We are the Village Green Preservation Society.
God save Donald Duck, vaudeville and variety.
We are the Desperate Dan Appreciation Society.
God save strawberry jam and all the different varieties.

Preserving the old ways from being abused.
Protecting the new ways, for me and for you.
What more can we do?

We are the Draught Beer Preservation Society.
God save Mrs. Mopp and good old Mother Riley.
We are the Custard Pie Appreciation Consortium.
God save the George Cross, and all those who were awarded them.

Oooh...

We are the Sherlock Holmes English-speaking Vernacular.
God save Fu Manchu, Moriarty and Dracula.
We are the Office Block Persecution Affinity.
God save little shops, china cups, and virginity.
We are the Skyscraper Condemnation Affiliates.
God save Tudor houses, antique tables, and billiards.

Preserving the old ways from being abused.
Protecting the new ways, for me and for you.
What more can we do?

We are the Village Green Preservation Society.
God save Donald Duck, vaudeville and variety.
We are the Desperate Dan Appreciation Society.
God save strawberry jam and all the different varieties.

God save the village green!



Lyrics submitted by tosca

Track duration: 02:47

"The Village Green Preservation Society" as written by Raymond Douglas Davies

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Village Green Preservation Society song meanings
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14 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I think Davies meant this song to be ironic.
    Flag PrincessLyron April 23, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The whole album sort of alternates between ridiculing and embracing nostalgia. I'm not really sure where this song is on the spectrum.
    Flag aghhgghon November 08, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Ray Davies at his contrary best
    Flag TimmyGCon September 18, 2009   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:If anything, this song is an appeal to young people (Kinks listeners at the time), that new doesn't always mean better, and that sometimes it's ok to appreciate old traditions and styles for what they are and not be an evil "conservative".

    This is ESPECIALLY true in Britain...
    Flag BMaloneyon August 13, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Like a lot of The Kinks work their is an element of story telling, irony, humour and genius. The narrative is set as a group (society) telling everyone their mission statement while the undercurrent makes you think that the writer holds these values close to their heart too.

    The Villiage Green he talks about is an actual place where they grew up by the way. I have seen him revisit it on TV and describe the influence it had on the album.

    And another point on the lyrics. I've been listening to this song for years and a few weeks back we noticed another of his clever tricks in his writting.....

    'God save strawberry jam and all the different varieties' immediately followed by
    'Preserving the old ways from being abused'

    Maybe I should have noticed it earlier but 'stawberry jam' then 'preserving' GENIUS!!!
    Flag shaft_10on May 12, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The entire VGPS album is about preserving the traditional English (not British) way of life.
    Flag sunshipballoonson August 15, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Pretty much everything mentioned in this song is something that the Kinks were not. Its all about irony.
    Flag O Sliggity Sliceon July 18, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:My personal interpretation:

    It's about the arbitrariness of social clubs. A group of people that get together to much of nothing under the banner of doing something that's not very important anyway.
    Flag Benel Germosenon July 01, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:always took this to be both a positive and negative song about those things on which he singing...yes he likes the past but needs the future and wants development, i dont think hes agreeing with those who care only for the past.

    Mrs Mopp is a character from a popular wartime radio comedy show...old mother riley is a character from a popular set of films from the early 50s (old mother riley was played by a man)
    Flag youknowimrighton August 23, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Great song, about saving old values.
    Flag tangerine_whiskon February 14, 2007   Link

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