Big Black Smoke

Written by: Ray Davies

Published by: Davray Music/Carlin Music Corp.

Chord file

Lyrics:

She was sick and tired of country life.
A little country home,
A little country folk,
Made her blood run cold.
Now her mother pines her heart away,
Looking for her child in the big black smoke,
In the big black smoke.

Frailest, purest girl the world has seen,
According to her Ma, according to her Pa,
And everybody said,
That she knew no sin and did no wrong,
Till she walked the streets of the big black smoke,
Of the big black smoke.

Well, she slept in cafés and coffee bars and bowling alleys,
And every penny she had
Was spent on purple hearts and cigarettes.

She took all her pretty coloured clothes,
And ran away from home
And the boy next door,
For a boy named Joe.
And he took her money for the rent
And tried to drag her down in the big black smoke,
In the big black smoke.

In the big black smoke.
In the big black smoke.

This song can be found on the following releases:

mono mix (2:32), recorded probably 21 Oct, 1966 at Pye Studios (No. 2), London
Dead End Street/Big Black Smoke 18 Nov, 1966 UK Pye 7N 17222 7" vinyl single, 45 RPM
Dead End Street/Big Black Smoke 30 Nov, 1966 USA Reprise 0540 7" vinyl single, 45 RPM
Dead End Street/Big Black Smoke Dec 1966 Sweden/Norway Pye 7N 17222 7" vinyl single, 45 RPM
Dead End Street/Big Black Smoke Dec 1966 Denmark Pye 7N 17222 7" vinyl single, 45 RPM
Sunny Afternoon 17 Nov, 1967 UK Marble Arch MAL 716 12" vinyl LP (album), 33 1/3 RPM
Sunny Afternoon 1969 Brazil Musidisc HI-FI 2174 12" vinyl LP (album), 33 1/3 RPM
The Kinks 27 Feb, 1970 UK Pye NPL 18326 12" vinyl 2-LP set (double album), 33 1/3 RPM
The Kink Kronikles 25 Mar, 1972 USA Reprise 2XS 6454 12" vinyl 2-LP set (double album), 33 1/3 RPM
The Kinks Are Well Respected Men 28 Sep, 1987 UK PRT PYL 7001 12" vinyl 2-LP set (double album), 33 1/3 RPM
The Kinks Are Well Respected Men Apr 1988 UK PRT PYC 7001 2 CD set
The Kink Kronikles 10 Jan, 1989 USA Reprise 6454-2 2 CD set
Fab Forty - The Singles Collection 1964-1970 Feb 1991 EEC Decal CDLIK D 74 2 CD set
Best Of The Kinks 1966-67 Aug 1991 UK Pickwick PWKS 4075 CD
The Kinks Sep 1991 EEC Music For Pleasure/EMI CD-MFP 5921/CDB 7 97481 2 CD
The EP Collection Volume Two 18 Nov, 1991 UK See For Miles SEE 329 12" vinyl LP (album), 33 1/3 RPM
The EP Collection Volume Two 18 Nov, 1991 UK See For Miles SEECD 329 CD
The Kinks Story Vol. 1 1964-1966 Jun 1992 EEC Castle Communications EUKCD 101 CD
Face To Face 30 Mar, 1998 UK Essential/Castle Communications ESM CD 479 CD
The EP Collection 9 Nov, 1998 UK Castle ESFCD 667 Multi CD box set
The EP Collection 2 1 Aug, 2000 UK Castle Music/Sanctuary ESFCD 904 Multi CD box set
The Marble Arch Years 18 Jul, 2001 UK Essential/Castle/Sanctuary CMGBX318 Multi CD box set
Face To Face 26 Apr, 2004 UK Sanctuary Midline SMRCD028 CD
Face To Face (Deluxe Edition) 20 Jun, 2011 UK Sanctuary Records/Universal Music 277 262-0 2 CD set
The Kinks In Mono 21 Nov, 2011 UK Sanctuary/Universal Music 602527769448 Multi CD box set
Waterloo Sunset - The Very Best Of The Kinks & Ray Davies 13 Aug 2012 UK Sanctuary Records/Universal Music 371 248-9 2 CD set

simulated stereo (2:32), recorded probably 21 Oct, 1966 at Pye Studios (No. 2), London
Sunny Afternoon 17 Nov, 1967 UK Marble Arch MALS 716 12" vinyl LP (album), 33 1/3 RPM

stereo mix (2:51), recorded probably 21 Oct, 1966, remixed Dec 2009 at Pye Studios (No. 2), London
Face To Face (Deluxe Edition) 20 Jun, 2011 UK Sanctuary Records/Universal Music 277 262-0 2 CD set

alternate stereo mix (2:37), recorded probably 21 Oct, 1966 at Pye Studios (No. 2), London
The Anthology - 1964-1971 17 Nov 2014 UK Sony/Legacy/BMG 88875021542 Multi CD box set

mono mix, by Mick & Malcolm, recorded 1967
Kinky Kovers 1998 Japan Victor Entertainment VICP-60431 CD
KiNKED! Kinks Songs & Sessions 1964-1971 25 Mar 2016 UK Ace Records CDCHD 1463 CD

stereo mix, by Patch Up Boys, recorded 1989
Shangri-La - A Tribute To The Kinks 1989 USA Communion COMM8CD CD
Shangri-La - A Tribute To The Kinks 1989 UK Imaginary ILL CD300 CD
Shangri-La - A Tribute To The Kinks 1989 UK Imaginary ILLUSION 003 12" vinyl LP (album), 33 1/3 RPM
Shangri-La - A Tribute To The Kinks 1989 USA Communion COMM 8 12" vinyl LP (album), 33 1/3 RPM

stereo mix, by Kevin Wayne, recorded 1999
Do It Again - The Kover Kontroversy Kontinues Jun 1999 USA - - CD

stereo mix, by The Intricate Smears, recorded 2000
The Great Lost KPS Album - The Kover Kontroversy Kontinues Jul 2000 UK Pie KPSCD003 CD


KindaKinks.net
E-mail Dave Emlen