Mister Pleasant
1967 single by the Kinks
| "Mister Pleasant" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 West German picture sleeve | ||||
| Single by the Kinks | ||||
| A-side | "Autumn Almanac" (UK) | |||
| B-side |
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| Released | 21 April 1967[1] | |||
| Recorded | February 1967[1] | |||
| Studio | Pye, London | |||
| Genre | Rock,[2] music hall[3] | |||
| Label |
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| Songwriter(s) | Ray Davies | |||
| Producer(s) | Shel Talmy | |||
| The Kinks UK singles chronology | ||||
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| The Kinks US singles chronology | ||||
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"Mister Pleasant" (sometimes written as "Mr. Pleasant") is a song recorded by British rock group the Kinks in 1967, written by Ray Davies.
Background
"Mister Pleasant" is lyrically somewhat similar to the earlier track "A Well Respected Man", as it satirises the heedless complacency of a nouveau riche who, for all his newfound worldly success, is but a foolish cuckold. Musically, the song has strong English Music Hall influences and a "trad jazz" backing that features a trombone and ragtime-style piano (played by Nicky Hopkins).
Billboard described the single as "clever novelty material penned by Ray Davies with an easy dance beat in strong support."[4]
Chart performance
It was released as the A-side of a single in the USA and mainland Europe but not in the UK. It was released in the UK six months later as the B-side of "Autumn Almanac". The song is now available as a bonus track with the group's album Face to Face, and an alternate version was also released as a bonus track on the 2011 deluxe reissue of Something Else by the Kinks. Due to the Kinks' absence from American touring and the single's offbeat sound, "Mister Pleasant" did not fare well in the USA, only managing a peak of number 80—their poorest showing since "See My Friends" failed to reach the Hot 100 in 1965—despite being tapped as likely Top 20 material by Billboard magazine. The publication characterized it as a "clever novelty" piece, which "should skyrocket the group back up to the top of Hot 100 once again."[5] "Mr. Pleasant" was much more successful in Europe, particularly the Netherlands (where it reached number 2) and Belgium (number 3).
While The Kinks mimed "Mister Pleasant" on the European TV shows Fan Club and Beat Club in 1967 to promote the single, as well as recording it for the BBC in the same year, only one occasion has been documented when it was played live in concert by the group: at a New York concert on 27 March 1971.
B-sides
While the USA B-side "Harry Rag" was included on the upcoming Something Else by The Kinks album (released in September), the European B-side "This is Where I Belong" remained unavailable in the UK or USA. The track had been recorded in the sessions for Face to Face but not included (although it is currently available on the CD reissue, along with "Mister Pleasant"). It was made available in the USA on The Kink Kronikles in 1972, but was only released in the UK in 1984.
French EP
Given that EPs with four tracks were much more common in France than two-track singles, most Kinks singles were issued there in EP format. Usually two album tracks would be added to the A- and B-sides; however, in the case of "Mister Pleasant" all the tracks were exclusive. As well as both sides of the European single (see above), the EP contained "Two Sisters" from the as-yet-unreleased Something Else by... and the debut of "Village Green" which only became available in the UK 18 months later on the album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society.[6]
Track listing
All tracks written by Ray Davies.
Side one
- "Mister Pleasant" – 3:00
- "This is Where I Belong" – 2:28
Side two
- "Two Sisters" – 2:00
- "Village Green" – 2:08
Personnel
According to band researcher Doug Hinman:[1]
The Kinks
- Ray Davies – lead vocal, acoustic guitar
- Dave Davies – backing vocal, electric guitar
- Pete Quaife – backing vocal, bass
- Mick Avory – drums
Additional musicians
- John Beecham or an unidentified session musician – trombone
- Rasa Davies – backing vocal
- Nicky Hopkins – piano
Charts
| Chart (1967) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Go-Set)[7] | 30 |
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] | 35 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] | 4 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[10] | 12 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] | 79 |
| Denmark (Danmarks Radio)[12] | 3 |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[13] | 12 |
| Malaysia (Radio Malaysia)[14] | 9 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] | 2 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] | 2 |
| Singapore (Radio Singapore)[17] | 3 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[18] | 80 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[19] | 64 |
Other versions
- The Mission covered the song on their 1990 album Grains of Sand.
References
- ^ a b c Hinman 2004, p. 98.
- ^ Shoemaker 2002, p. 174.
- ^ Sullivan 2002, pp. 98–99.
- ^ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. 10 June 1967. p. 16. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
- ^ Billboard Magazine, 10 June 1967. p. 16
- ^ Mister Pleasant EP at kinks.it.rit.edu, retrieved 17 February 2009.
- ^ "Go-Set Australian charts - 30 August 1967". www.poparchives.com.au.
- ^ "Every AMR Top 100 Single in 1967". www.top100singles.net.
- ^ "The Kinks – Mr. Pleasant" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "The Kinks – Mr. Pleasant" (in French). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 10083." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "danskehitlister.dk". 9 April 2016. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ "The Kinks – Mr. Pleasant" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
- ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 24 June 1967. p. 55. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – The Kinks" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- ^ "The Kinks – Mr. Pleasant" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 26 August 1967. p. 57. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
- ^ "The Kinks Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 7/22/67". cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
Sources
- Hinman, Doug (2004). The Kinks: All Day and All of the Night: Day by Day Concerts, Recordings, and Broadcasts, 1961–1996. San Francisco, CA: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-0-87930-765-3.
- Shoemaker, Dan C. (2002). "Village Green Consternation Society: The Kinks and XTC vs. Fredric Jameson". In Kitts, Thomas M. (ed.). Living on a Thin Line: Crossing Aesthetic Borders with The Kinks. Rumford, RI: Desolation Angel Books. pp. 171–193. ISBN 0-9641005-4-1.
- Sullivan, Patricia Gordon (2002). "'Let's Have a Go at It': The British Musical Hall and The Kinks". In Kitts, Thomas M. (ed.). Living on a Thin Line: Crossing Aesthetic Borders with The Kinks. Rumford, RI: Desolation Angel Books. pp. 80–99. ISBN 0-9641005-4-1.
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- Waterloo Sunset: The Very Best of The Kinks & Ray Davies (2012)
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