4 Stellar Kinks Singles That Somehow Missed the US Top 40

The Kinks put together one of the most impressive catalogs of the bands that emerged in the 60s. They went through several different stages and styles in their career. But the quality of the output rarely wavered.

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For a variety of reasons, they enjoyed much more success in their native UK than here in the US, especially in terms of singles. Here are four incredible songs by The Kinks that are undeniable classics yet didn’t even hit the American Top 40.

“Waterloo Sunset”

“Waterloo Sunset” is now recognized as one of the finest ballads of the 60s. But it came during an era when The Kinks were mostly forgotten in the States. For one, they were banned from touring in the US for several years. On top of that, songwriter Ray Davies was focusing on topics more relevant to British audiences. Add that all up, and you maybe start to understand how “Waterloo Sunset” sank without a trace when released in 1967. Still, it’s hard to imagine that audiences in America wouldn’t have reacted positively to this bittersweet gem if it had been properly showcased on US radio.

“Celluloid Heroes”

Here’s one that somehow failed in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Maybe the indifference to “Celluloid Heroes” can be blamed on the fact that The Kinks had lost some cachet in the early 70s, what with their concentration on concept albums (although that didn’t stop contemporaries like The Who and Pink Floyd from soaring). This song should be instantly relatable to anyone who’s ever fallen under the sway of the cinema. Even a version that was edited down to make it more palatable to US audiences struggled to make even the slightest headway.

“(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman”

The Kinks were clearly watching closely as many of their rock band peers created songs that were ready-made for disco floors in the late 70s. Why shouldn’t they get on board with the trend? Not only did they create a pulsating track in “(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman”, Ray Davies combined that with some piercing, self-deprecating lyrics. His protagonist finds himself musing on the fact that his weaknesses and insecurities are about as far from hero-worthy as possible. You would think that this song, released not long after the success of the Superman movie, would have been a smash in America. Instead, it petered out as somewhat pedestrian No. 41 on the charts.

“Better Things” by The Kinks

Imagine “Better Things” as The Kinks doing power pop. Every note of the melody falls into perfect place, while Dave Davies’ guitar licks form hooks aplenty. There’s a killer refrain to tie it all together. How could this song not have scored on pop radio in 1981? Well, The Kinks were still in the middle of their elongated period in the charts wilderness. (“Come Dancing”, released a year later, finally freed them from it.) Ray Davies wrote the song as his second marriage was ending. Instead of dwelling on recriminations, he finds the strength to wish the woman he’s about to lose all the best. “Here’s hoping all the verses rhyme/And the very best of choruses to follow,” he sings.

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