The Kinks: Village Green Preservation Society

One of my favorite albums is the Kinks' pastoral masterpiece, Village Green Preservation Society.

Released almost simultaneously with the Beatles' White Album and the Rolling Stones' Beggars Banquet, it not just drowned out--it was ignored by virtually everyone except for a few critics.

But Village Green often makes a showing in the Greatest Albums of All Time listings. But it never cracked Billboard's Hot 200 Albums. But a book was eventually published about it.

Watch as the Kinks, along with the video accompaniment of a cricket game, perform the title track.



While the Beatles were tackling multiple genres on the White Album, the Stone returned to their blues roots in Beggars' Banquet, the Kinks' looked back at the British music hall tunes their parents favored.

We are the Sherlock Holmes English speaking vernacular
Help save Fu Manchu, Moriarty and Dracula
We are the office block persecution affinity
God save little shops, china cups and virginity.

God save the Village Green. God save the Kinks.

Related posts:

• The Kinks' Autumn Almanac
• The Kinks: Have a Cuppa Tea
• The Kinks: Days