"Picture Book" is the third track from The Kinks' album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. Written by Ray Davies, the song looks back at pictures in a picture book. The song also saw a single release as the B-side to "Starstruck" in multiple countries.
Background
"Picture Book" is a song about looking through a photo album, where pictures of "you in your birthday suit" and of "your mama and your papa, and fat old Uncle Charlie out boozing with their friends" are found. Reportedly, Davies had the idea for the musical theme of the track prior to writing it. Initially, the track was intended by songwriter Ray Davies to be used in a solo project, but, in May 1968, the track was recorded by The Kinks. Drummer Mick Avory removed the snares from his snare drum on the recording. He said of the event, "On... 'Picture Book' I took the snare off just to get a different sound."
Release and reception
The track was released as the B-side of "Starstruck" in the U.S. , and as the B-side of The Village Green Preservation Society in Denmark.. The Kinks performed the song twice on BBC TV, on Colour Me Pop in July 1968, and Once More With Felix in January 1969. Though not a common feature of their live set, in was briefly made a set regular in 1973, and would later be played live occasionally by Ray Davies solo in the 21st century. In 2004, the relatively obscure track was used in a television commercial for Hewlett-Packard digital imaging products. "It was perfect for that commercial," Davies said. Ray Davies said that he "always knew that song would have its day." He went on to say that "sometimes you just know. It was never a hit, but it’s become a hit in another way." The track also serves as the title track to the compilation albumPicture Book. AllMusic praised the track, saying that it "takes the skewed nostalgia of its parent album and sets it to one of Davies' best tunes of the era" and that it was "one of the rocking ones on the relatively sedate album." It has been noted that the song's main guitar riff bears strong resemblance to punk songs later released, most notably "Warning" by Green Day.
