I’m Not Like Everybody Else – Ray Davies and the Kinks – Lyrics and how they impacted.
When I were a young lad I used to play this non-stop. I would sit in my bedroom with my Dansette record player with the arm raise so that it played on repeat. If memory serves it was the B-side of Sunny Afternoon.
I was about fourteen/fifteen and was nuts about Rock Music (still am). This was way back in 1964/5. Very exciting times. The Beatles, Stones, Who, Downliners Sect, Prettythings, Yardbirds and Smallfaces were storming my head. Every week seemed to throw up a new bit of magic. It was as if something had been unleashed and all that pent up creativity was pouring out into music. This was our stuff. Music for my generation.
This was the era of ‘TURN THAT RACKET DOWN!’. As my Mum and Dad repeatedly shouted to me.
I was particularly fond of the Kinks because of the lyrics. This number summed up exactly how I felt. I did not fit in. I was a million miles away from my parents world and not in tune with my mates at school.
I was shortly to discover Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie and find that there were other people I could relate to.
For then – this was my song. I still love it.
“I’m Not Like Everybody Else”
And make out a smile, though I wear a frown,
And I won’t take it all lying down,
‘Cause once I get started I go to town.’Cause I’m not like everybody else,
I’m not like everybody else,
I’m not like everybody else,
I’m not like everybody else.And I don’t want to ball about like everybody else,
And I don’t want to live my life like everybody else,
And I won’t say that I feel fine like everybody else,
‘Cause I’m not like everybody else,
I’m not like everybody else.
But darling, you know that I love you true,
Do anything that you want me to,
Confess all my sins like you want me to,
There’s one thing that I will say to you,
I’m not like everybody else,
I’m not like everybody else.
I’m not like everybody else,
I’m not like everybody else
And I don’t want to ball about like everybody else,
And I don’t want to live my life like everybody else,
And I won’t say that I feel fine like everybody else,
‘Cause I’m not like everybody else,
I’m not like everybody else.
Like everybody else,
Like everybody else,
Like everybody else,
Like everybody else.
If you all want me to settle down,
Slow up and stop all my running ’round,
Do everything like you want me to,
There’s one thing that I will say to you,
I’m not like everybody else,
I’m not like everybody else.
I’m not like everybody else,
I’m not like everybody else.
And I don’t want to ball about like everybody else,
And I don’t want to live my life like everybody else,
And I won’t say that I feel fine like everybody else,
‘Cause I’m not like everybody else,
I’m not like everybody else.
Like everybody else (like everybody else),
Like everybody else (like everybody else),
Like everybody else (like everybody else),
Like everybody else.
After 55 years of Sir Ray’s genius lyrics, this is also my favorite-
I think you are right David. For me it is between this and Well Respected Man.