The Kinks Celebrate Gender Diversity - Lyrics
Dedicated Follower of Fashion (1965)
Verse 1
They seek him here, they seek him there
His clothes are loud, but never square
It will make or break him so he's got to buy the best
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion
Verse 2
And when he does, his little rounds
'Round the boutiques, of London Town
Eagerly pursuing all the latest fads and trends
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion
Chorus
Oh yes he is, (Oh yes he is)
Oh yes he is, (Oh yes he is)
He thinks he is a flower to be looked at
And when he pulls his frilly nylon panties right up tight
He feels a dedicated follower of fashion
Chorus
Oh yes he is, (Oh yes he is)
Oh yes he is, (Oh yes he is)
There's one thing that he loves and that is flattery
One week he's in polka dots, the next week he's in stripe
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion
Verse 3
They seek him here, they seek him there
In Regent Street, and Leicester Square
Everywhere the Carnabetian army marches on
Each one a dedicated follower of fashion
Chorus
Oh yes he is, (Oh yes he is)
Oh yes he is, (Oh yes he is)
His world is built 'round discotheques and parties
This pleasure-seeking individual always looks his best
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion
Chorus
Oh yes he is, (Oh yes he is)
Oh yes he is, (Oh yes he is)
He flits from shop to shop just like a butterfly
In matters of the cloth he is as fickle as can be
'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion
Outro
He's a dedicated follower of fashion
He's a dedicated follower of fashion
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lola (1970)
Verse 1
I met her in a club down in old Soho
Where you drink champagne and it tastes just like
Coca Cola
C-O-L-A, Cola
She walked up to me and she asked me to dance
I asked her her name and in a dark brown voice she said, "Lola"
L-O-L-A, Lola
La-la-la-la, Lola
Chorus
Well, I'm not the world's most physical guy
But when she squeezed me tight, she nearly broke my spine
Oh, my Lola
La-la-la-la, Lola
Well, I'm not dumb, but I can't understand
Why she walked like a woman but talked like a man
Oh, my Lola
La-la-la-la, Lola
La-la-la-la, Lola
Verse 2
Well, we drank champagne and danced all night
Under electric candlelight
She picked me up and sat me on her knee
And said, "Dear boy, won't you come home with me?"
Chorus
Well, I'm not the world's most passionate guy
But when I looked in her eyes, well I almost fell for my Lola
La-la-la-la, Lola
La-la-la-la, Lola
Lola
La-la-la-la, Lola
La-la-la-la, Lola
Bridge
I pushed her away
I walked to the door
I fell to the floor
I got down on my knees
Then I looked at her and she at me
Verse 3
Well, that's the way that I want it to stay
And I always want it to be that way for my Lola
La-la-la-la-Lola
Girls will be boys and boys will be girls
It's a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world, except for Lola
La-la-la-la-Lola
Chorus
Well, I left home just a week before
And I'd never, ever kissed a woman before
But Lola smiled and took me by the hand
And said, "Dear boy, I'm gonna make you a man"
Well, I'm not the world's most masculine man
But, I know what I am and I'm glad I'm a man
And so is Lola
Outro
La-la-la-la-Lola
La-la-la-la-Lola
Lola
La-la-la-la-Lola
La-la-la-la-Lola
Lola
La-la-la-la-Lola
La-la-la-la-Lola
Lola
La-la-la-la-Lola
La-la-la-la-Lola
Lola
La-la-la-la-Lola
La-la-la-la-Lola
Lola
La-la-la-la-Lola
La-la-la-la-Lola
Lola
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the Outside (1977) Length: 5 mins 7 secs
Verse 1
You stay at home
All on your own with nothing but walls to speak to
You never go anywhere, you say you've nothing to wear
So you keep all your troubles inside of you
Verse 2
There's something hidden in you
And you keep it out of view
You shouldn't feel any guilt, or have any doubts
You gotta let yourself out whilst there's something left of you
Chorus
Hey baby blue
Don't hide your troubles inside
I'd sure like to know you
And there's so much to show you on the outside
Chorus
Somehow I know that we are gonna get by
So stop acting like a lady, come and cry like a baby on the outside
Outside
I know that the weather is fine
Outside
I know we're gonna be alright
Verse 3
Somehow I know that we are gonna survive
So stop acting like a lady, come and cry like a baby on the outside
On the outside
Verse 4
You think you're a freak
And you're afraid to compete
In a world that you thinks got it down on you
You're a closet queen
You think it's obscene
To let the people see what's deep inside of you
Verse 5
I know what you're going through
But what you are is nothing new
So don't feel ashamed
'cause you're not to blame
Role up the blinds and let the sun come shining through
Chorus
Hey baby blue
Don't hide your troubles inside
You should be glad in the gay
Nobody cares anyway on the outside
Chorus
Somehow I know that we are gonna get by
So stop acting like a lady, come and cry like a baby on the outside
Outside
I know that the weather is fine
Outside
I know it's gonna be alright
Chorus
Somehow I know that we are gonna get by
So stop acting like a lady, come and cry like baby on the outside
On the outside
On the outside
All night
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Out of the Wardrobe (1978)
Verse 1
Has anybody here seen a chick called Dick?
