In seventy-three and seventy-four, a two-part concept album was released by the Kinks
Preservation Act I, some say it’s OK, but Preservation Act II, everyone says it stinks.
The critics were grouchy and sales were not good. People said, “too much concept and not enough rock.”
But if you listen, you’ll hear it was ahead of its time. Let me make you a tape and I think you’ll be shocked.
Give the first half a try and you’ll love it, I swear.
I would not steer you wrong. Try one song. Yes, it’s long, but just
Bear with me. Ray’s voice - what a performer.
Bear with me. Dave’s guitar - what attack!
Bear with me. On vinyl it’s warmer
Don’t just play it in the car - use the headphones, jack.

It isn’t the Who, It isn’t Pink Floyd; In fact it’s more cohesive than the concepts they tried.
The tracks on Act I, are good top to bottom, Act II gets ambitious, especially the 3rd side.
It has some narration, but is that a problem? It’s a concept album. That’s how those things go.
But if you listen, you’ll get it. When they toured it live, man, people who saw it, saw a hell of a show.
Just “Sweet Lady Genevieve” should draw you in.
Then try “Demolition” - I’m not just wishin’ - It’s my mission (to make you)
Bear with me. Let the songwriting explain it.
Bear with me. The production is so strong.
Bear with me. It’s crying out for reassessment.

...
I got this book
On a remainder table.
It has the black mark there, so you can tell.
Which means that someone
Ordered way too many.
How could a copy of this book not sell?

It has a map.
I’ve always been a sucker
For books with maps of lands that never were
And this one shows
The place the Doctor makes up
Where all the travels in his letters occur
And he send those letters back to his wife
So she can
read them to the local children and they’ll understand his life

Trust me here - It sounds lame, but it isn’t at all.
Trust me here – There’s allegory and science combined.
Trust me here - yeah, that sounds even lamer, but please
Look for it – I’d give you mine, but - it shouldn’t be hard to find.

“A novel of ideas,
a love story and a
spiritual guide” so said the New York Times.
It “makes use of fantasy to
chronicle a journey of faith.”
That was Newsday; And of all the crimes

For which people
are severely punished,
why isn’t one letting this go out of print?
When you sell books
It should be a mission
Not just a job - you should take a hint

From the doctor. He used his tales
Of adventure for enriching other people, not his sales.

Trust me here - There’s no way I can explain it.
Trust me here - It’s not just me; Newsday isn’t wrong.
Trust me here - You’ll laugh and trust me you’re gonna cry.
...

Timeless love is easy
to laugh at, to sneer at
Go ahead, you hipsters - dismiss!
Say it was a story
For tween girls and old ladies.
But vehemently I must insist that you
Open your heart to a love that will break it.
To Cameron at his peak and to Kate Winslet naked
Hear me out - Titanic won 11 Oscars
Hear me out - It made a boatload of cash
Hear me out - Yet who admits they love it?
all they do is bash, but you can’t resist the iceberg crash

For there is an iceberg
That strikes you when you least expect it
Maybe that iceberg is Love.
Cynics can be cruel
Just like Billy Zane
They’ll shoot at you, they’ll lie and they’ll shove
Oh, but the heart , it is fiery and strong
Like a crafty old lady that has the jewel on her all along,
Hear me out - I don’t have to explain it
Hear me out - an emotion can’t be “wrong”
Hear me out - Admit it! You cried when that old couple died!
Spooning as the water rose around their bed, and the Irish lady told her children a story of a land of eternal youth that they’d never see, because the immigrants all died when they locked the doors and...

you should watch it/ read it/ listen for yourself.
(I’m King of the World!)