"Set Me Free" is a song by

Ray Davies Sir Raymond Douglas Davies ( ; born 21 June 1944) is an English musician. He was the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and main songwriter for the rock band the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother Dave on lead guitar and backing voc ...

, released first by

the Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhyt ...

in 1965. Along with " Tired of Waiting for You", it is one of band's first attempts at a softer, more introspective sound. The song's B-side, "

I Need You I Need You or I Need U may refer to: Films * ''I Need You'' (film), a 1944 German film Music Albums * ''I Need You'' (album), by LeAnn Rimes, 2001 * ''I Need You'' (Bestie EP) (reissue of ''Hot Baby'') or the title song, 2014 * ''I Need Y ...

", makes prominent use of powerchords in the style of the Kinks' early, "raunchy" sound. "Set Me Free" was heard in the

Ken Loach Kenneth Charles Loach (born 17 June 1936) is a British film director and screenwriter. His socially critical directing style and socialist ideals are evident in his film treatment of social issues such as poverty (''Poor Cow'', 1967), homelessne ...

-directed '' Up the Junction'', a BBC ''

Wednesday Play ''The Wednesday Play'' is an anthology series of British television plays which ran on BBC1 for six seasons from October 1964 to May 1970. The plays were usually original works written for television, although dramatic adaptations of ficti ...

'' which aired in November 1965; this marked the first appearance of a Kinks song on a film or TV soundtrack. ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' said of the single that "hot on the heels of he Kinks'' Tired of Waiting for You' smash comes this down home blues rhythm material with a good teen lyric." '' Cash Box'' described it as "a snappy tune that’s taken for an engaging disk ride." __TOC__

"I Need You"

"I Need You" was released as a B-side to "Set Me Free". The song, along with "

You Really Got Me "You Really Got Me" is a song written by Ray Davies for English rock band the Kinks. The song, originally performed in a more blues-oriented style, was inspired by artists such as Lead Belly and Big Bill Broonzy. Two versions of the song ...

" and " All Day and All of the Night", has been cited as one of the influences which shifted the focus from

rock 'n' roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...

to hard-hitting

rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as "rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States and ...

. Never a part of the Kinks live act, it has since been revived live by both Davies brothers solo in the 21st Century.

Personnel

According to band researcher Doug Hinman: The Kinks *

lead vocal, rhythm guitar *

Dave Davies David Russell Gordon Davies (born 3 February 1947) is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the English rock band the Kinks, which also featured his elder brother Ray Davies. He was ...

backing vocal, lead guitar *

Pete Quaife Peter Alexander Greenlaw Quaife (born Kinnes; 31 December 1943 – 23 June 2010) was an English musician, artist and author. He was a founding member and the original bass guitarist for the Kinks, from 1963 until 1969. He also sang backing voca ...

bass *

Mick Avory Michael Charles Avory (born 15 February 1944) is an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer and percussionist for the English rock band the Kinks. He joined them shortly after their formation in 1964 and remained with them until 1984, ...

drums Additional musician *Rasa Davies backing vocal

Charts

References

Sources

* 1965 singles The Kinks songs Song recordings produced by Shel Talmy Songs written by Ray Davies Pye Records singles 1965 songs Reprise Records singles {{1960s-single-stub