A Well Respected Man by The Kinks delves into the life of a man who seems to live an exemplary, respectable life yet upon closer inspection, is subjected to social criticism and hypocrisy. Released in 1965, the song represents Ray Davies keen observation on upper-middle-class and conservative values in British society of the time.
Key: C
Introduction:
G
C
C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
Cos he gets up in the morning and he goes to work at nine
C
C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
And he comes back home at five thirty, gets the same train every time
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C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
Cos his world is built on punctuality, it never fails
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C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
Cos he's oh so good, and he's oh so fine
C
C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
And he's oh so healthy in his body and his mind
F
Em
He's a well respected man about town
F
D
G
G/C
G
Doing the best things so conservatively
C
C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
And his mother goes to meetings while his father pulls the maid
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C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
And she stirs the tea with councillors while discussing foreign trade
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C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
And she passes looks as well as bills at every suave young man ...
C
C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
Cos he's oh so good, and he's oh so fine
C
C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
And he's oh so healthy in his body and his mind
F
Em
He's a well respected man about town
F
D
G
G/C
G
Doing the best things so conservatively
C
C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
And he likes his own backyard and he likes his fags the best
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C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
Cos he's better than the rest and his arm sweat smells the best
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C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
And he hopes to grab his father's loot when Pater passes on ...
C
C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
Cos he's oh so good, and he's oh so fine
C
C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
And he's oh so healthy in his body and his mind
F
Em
He's a well respected man about town
F
D
G
G/C
G
Doing the best things so conservatively
C
C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
And he plays the stocks and shares and he goes to a regatta
C
C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
He adores the girl next door cos he's dying to get at her
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C/B
Am
C
C/B
Am
But his mother knows the best about the matrimonial stakes ...