A Well-Respected Man

song by Davies

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July 22, 2026

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"A Well-Respected Man" is a song by the English rock band The Kinks, released in 1965. It is known for its social commentary, characteristic of the band's work during that period. The song, written by Ray Davies, satirizes the rigid social conventions and superficial respectability of a certain type of English gentleman. It contrasts the outward appearance of a "well-respected man" with the potential emptiness or hypocrisy beneath the surface. The track appeared on the album Kinks, and later on the EP A Well-Respected Man. It became one of the Kinks' signature songs, highlighting their ability to blend catchy melodies with insightful lyrical observations about society.1

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the Kinks
…social comment songs like “A Well-Respected Man,” “Dedicated Follower of Fashion,” and “Sunny Afternoon,” the last of which reached number one on the U.K. charts in 1966 and on which Ray Davies imitated 1930s British crooner Al Bowlly.
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…social comment songs like “A Well-Respected Man,” “Dedicated Follower of Fashion,” and “Sunny Afternoon,” the last of which reached number one on the U.K. charts in 1966 and on which Ray Davies imitated 1930s British crooner Al Bowlly.
Read More