Top Ten Songs by the Kinks

The Kinks prove that it's possible to be around 30 years, be a member of the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame and still be an underrated band. One of the original British Invasion groups, The Kinks are one of the few acts in rock that can match the Rolling Stones hit for hit, yet many people know just a handful of their songs. While fans of Eric Clapton compared him to God, noted Kinks fan John Mendelsohn, on the liner notes to the invaluable The Kink Kronikles, implored, "God save The Kinks."

There are many reasons why The Kinks never received their due in the U.S., ranging from poor management, to never cashing in on a trend, to constantly switching record labels. But any listener who seeks out their albums will be overwhelmed with the power and vision of lead singer and songwriter Ray Davies and the current-period sound led by lead guitarist Dave Davies and (mostly) drummer Mick Avory.

It's an impossible task to pick the 10 best songs of a group as prolific as The Kinks. The easy way out would be to just pick the most radio-friendly songs, but that would be a huge disservice to both the band and the audience. What follows is a list of great songs from all of the varied eras of the group.

#10) Sweet Lady Genevieve Perhaps the greatest song in rock-n-roll history that nobody knows, Sweet Lady Genevieve comes from "Preservation Act I" in 1973, one of many concept albums the band put out in the 1970s. The song is an ode to an ex-lover, admitting the sins of his past and asking for another chance. The song features great lyrics and a strong vocal performance by Davies.

"Once under a scarlet sky I told you never ending lies,
But they were the words of a drunken vagabond
Who knew very well he would break your heart before long
Oh forgive me Genevieve."

A guaranteed number-one hit if someone covered this song today.

#9) No More Looking Back From 1975's "Schoolboys in Disgrace", No More Looking Back is the final song of the album. On the surface the song is about a man who keeps finding reminders of someone from his past.