Come Dancing Lyrics
Where the supermarket used to stand
Before that, they put up a bowling alley
On the site that used to be the local palais
That's where the big bands used to come and play
My sister went there on a Saturday
All her boyfriends used to come and call
Why not come dancing?
It's only natural
She would be ready but she'd always make him wait
In the hallway, in anticipation
He didn't know the night would end up in frustration
He'd end up blowing all his wages for the week
All for a cuddle and a peck on the cheek
That's how they did it when I was just a kid
And when they said "come dancing"
My sister always did
And my mum would always sit up and wait
It always ended up in a big row
When my sister used to get home late
Two silhouettes saying goodnight by the garden gate
My sister stood and cried
The day they knocked down the palais
Part of my childhood died, just died
And there's a car park where the palais used to stand
My sister's married and she lives on an estate
Her daughters go out, now it's her turn to wait
She knows they get away with things she never could
But if I asked her, I wonder if she would
Come on, sister, have yourself a ball
Don't be afraid to come dancing
It's only natural
Just like the palais on a Saturday
And all her friends would come dancing
While the big bands used to play

You always look back. No matter how awful the rollerdisco seemed at the time, it'll be hilarious in twenty years. The past doesn't have to be all roses, but it was different, often more naive. At least parts of it for most of us.
Personally, I think it's the same brain malfunction that decides at 50 that high school was the best time of your life, and prompts women to have more than one child.
LOL @ "Brain malfunction" :)
LOL @ "Brain malfunction" :)
And at 45, I have never and will never look back at high school as anything but the circle of Hell it was.
And at 45, I have never and will never look back at high school as anything but the circle of Hell it was.

"pally" should be spelled "Palais"--a French word for "Palace."

What everyone else said... nostalgia. And hoping that some of the old days might still be a alive, a little bit... if he was willing to look hard enough.

I think HydrolicToaster is right. Even if you look in the video, it seems they chose a child to look like a young Ray Davies. I think it could be a reflection on his own childhood, and he is talking about one of his older sisters. There were 5 of them, so I'm not sure which.
You NAILED IT. The idea of losing your closest sibling at a young age is nearly impossible for most people to imagine (especially because so many two-earner households only have one trophy-child to begin with). He CLEARLY wrote this song for her and how much it hurt him to lose her.
You NAILED IT. The idea of losing your closest sibling at a young age is nearly impossible for most people to imagine (especially because so many two-earner households only have one trophy-child to begin with). He CLEARLY wrote this song for her and how much it hurt him to lose her.

He'd end up blowing all his wages for the week
That line just fits the music perfectly, its beautiful to listen to just that line :D

this song is awsome. i dont understand anyone hasn't commented on it yet. The lyrics are very cool. Pretty straight forward. The old days were great, and the golden days seem to have dissapeared. So true.

please, someone?

It's not the best "Kinks" song ("Waterloo Sunset" is) but it's kinda groovy.

I love this song and the end moves me. I really like the kinks and their flair for iorny. By the way waterloo Sunset is very great

grr the kinks - screamo all the way! :p