How The Kinks Made Rock History With 'Waterloo Sunset'

The Kinks were heading into uncharted territory in the 60s. The London rockers blew up in the early days of the British Invasion, topping the charts with violently raucous screams like “You Really Got Me.” But Ray Davies began to explore a new kind of introspective songwriting, telling stories of everyday sadness. “Waterloo Sunset” is his artistic triumph: the delicate 1967 ballad of a lonely man in a train station, watching the lovers from his window. This once cult favorite has become the Kinks' most beloved classic, setting a standard that songwriters of all stripes aspire to reach. On Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs, “Waterloo Sunset” is ranked 14th.

The Kinks made their legend in their early years, rivaling the Who, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Ray Davies was one of rock's great eccentric wits, the poet laureate of London's dead-end streets, always rooting for the underdog and the outsider. His little brother Dave played some of the ugliest guitars ever heard. The Davies brothers have always been at each other's throats, with a long history of fist-pumping on stage. No rock & roll brothers have shed more blood over the years – they made Liam and Noel Gallagher look like one big happy family.

But all that rage fueled their music, for the electric aggression of early ravers like “I Need You,” “At The End of the Day” and “I'm Not Like Everybody Else.” Just 17 years old, Dave changed the sound of rock guitar forever on “You Really Got Me,” sticking knitting needles into his cheap amp to get that blast of feedback.

Ray's songwriting became more personal, for classic albums such as Face to face and Something else from the Kinks. He began to search for the secret despair in the hearts of dandies, girls, businessmen and housewives. This approach blossomed into his rural escape The Village Green Preservation Society. These albums are revered today as three of the biggest milestones of the 60s. But at that time, hardly anyone was listening. These were commercial failures that nearly killed the band.

“Waterloo Sunset” is a portrait of the less glamorous side of London – the dirty, crowded railway station on the River Thames. But Davies makes it the song of a hermit who lives near the station, watching people go by, with heavenly vocals from his wife Rasha. As he told Rolling Stone, “With a song like 'Waterloo Sunset,' I wouldn't let the band hear the lyrics until I finished the back track because it was so personal. But fair because of the band. They went for it and we got good results.”

“Waterloo Sunset” became the highlight of the band's 1967 masterpiece, Something else from the Kinks, which had such gems as 'Two Sisters', 'End of the Season' and 'Afternoon Tea'. The song was a hit in the UK, reaching number 2 in the charts, but could not save the album from flopping. In the US, the single didn't even chart. However, it is the song that defined Davies' legend as a unique storyteller. Critic Robert Christgau famously called it “the most beautiful song in the English language”.

In this week's episode The Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs hosts Rob Sheffield and Brittany Spanos discuss 'Waterloo Sunset'. They're joined by fellow Rolling Stone luminary Kory Grow to explore the mystery of how such a quiet song has become more beloved and influential over the years.

in 2004, Rolling rock released his list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. Drawn from a massive vote involving artists, industry figures and critics, the list has been a source of discussion, inspiration and controversy for two decades. It is one of the most popular, influential and controversial features the magazine has ever done.

So we set out to make it even bigger, better and fresher. In 2021, we completely overhauled our 500 song listwith a whole new batch of voters from across the musical map. Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs takes a closer look at the entries on our list. Produced in partnership with iHeart, Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs finds Brittany and Rob discussing a new song each week, delving into its history and impact with the help of a special guest — including RS colleagues, producers and the artists themselves. It's our celebration of the best songs we've ever made — and a breakdown of what makes them so great.

Watch the latest episode above, at iHeartor wherever you get your podcasts and look for new episodes every Wednesday.