Preservation (song)

"Preservation" is a non-album single written by Ray Davies and performed by The Kinks in 1974. Although it was related to the two Preservation albums lyrically, it did not appear on either album until it was added to the CD reissue of Preservation Act 1.

Lyrics and music

The lyrics of "Preservation" basically sum up the plot of the two Preservation albums. It describes how "once upon a time in a faraway land, lived a villain called Flash, he was such a wicked man," who "terrorized the people ... broke arms and crushed hands ... ruled with a fist and ... purchased all the land." However, under Flash, the "people were scared" and "they didn't know where to turn." They soon realized that Flash only did what he did for money and "for his own preservation." Now, because Flash broke his promise, "he's got to pay for his crimes and his lies and his evil ways." Unfortunately, the problems for the people will continue, as "it's gonna get rough" in the "story of self preservation."

Musically, the track opens with a guitar riff. "Preservation" also features Ray Davies on vocals, and the track has a rock style. Female backing vocalist appear at the very end of the track.

Release

"Preservation" was not released on either of the Preservation albums when they were first released in 1973 and 1974, respectively. It first was released as a standalone U.S. single, backed with "Salvation Road", the closing track of Preservation Act 2. It did not chart, performing similarly to other Kinks singles of the time. However, it was not released in the U.K. until it was issued as a bonus track on the 1998 CD Velvel edition of Preservation Act 1. However, unlike most other bonus tracks on CD reissues of Kinks albums, it was placed at the beginning of the track listing (rather than being tacked on at the end), making it the opening track. Andrew Hickey wrote in his book, Preservation: The Kinks' Music 1964-1974, that "by starting the CD with a song in the style of ['Demolition']," the album's "structure is ruined."^[1]

Reception

"Preservation" has received mixed reviews. Pitchfork Media described the track as "a lankier, reworded take on the album closer 'Demolition.' 'Preservation' never made the album, instead working as a single that sold the concept of the album."^[2] Hickey said that the track "for what it is ... this is decent enough - it's a three-chord glam stomper that wouldn't have sounded at all out of place on 70s rock radio, with a catchy guitar riff - but the lyrics are just a giant infodump rather than being particularly clever or moving."^[1]

References

1 2 Hickey, Andrew (2014-05-17). Preservation: The Kinks' Music 1964-1974. p. 182.
↑ Josephes, Jason. "Pitchfork Media". Archived from the original on 23 December 2001. Retrieved 2014-05-17. CS1 maint: Unfit url (link)

The Kinks

Ray Davies Dave Davies Mick Avory Pete Quaife John Dalton Gordon Edwards Ian Gibbons John Gosling Mark Haley Bob Henrit Andy Pyle Jim Rodford Nicky Hopkins Shel Talmy

Studio albums	Kinks Kinda Kinks The Kink Kontroversy Face to Face Something Else by The Kinks The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One Muswell Hillbillies Everybody's in Show-Biz Preservation Act 1 Preservation Act 2 Soap Opera Schoolboys in Disgrace Sleepwalker Misfits Low Budget Give the People What They Want State of Confusion Word of Mouth Think Visual UK Jive Phobia

Live albums	Live at Kelvin Hall One for the Road Live: The Road To the Bone

EPs	Kinksize Session Kwyet Kinks

Compilations	Kinks-Size Kinkdom Greatest Hits! Well Respected Kinks Sunny Afternoon The Kink Kronikles The Great Lost Kinks Album The Kinks Are Well Respected Men Lost & Found (1986–1989) The Ultimate Collection Picture Book

Unreleased projects	Four More Respected Gentlemen A Hole in the Sock of (Dave Davies)

Stage	Sunny Afternoon (musical)

Related articles	Discography Band members Konk The Kast Off Kinks Argent X-Ray Percy Do It Again Give the People What We Want: Songs of The Kinks

Book Category Portal WikiProject

The Kinks singles discography

UK and US singles 1960s	1964 "Long Tall Sally" "You Still Want Me" "You Really Got Me" "All Day and All of the Night" 1965 "Tired of Waiting for You" "Ev'rybody's Gonna Be Happy" "Set Me Free" "See My Friends" "Who'll Be the Next in Line" "A Well Respected Man" "Till the End of the Day" 1966 "Dedicated Follower of Fashion" "Sunny Afternoon" "Dead End Street" 1967 "Mister Pleasant" "Waterloo Sunset" "Death of a Clown" (Dave Davies solo) "Autumn Almanac" "Susannah's Still Alive" (Dave Davies solo) 1968 "Wonderboy" "Days" "Lincoln County" (Dave Davies solo) 1969 "Starstruck" "Hold My Hand" (Dave Davies solo) "Plastic Man" "Drivin'" "The Village Green Preservation Society" "Shangri-La" "Victoria"

UK and US singles 1970s	1970 "Lola" "Apeman" 1971 "God's Children" "20th Century Man" 1972 "Supersonic Rocket Ship" "Celluloid Heroes" 1973 "One of the Survivors" "Sitting in the Midday Sun" "Sweet Lady Genevieve" "Where Have All the Good Times Gone" 1974 "Money Talks" "Mirror of Love" "Mirror of Love" (Band Version) "Holiday Romance" "Preservation" 1975 "Everybody's a Star (Starmaker)" "Ducks on the Wall" "You Can't Stop the Music" 1976 "I'm in Disgrace" "No More Looking Back" 1977 "Sleepwalker" "Juke Box Music" "Father Christmas" 1978 "A Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy" "Live Life" "Black Messiah" 1979 "(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman" "A Gallon of Gas" "Catch Me Now I'm Falling" "Moving Pictures" "Pressure"

UK and US singles 1980s	1980 "Lola" (live) "You Really Got Me" (live) 1981 "Better Things" "Destroyer" "Predictable" 1982 "Come Dancing" 1983 "Don't Forget to Dance" 1984 "Good Day" "Do It Again" 1985 "Living on a Thin Line" (Radio Promo only) "Summer's Gone" 1986 "Rock 'n' Roll Cities" "How Are You" 1987 "Lost and Found" 1988 "The Road" 1989 "Down All the Days (Till 1992)"

UK and US singles 1990s	1990 "How Do I Get Close" 1993 "Only a Dream" "Scattered"

Notable Non-UK/US Singles	1966 "Dandy" (Europe) 1969 "Picture Book" (Australia) "Australia" (Australia) 1983 "State of Confusion" (Germany) 1991 "Did Ya" (Europe)

Other Selected Songs	"Bald Headed Woman" "Stop Your Sobbing" "I Need You" "I Go to Sleep" "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" "Big Black Smoke" "Party Line" "Rosie Won't You Please Come Home" "Love Me Till the Sun Shines" "David Watts" "Two Sisters" "Polly" "She's Got Everything" "Do You Remember Walter?" "Johnny Thunder" "Last of the Steam-Powered Trains" "Big Sky" "Sitting by the Riverside" "Animal Farm" "Village Green" "Phenomenal Cat" "All of My Friends Were There" "Wicked Annabella" "Monica" "People Take Pictures of Each Other" "Berkeley Mews" "Mr. Churchill Says" "Strangers" "This Time Tomorrow" "Rats" "Got to Be Free" "Have a Cuppa Tea" "Oklahoma U.S.A." "Muswell Hillbilly" "Sitting in My Hotel" "The Hard Way" "Life Goes On" "Misfits" "Attitude" "Low Budget" "Give the People What They Want" "Heart of Gold" "Long Distance"

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