The album ends when the star realizes that he is just another face in the crowd. The final track, “You Can’t Stop the Music,” is the realization that personal stardom will eventually fade but his creations will live on, which was a philosophical statement by Davies as he looked forward to, at least in his mind, an uncertain future.
“Everybody’s A Star,” “Ducks on the Wall,” and “You Can’t Stop the Music” are a near return to The Kinks' classic style of rock ‘n’ roll. While the stories seem like a Ray Davies solo project, these tracks find The Kinks in full rock band mode. Elsewhere, "Nine To Five" is a short but brilliant ballad where the gentle melody supports the boredom of the work place lyrics.
Soap Opera is not one of the upper echelon albums in The Kinks discography, nor is it a good introduction to their legacy. It is an album that looks into the creative mind of Ray Davies at a specific point in time. While there is some good music to be found, the album is best approached as a link in The Kinks' chain of music.
Article comments
1 - Brian
Excellent review of Soap Opera. I remember their stage show as well, and you are spot on.... a very personal introspection as well as yet another view into the British working class culture. As for Preservation 1/2, if you ignore the concept (even though it is frighteningly relevant these days) there are probably as many noteworthy songs such as Sweet lady Genevieve (named my dog after that one) and Nobody Gives, etc etc. on the 3 albums. Of course we can all do without the announcements and fillers... Thank you for the review!
2 - steve cranshaw
nice review. I think Soap Opera is THE true 'underrated' Kinks album; as Muswell Hillbillies has recently gotten it's due with the rise of Americana, etc.
3 - Steve Vercelli
This album is playful. It is witty. It is serious. It is silly. It is just plain FUN. The musicianship is about as good as on any Kinks album.
4 - Bill Blackmon
I bed to differ on all of these positive aspects of this album. While there are a few good songs, there a no great songs. The production is flat, the musicianship is uninspired except for two Dave Davies solos on 'Starmaker', which is a rehash of 'I Can't Explain' by the Who and 'You Can't Stop the Music'. 'Holiday Romance' and 'Face in the Crowd' are good but not great. The album is better than 'Preservation', which is not saying much but not as good as "Schoolboys in Disgrace", whose production is much better, the songs are played with more conviction, the music hall influence is finally thrown out the window along with the annoying female backup singers and best of all, Dave Davies was allowed to play rock and roll again. There is a bootleg version of 'Soap Opera' floating around someplace that is much, much better than the studio album - it has conviction and balls, unlike the studio version (and 'Soap Opera' cannot be put in the same league as 'Muswell Hillbillies - the last truly great Kinks album).
5 - Joachim
Preservation I and II are great albums as you can read in Alhoa Pop web. More if you see them as a didactic effort respect social and ecological issues. Who else in that time, when the Roma Club advertised about the ecological crisis in the planet, composed albums like those? Please, make a real critica about music because your opinions are very light in that sense.
6 - Tony Heflin
Overlooked here by everyone I think, is one of the better songs on the album to me, it being Underneath the Neon Sign. Nice melodic tune, with good vocals and lyrics. I also like on Pres. II, the song Sheperds of the Nation Unite/I'm Your Man...especially I'm Your Man, what a beautiful tune in which Ray carries to a tee!!