole doesn’t suck....

♡♡♡♡♡

Yesterday was such an easy game to play but with all the money maccartney made his life is so much better today- guess his friend john lennon really needed help to get his feet back on the ground "HELP" i need some body could be any body HElp me get my feet back on the ground

van Halen did much better with their cover version

off key and boring. VAN HALEN's cover is MUCH BETTER.

wheeeeereee me cago en la ostia

Johnny Depps new theme song..

Always my favorite version. Giving up sweet Mary j and I had to hear this.

Mine too

I first heard the Van Halen version as a kid, but THIS is my favorite!

Bowie did my favorite version...on PIN-UPS.

@Rick Klinger Great album! Great version of the song as well! I've been a Bowie fan as long as I can remember going back to the late 70's as a kid.

Rick.. Yeah the Bowie version of this is great.

Bow!e's cover was my first exposure to the original. Prefer it to original but this band was in rotation on late 60s AM radio in NYC. The Kinks (whatta name) is one of the great bands in American-Anglo pop music history rock, lesser than the Who but greater than Gang of Four, for my taste.

pffff... The Kinks bury The Who. Who never had anything as good as "Face to face" or "Village Green". Davies an infinitely better lyricist. "Muswell Hillbillies" is just amazing. a real slice of English nostalgia.

I've scant interest in British anything save a few bands. I still don't respect the deference afforded the monarchy. SEX PISTOLS hit the mark on the queen. Besides the Rolling Stones, BOW!E, Gang of Four, the Who, the Clash, Oxford, Cambridge, what's the point of Isles? Should become the 51st state in the Republic across the Atlantic.

Ethan Hill
.....you need to change your supplier.

@Stevie Ross
I quit. That might explain the change of mind.

Great pics!

they had such a cool variety of ideas.

Yes it is

Hello I was wondering if i could use this song for my college project as i'm doing a short film, if i can have your permission to use it and put it on youtube i'll be very thankful.

Fantastic !

My boys, the Davies brothers!  Lord love them.

Making music again.! Touring not .what a shame,,

Fantastic song.  I love the Kinks--these gents helped invent powerful riff rock and helped to open doors for bands like Van Halen, who then themselves changed rock forever.  It's so silly to split hairs on who's better.  This is nothing but a matter of subjective opinion.  Both legendary bands of brothers with musical geniuses at the helm.

Van Halen suck dogs eggs

The Kinks - Where Have All The Good Times Gone

Hard to compare since we are dealing with many years in between, when music went through quite a few changes.  VH's band sound great with their heavy rock rendition of the Kink's sound.  But VH's voice--not so great.  Let's just say I have never been a fan of him anyway so I start out with a prejudice.  He sounds drunk.  If I had to chose, I'd give the Kinks the nod, definitely.  But again, apples and oranges.  And another poster's point on original material vs. covers (Anthony Morrisey) was spot on.

Apply Put.That's a definate for sure!

Ray Davies, truly a musical legend.  VH not so much.

flyingfishsurf, VH is a legend.

VH is a Legend.

VH is where it’s at!

Don’t hate man it’s one great band paying homage to an even greater band that they clearly admired. I’m all for that shit

I like Bowie's version best - tho' the Kinks wrote it.

Great song!

That's what I want to know.

VH cant touch these vocals on their cover

I couldn't care if Van Halen covered this or Justin Bieber covered Sunny Afternoon or Lady Gaga covered Waterloo Sunset. The have covered great records that they could never write themselves. Absolute fact!

you offended me,van halens version is more melencholy

I gotta disagree as well. Van Halen covered multiple Kinks songs and David and Eddie were clearly heavily influenced by/huge fans of the Davies brothers. I think Van Halen knew exactly what they were doing with that cover and their version of it fucking rocks

who are you disagreeing with ,the original commenter or which replier

Anthony Morrissey Yeah, because Van Halen never wrote a “great record”. SMH

www.equip.org

Funny, I'd heard Van Halen's version of this first, but the Kink's You Really Got Me before Van Halen's.  Love both renditions of both songs.  Great songwriting by the Davies bros

VH ????? Van Halen - Where Have All The Good Times Gone (1982) (Remastered) HQ

@Aaron Now you have just done what psychiatrists call "projecting".  And if you want to communicate with me, please do my language the courtesy of learning it properly.

@Galericulus Nope, your claim that Im projecting is projection. Apparently, I know "your language" better than you, given that you were not familiar with the meaning of the common term, "owns".

@Aaron You are impertinent, arrogant and thick.  Let me guess: American?  You are not worth wasting any more of my time on.  And learn the proper use of the word "your" by the way.

+Galericulus "Your" is an adjective; "you're" is a contraction for "you are".  What's the problem here?  Just curious.  C'mon guys, play nice.

This is the only version I've heard and it is great.

© 1965 "Where Have All the Good Times Gone" is a song written by Ray Davies and performed with The Kinks. It was first released as the B-side to "Till the End of the Day," and was then included on their album The Kink Kontroversy in 1965 (1966 in the US).

Here in the uk our footballers and managers keep on saying at the end of the day almost during each sentence which gets on my nerves. But perhaps they do it in remembrance of that song, till the end of the day. I'd like to think that, that way it won't bother me any longer. I do know that the kinks are liked amongst some footballers here.

The song was covered by Van Halen on their 1982 album "Diver Down".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_Have_All_the_Good_Times_Gone

In the attic on those old 33s.Gathering dust.Hey,wait a minute.Here comes Frans to the rescue.So we all can enjoy a little bit of our past on download.Thanks much.Appreciated by a Old fan of that 60s era.Keeping up the memories IS IMPORTANT!!!!

Kinks were kings!  but what kind of snob finds it necessary to bash Van Halen?  they made quite a ripper out of this. 

I am a Kinks fan,but yes Van Halen does a nice job with it too.

so where have they gone?

van halen took em

Please tell me

good song to strum a guitar to

VH is better

You must be joking.

You must be a senior citizen but that's okay I'm glad you like the song regardless of who does it.It's a classic and no matter who improves upon it and/or fucks it up it'll always be.

@frompower2popmetal
A good viewpoint, and of course the originator, Ray Davies, gets royalties whoever does it, which is right and fair.

Van Halen is LAME! 60s garage for LIFE!!!

Hey, I can dig your love of 60s music, but Van Halen is hardly lame. Probably the greatest American rock band ever. :)

The Doors, Beach Boys and Creedence Clearwater Revival are the greatest american bands ever.

The classic to end all classics...thanks for sharing...:) Will post on FB...

David bowie's versión !!!!

His version of Waterloo Sunset is the biz too.

i prefer the VH version myself. it's faster, heavier and more energetic

Van Halen brought me here.

I ask myself this question every day. Where's my Way-back Machine?