He looks real burly but he's really hip
He's six feet tall and his arms are all brown and hairy
He married Betty Lou back in '65 when you had to be butch to survive
But lately he's been looking at his wife with mixed emotions
Verse 2
You see, he's not a commonplace closet queen
He shouldn't be hidden, he should be seen
'Cause when he puts on that dress
He looks like a princess
Verse 3
Well, the day he came out of the wardrobe
Betty Lou got quite a surprise
She didn't know whether she should get angry or not bat an eye
She really couldn't call up her mama
Mama would positively die
Should she go or stay or should she try to get a trial separation?
Verse 4
You see, he's not a faggot as you might suppose
He just feels restricted in conventional clothes
'Cause when he puts on that dress
He feels like a princess
Verse 5
He's not a dandy, he's only living out a fantasy
He's not a pansy, he's only being what he wants to be
Now his life is rearranged and he's grateful for the change
He's out of the wardrobe and now he's got no regrets
Verse 6
Betty Lou didn't know what to do at first
But she's learning how to cope at last
She got the best of both worlds
And she's really in a state of elation
She says that it helps their relationship
She says a change is as good as a rest
And their friends are finally coming 'round to their way of thinking
Verse 7
She wears the trousers and smokes the pipe
And he washes up and she helps him wipe
'Cause when he puts on that dress
He looks like a princess
Verse 8
He's out of the wardrobe and he's feeling all right
He's out of the wardrobe and he's feeling satisfied
Now it's farewell to the past
The secret's out at last
He's out of the wardrobe and now he's got no regrets
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Destroyer (1981)
Verse 1
Met a girl called Lola and I took her back to my place
Feelin' guilty, feelin' scared, hidden cameras everywhere
Stop, hold on
Stay in control
Verse 2
Girl, I want you here with me
But I'm really not as cool as I'd like to be
'Cause there's a red under my bed
And there's a little yellow man in my head
And there's a true blue inside of me
That keeps stoppin' me, touchin' you
Wantin' you, lovin' you
Chorus
Paranoia, the destroyer
Paranoia, the destroyer
Verse 3
Well, I feel asleep then I woke, feelin' kinda queer
Lola looked at me and said, "Ooh, you look so weird"
She said, "Man, there's really something wrong with you
One day, you're gonna self-destruct
You're up, you're down, I can't work you out
You get a good thing goin' then you blow yourself out"
Chorus
Silly boy, you self-destroyer
Silly boy, you self-destroyer
Verse 4
Silly boy, you got so much to live for
So much to aim for, so much to try for
You blow it all with paranoia
You're so insecure, you self-destroyer
Chorus
And it goes like this, here it goes
Paranoia, the destroyer
Here it goes again
Paranoia, the destroyer
Verse 5
Doctor, doctor, help me please
I know you'll understand
There's a tiny device inside of me, I'm a self-destructin' man
Verse 6
There's a red under my bed
And there's a little green man in my head
He said, "You're not goin' crazy, you're just a bit sad
'Cause there's a man in you, gnawin' you, tearin' you into two"
Chorus
Silly boy, you self-destroyer
Paranoia, the destroyer
Verse 7
Self-destroyer, wreck your health
Destroy your friends, destroy yourself
The tiny device of self-destruction
Light the fuse and start eruption, yeah
Chorus
Yeah, it goes like this, here it goes
Paranoia, the destroyer
Here's to paranoia
Paranoia, the destroyer
Hey, hey, here it goes
Paranoia, the destroyer
And it goes like this
Paranoia, the destroyer
And it goes like this