"A Gallon of Gas", like many songs by The Kinks from this period, tells of economic problems of the time, in this case the gas shortage.[2] The singer laments about how he "can't buy a gallon of gas", even "for any amount of cash". Author Nick Hasted describes it as "a heavy electric blues."[3]
The song was the second single released from "Low Budget", and is one of two singles from the album to be released in America but not in Britain (the other being "Catch Me Now I'm Falling"). The single version was longer than the album version.[2] It was backed with "Low Budget". In addition to its release as a single in America, the single was also released in Japan that same year.[citation needed]
Record World said it has "cool, cocky, British vocals observing an American crisis with plenty of wit and rocking rhythm."[4] The track was praised by AllMusic[5] as well as Rolling Stone, who said that "A Gallon of Gas" is "no great poetic achievement, but its slow, bluesy arrangement—meant, no doubt, to re-create the effect of a snail's pace gas line — heightens the good-natured irony of a situation in which drugs are easier to come by than gasoline."[6] Hasted also refers to the song's humor in that it is easier to buy drugs than gas.[3] Hasted further notes that Davies, who years earlier wrote "Apeman," a song about abandoning the city to live in the jungle, "can't disguise his pleasure" in the fact that without gas there are no planes in the sky or cars on the road so that "the air smells unnaturally clean."[3]Rolling Stone Album Guide critic Rob Sheffield calls it an "embarrassing novelty."[7] Critic Johnny Rogan commented on the song's comedy and wryness.[2]
gallon, ninth, track, from, kinks, album, budget, written, davies, single, kinksfrom, album, budgetb, side, budget, released7, august, 1979, recordedjanuary, 1979, june, 1979genrerock, hard, rock, novelty, length3, 49labelaristasongwriter, daviesproducer, davi. A Gallon of Gas is the ninth track from The Kinks album Low Budget It was written by Ray Davies A Gallon of Gas Single by The Kinksfrom the album Low BudgetB side Low Budget Released7 August 1979 US RecordedJanuary 1979 June 1979GenreRock hard rock novelty 1 Length3 49LabelAristaSongwriter s Ray DaviesProducer s Ray DaviesThe Kinks US singles chronology Wish I Could Fly Like Superman 1979 A Gallon of Gas 1979 Catch Me Now I m Falling 1979 Low Budget track listing11 tracksSide one Attitude Catch Me Now I m Falling Pressure National Health Wish I Could Fly Like Superman Side two Low Budget In a Space Little Bit of Emotion A Gallon of Gas Misery Moving Pictures Alternative coverJapanese single sleeveBackground edit A Gallon of Gas like many songs by The Kinks from this period tells of economic problems of the time in this case the gas shortage 2 The singer laments about how he can t buy a gallon of gas even for any amount of cash Author Nick Hasted describes it as a heavy electric blues 3 The song was the second single released from Low Budget and is one of two singles from the album to be released in America but not in Britain the other being Catch Me Now I m Falling The single version was longer than the album version 2 It was backed with Low Budget In addition to its release as a single in America the single was also released in Japan that same year citation needed A Gallon of Gas also appears on the greatest hits albums Come Dancing with The Kinks and the live album To the Bone An alternate edition of the song appears on Picture Book Reception editRecord World said it has cool cocky British vocals observing an American crisis with plenty of wit and rocking rhythm 4 The track was praised by AllMusic 5 as well as Rolling Stone who said that A Gallon of Gas is no great poetic achievement but its slow bluesy arrangement meant no doubt to re create the effect of a snail s pace gas line heightens the good natured irony of a situation in which drugs are easier to come by than gasoline 6 Hasted also refers to the song s humor in that it is easier to buy drugs than gas 3 Hasted further notes that Davies who years earlier wrote Apeman a song about abandoning the city to live in the jungle can t disguise his pleasure in the fact that without gas there are no planes in the sky or cars on the road so that the air smells unnaturally clean 3 Rolling Stone Album Guide critic Rob Sheffield calls it an embarrassing novelty 7 Critic Johnny Rogan commented on the song s comedy and wryness 2 References edit Sheffield Rob 2004 The Kinks In Brackett Nathan Hoard Christian eds The New Rolling Stone Album Guide 4th ed Simon amp Schuster pp 458 460 ISBN 0 7432 0169 8 a b c Rogan J 1998 The Complete Guide to the Music of the Kinks Omnibus Press p 127 ISBN 0711963142 a b c Hasted N 2011 The Story of the Kinks You Really Got Me Omnibus Press ISBN 9781849386609 Single Picks PDF Record World 18 August 1979 p 18 Retrieved 11 February 2023 Stephen Thomas Erlewine 10 July 1979 Low Budget The Kinks Songs Reviews Credits AllMusic Retrieved 15 October 2016 Rolling Stone Review Archived from the original on 2 October 2007 Sheffield R 2004 Brackett N Hoard C eds The Rolling Stone Album Guide 4th ed Straight Arrow Publishers pp 459 460 ISBN 0743201698 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title A Gallon of Gas amp oldid 1181520214, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
