Arthur Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire

Ray Davies wrote Arthur around a British man's life and the changing country around him. The planned television drama never appeared, but the Kinks' album kept its linked narrative, moving through empire, war, family expectations and the possibility of leaving for Australia.

“Victoria” begins with an energetic look backward, while “Some Mother's Son” makes the cost of war more personal. “Shangri-La” examines the comfort and limits of a settled suburban life. The band gives each scene a different musical scale, connecting the story through Davies's characters rather than a single repeating sound.