Picture Book

Album: The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society (1968)
Play Video
  • Picture yourself when you're getting old
    You're sat by the fireside a-pondering on

    Picture book, pictures of your mama
    Taken by your papa, a long time ago
    Picture book of people with each other
    To prove they love each other, a long time ago

    Na-na-na, na-na-na
    Na-na-na, na-na-na
    Picture book, picture book

    A picture of you in your birthday suit
    You sat in the sun on a hot afternoon

    Picture book, your mama and your papa
    And fat old uncle Charlie out cruising with their friends
    Picture book, a holiday in August
    Outside a bed and breakfast in sunny Southend
    Picture book, when you were just a baby
    Those days when you were happy, a long time ago

    Na-na-na, na-na-na
    Na-na-na, na-na-na
    Picture book, picture book
    Picture book, picture book

    Picture book
    Da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da
    A-scooby-dooby-doo
    Picture book
    Da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da
    A-scooby-dooby-doo

    Picture book, pictures of your mama
    Taken by your papa, a long time ago
    Long time ago, long time ago
    Long time ago, yeah, yeah, yeah Writer/s: Raymond Douglas Davies
    Publisher: Abkco Music Inc.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 7

  • Jf from Montreal, QcGreat material, nope f--kIN' great material...

    We had a blast recording a cover & doing the clip with some personal stuff thrown in...

    A sort of tribute to rock'& roll at large ;)
    http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?ns=1&video_id=bu2IYq2Jw-w
    Loads of fun indeed!
  • Tomislav from Split, CroatiaWell, It should say something about Green Day getting the inspiration for Warning out of this song...cos, they're almost the same
  • Nick from Chicago, IlFine cover by Young Fresh Fellows
  • Al from Baltimore, MdVGPS is one of the greatest albums ever conceived. Far more cohesive than Sgt. Pepper or Pet Sounds. I've fantasized about a musical film based on the songs on this ablum, with a few others added from the Kinks' repertoire. I'm fascinated by Ray's ambivalent feelings about his family...seemingly precious and maddening at the same time. God save Donald Duck, Vaudeville and Variety!
  • Paul from Sacramento, CaThis was one of a trilogy of songs Davies wrote and the Kinks recorded in 1967-1968 that shared this theme. Two of them - this song and "People Take Pictures of Each Other" - are standout tracks on The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society album. "Picture Book" is the more upbeat and happy song, while "People Take Pictures..." has an undercurrent of sadness ("...don't show me no more, please"). The third, "Pictures in the Sand", was only released briefly on The Great Lost Kinks Album in 1973, and has since been available only on bootleg recordings (for some reason Davies has never wanted it released).
  • Paul from Potters Bar, EnglandDon you couldn't be more right. A superb album that has sooo little credit. It is certainlt the most under-rated album I know. The reason for this is because The White Album & Electric Ladyland were both released with this back in 1968 so it didn't have much chance now did it?... regardless of this fact I recommend this album to anyone, it really is well well worth it.
  • Don from Newmarket, CanadaA great tune! This one is from Village Green Preservation Society. A very underrated album in its day, VGPS has been acknowledged as a true classic. Well worth picking up.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New York

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New YorkSong Writing

Can you be married in one country but not another? Only if you're part of a gay couple. One of the first famous singers to come out as a lesbian, Janis wrote a song about it.

David Paich of Toto

David Paich of TotoSongwriter Interviews

Toto's keyboard player explains the true meaning of "Africa" and talks about working on the Thriller album.

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.