Oklahoma U.S.A.
| "Oklahoma U.S.A." | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by The Kinks from the album Muswell Hillbillies | ||||||||||
| Released | 24 Nov, 1971 (US LP), 26 Nov, 1971 (UK LP) | |||||||||
| Recorded | Aug-Sep 1971 at Morgan Studios, Willesden, London | |||||||||
| Genre | Soft rock, folk rock | |||||||||
| Length | 2:38 | |||||||||
| Label | RCA Victor | |||||||||
| Writer | Ray Davies | |||||||||
| Producer | Ray Davies | |||||||||
| ||||||||||
Oklahoma U.S.A. is a song written by Ray Davies and performed by British Rock band The Kinks on their 1971 LP Muswell Hillbillies.[1]
Synopsis
The lyrics describe a young woman who leads a monotonous working class life, and imagines in her dreams she is in various Hollywood films, such as Oklahoma! ("But in her dreams she is far away/ In Oklahoma U.S.A./ With Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae").[2][3] As the song progresses and she goes on with life she continues to dream of Oklahoma and Hollywood ("She walks to work but she's still in a daze/ She's Rita Hayworth or Doris Day/ And Errol Flynn's gonna take her away/ To Oklahoma U.S.A."). The song opens and closes with the lyrics "All life we work, but work is a bore./ If life's for livin', then what's livin' for?"[2][3]
Instrumentation
The piece differs from the other songs on Muswell Hillbillies in the fact that it features a much quieter sound and overall feel. Mick Avory's drums are absent, and the only instruments used are an acoustic guitar, accordion, and keyboards (piano/organ).
Cover versions
Indie rock group Yo La Tengo covered it on their 1990 album Fakebook.[4] Country artist Lauren Adams covered it on her album Secret Heart,[5] and Leigh Harris recorded a version on the album House of Secrets.[6] The Spivs cover it on the album Kwirky.[7]