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Ray Davies started writing this a few years before The Kinks recorded it. At first, it was called "Liverpool Sunset," but when The Beatles released "Penny Lane," he changed the words so it wouldn't look like a rip-off. Waterloo Bridge is in London, and the lyrics are about a guy looking out of a window at two lovers meeting at Waterloo Station. Davies used to cross Waterloo Bridge every day when he was a student at Croydon Art School.

Ray Davies brought this to the band while they were in the middle of recording the album. He was reluctant to share the lyrics because they were so personal. In a Rolling Stone magazine interview, his brother (and Kinks guitarist) Dave Davies said Ray felt "it was like an extract from a diary nobody was allowed to read."

The line, "Terry meets Julie, Waterloo Station every Friday night" is about the relationship between actor Terence Stamp and actress Julie Christie.

Popular British singer Paul Weller has said this is his favorite song. (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England, for all above)

On February 23, 2003 David Bowie was joined on stage by Ray Davies and performed a duet of this song at Carnegie Hall in New York City for the Tibet House benefit. (thanks, Mo - Newark, NJ)

The perfectionist Ray Davies, before releasing the single, revisited the song's location at sunset to ensure "the atmosphere was right."

Ray Davies (From Uncut magazine January 2009): "It came to me first as a statement about the death of Merseybeat. But I realized that Waterloo was a very significant place in my life. I was in St. Thomas' Hospital when I was really ill as a child, and I looked out on the river. I went to Waterloo every day to go to college as well. The song was also about being taken to the Festival of Britain with my mum and dad. I remember them taking me by the hand, looking at the big Skylon tower, and saying it symbolized the future. That, and then walking by the Thames with my first wife (Rasa, who left Ray, taking his two daughters, in 1973) and all the other dreams that we had. Her in her brown suede coat that she wore, that was stolen. And also about my sisters, and about the world I wanted them to have. The two characters in the song, Terry and Julie, are to do with the aspirations of my sisters' generation, who grew up during the Second world War and missed out on the '60s.
Sometimes when you're writing and you're really on good form, you get into the frame of mind where you think, I can relate to any of these things. It's something I learned at art school-let all the ideas flow out. But if you listen to the words without the music, it's a different thing entirely. The lyrics could be better. But they dovetail with the music perfectly."

Comments:

Jesus Christ... this song is so beautiful. It's just one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Has a wonderful, almost bitter-sweet atmoshpere about it.
- None, None , WY

When David Gilmour of Pink Floyd was asked in an interview if he could name any song he wishes he might have created, he replied it would be The Kinks' Waterloo Sunset, and went on to praise the song.
- thom, new orleans, LA

I once stood in Waterloo Station looking at all the people listening to this song--one of the best London moments.
- Kristina, Albuquerque, NM

I was lucky to have an enlightened English professsor in school that considered "Waterloo Sunset" and "A Day in the Life" the 2 most significant songs of the British Invasion. After dissecting them both we agreed that Waterloo Sunset had the best imagery and meaning. This was all of 40 yrs. ago and I think we are still right!
- A. Ward, arnold, MD

Brian Matthews threw me yesterday when he said it was orininally titled 'Liverpool Sunset' and I thought it must be about the same sunset I see from my flat each day, the setting of the sun across Liverpool Bay, between Snowdonia at this time of year through to just west of Formby Point in July. But it IS about Waterloo London. Anyone know why Mr Davies decoded to confusde us all? The sunset from Waterloo/ Crosby at Liverpool Bay has been voted in the top 7 in the whole wide world, I am informed.
- Jim, Liverpool, United Kingdom

I have read Ray Davies saying 'Terry and Julie' are in fact his sister and her boyfriend, now husband.
- Nick, Brisbane, Australia

One of the greatest calm songs i ever heard. It's perfectly done.
- Confidential, Confidential, NY

Oh and for the dude from Nashville saying the Def Leppard version being 100X better... Even though I've never heard their version, and even though I think there ARE possibly better covers of, say, a bunch of Dylan songs, I can't conceive of a better version of Waterloo Sunset than the original. It's almost like saying so-and-so has a better version of Don't Explain than Billie Holiday.
- Paul, Longwood, FL

Can someone explain iTunes period, or why people would actually pay equal or more money for just a digital file (no jacket, no note/lyrics where they might exist with the real CD, no second copy you can put in your bedroom...) As for the song, it's just BB (Bloody Brilliant)! Made RS's top 50, would probably make my Top 10 or 20. The Kinks are THE most under-rated and under-appreciated British band, period.
- Paul, Longwood, FL

