Edit for headphones. Source file is the mono single version on the 1965 album "Kinda Kinks" (2011 deluxe edition remastered). Released in July 1965; this one was a #10 hit in the UK, #26 in Holland, #36 in Germany, #111 in the US.
It would be so great if someone somewhere would take the time to search the entire world around for chart information of all countries and add that to the Kinks discography on Wikipedia.
And not only the Kinks, also Rolling Stones would be super! Anyone?
The single was afforded a lukewarm reception at the time. Davies expressed disappointment at this, saying: "[It's] the only one I've really liked, and they're not buying it. You know, I put everything I've got into it ... It makes me think they must be morons or something. Look, I'm not a great singer, nor a great writer, not a great musician. But I do give everything I have ... and I did for this disc."
The song is a rare foray (a venture or an initial attempt, especially outside one's usual area) into psychedelic rock for the group, it is credited as the first Western rock song to integrate Indian raga sounds, being released four months before the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood". (Raga is a melodic mode used in Indian classical music.)
Ray Davies* said the song is about the death of his older sister, Rene, who fell ill due to a hole in her heart and died while dancing at a night club. Just before she died she gave him his first guitar for his 13th birthday.
Inspiration for the song came from a stopover in Bombay during The Kinks' 1965 Asian tour.
So they were the first, Beatles, Stones followed... (According to Ray Davies, he was approached by Paul McCartney before the Beatles' album Rubber Soul came out; Paul asked him about the unusual instrumentation on "See My Friends". Presumably this led to "Norwegian Wood".)
SEE MY FRIEND
(Ray Davies)
See my friend, see my friend
Layin' 'cross the river
See my friend, see my friend
Layin' 'cross the river
She is gone
She is gone and now there's no one left
'cept my friend, layin' 'cross the river
She just went, she just went
Went 'cross the river
Now she's gone, now she's gone
Wish that I'd gone with her
She is gone
She is gone and now there's no one left
'cept my friend, layin' 'cross the river
She is gone and now there's no one else to take her place
She is gone and now there's no one else to love
'cept my friend, layin' 'cross the river
See my friend, see my friend
Layin' 'cross the river
See my friend, see my friend
Layin' 'cross the river
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