11 FEBRUARY 1966
Unlike their other single ‘Till the End of the Day’ (which was riding high in the UK charts during this same week), this was Ray Davies in his more inventive and satirical mode, writing of the fake veneer of 1960s suburban middle-class respectability. It was apparently inspired by a negative experience Ray had with some snooty types while he was staying at a posh resort in 1965.
This song was never released as a single in the UK (where it instead appeared on the EP 'Kwyet Kinks').
B-side: 'Such A Shame' (US), 'Milk Cow Blues' (Europe)
Recorded: Late July/Early August 1965
Released: September 1965 (UK, on an EP), October 1965 (US), March 1966 (Europe)
Released: September 1965 (UK, on an EP), October 1965 (US), March 1966 (Europe)
Highest chart position: #13 (US)
Length: 2:41
Label: Reprise 0420 (US), Pye Records 7N 17100 (Europe)
Writer: Ray Davies
Producer: Shel Talmy
'Cause he gets up in the morning,
And he goes to work at nine,
And he comes back home at five-thirty,
Gets the same train every time.
'Cause his world is built 'round punctuality,
It never fails.
And he's oh, so good,
And he's oh, so fine,
And he's oh, so healthy,
In his body and his mind.
He's a well respected man about town,
Doing the best things so conservatively.
And his mother goes to meetings,
While his father pulls the maid,
And she stirs the tea with councilors,
While discussing foreign trade,
And she passes looks, as well as bills
At every suave young man
'Cause he's oh, so good,
And he's oh, so fine,
And he's oh, so healthy,
In his body and his mind.
He's a well respected man about town,
Doing the best things so conservatively.
And he likes his own backyard,
And he likes his fags the best,
'Cause he's better than the rest,
And his own sweat smells the best,
And he hopes to grab his father's loot,
When Pater passes on.
'Cause he's oh, so good,
And he's oh, so fine,
And he's oh, so healthy,
In his body and his mind.
He's a well respected man about town,
Doing the best things so conservatively.
And he plays at stocks and shares,
And he goes to the Regatta,
And he adores the girl next door,
'Cause he's dying to get at her,
But his mother knows the best about
The matrimonial stakes.
'Cause he's oh, so good,
And he's oh, so fine,
And he's oh, so healthy,
In his body and his mind.
He's a well respected man about town,
Doing the best things so conservatively.'