Can someone please explain to me why iTunes has like 50 Kinks songs, but not this one? This is easily one of their top 3 songs along w/ "You Really Got Me" and "All Day and All of the Night."
- Scott, Boston, MA

when i heard this song for the first time..i had to listen to it over and over.. for quite a bit.. no wonder John lennon said they wish they could harmonize like the kinks.
- Justin, Georgetown, IN

That guy from Nashville is right to remain annonymous. A top notcher!!
- Greg, Alsip, IL

I love this song. It is soooo poetic and beautiful. Every time I hear it I imagine Rays' just singing to me I love it.
- Shannan, Wilmington, DE

Ray Davies wrote this song when he was at the hospital, having the window view to Waterloo Station. A beautiful song from a great man. Rgs Hans
- hans, Kristiansand, Norway

I think this is not only a great, great song, but great poetry as well. The economy of the lyrics is incredible. In just a few sentences, Ray creates an entire cast of characters, and an entire situation that is bittersweet and totally believable. Although Ray sings it, the song works even better perhaps if sung by a woman. I place this song in the middle of a trio of great English tunes: "She's Leaving Home", "Waterloo Sunset" and "Baker Street", which would cover a complete story arc of restless youth, loneliness, and eventual return to home.
- Al, Baltimore, MD

I heard this song was inspired by the Beatles Ray Davies said this on Mojo Magazine.
- anne, york , England

I hate this song by the Kinks, but the Def Leppard cover is 100x better.
- Anonnymous, Nashville, TX

The absolute brilliance and greatness of this song results from the interplay of a number of factors. The obvious ones are the gorgeous melody and beautiful vocals on the Kinks' production - those alone make it a classic. But it is Davies' skill as a lyricist that makes it a masterpiece. There is the remarkable economy of the lyrics - Davies created vivid characters and a simple but emotional story from the sparest lines. Yet in spite of this simplicity, the song is laced with a level of depth that can easily escape a superficial listener. For instance, how does the narrator know "Terry and Julie" if he never ventures outside? The obvious implication is that he has given two strangers these names, and is imagining details of their story from his window - a fact that makes his loneliness and introversion all the more heartbreaking. But to this Davies adds yet another twist, leaving no doubt that the narrator is perfectly content with his plight. Like good literature or art, the song reveals new levels over time and through repeated listenings.
- Paul, Sacramento, CA

Ray's wife Rasa sang background, as she did on many kinks tracks. Truly a beautiful song. Pete Townshend loved it! Def Leppard does a pretty good cover of this song also.
- joe, lethbridge, Canada

Bloody brilliant song!!! Love it!
- nicola, Balgowlah, WI

Sounds like a song David Bowie would want to cover. Such a great song...
- Johnny, Los Angeles, CA

Ray Davis sung this one with Damon Albarn from Blur. Great version
- Andy, MDQ, Argentina

A brilliant song! Ray's first wife Rasa sings the high part on this (and many other Kinks' songs) of the sixties.
- Don, Newmarket, Canada

One of the best songs of all time!
- Alex, Thompson's Station, TN

Bowie does a decent cover on the B-side to 'Never Get Old'.
- sam, Edinburgh, Scotland

This is #42 in Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest songs.
- Ross, Independence, MO

This is #41 in Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest songs.
- Ross, Independence, MO

One of my all-time favourite tunes this one. Dave Davies' distinctive riff and the vocal harmonies work especially well in this evocative song. Along with Paul Weller, this also remains the favourite song of Tim Finn, co-founder of the legendary NZ band Split Enz and part-time member of full-time brother Neil's old group Crowded House...when Tim first came to London in '76 with the Enz, his head was full of the imagery from the song, anticipating what his city of dreams might be.
- John, Fremantle, Australia

Arguably the finest song of the rock era. Ray Davies says in the unauthorized biography that the characters in his songs are taken from the people in his life. "Terry" is his nephew, his sister's son who along with Arthur, the father, emigrated to Australia.But, Ray is an ambiguous trickster and its hard to suss the genuine meaning of his lyrics. If Coleridge's "Kubla Khan" was set to music "Waterloo Sunset" would be on par with the finest of British Romantic poetry.
- William, syracuse, NY

And it's perhaps the Kinks' finest.
- Nessie, Sapporo, Japan

Cathy Dennis scored a transatlantic hit in 1997 with a cover of this song
- Dave, Cardiff, Wales