Garage Rock

This cautionary tale about drug use was written by the husband and wife team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. They wrote it for The Animals as a follow-up to “We Gotta Get Out of this Place,” but Eric Burdon did not care for it. Paul Revere & The Raiders recorded it instead as a single in 1966 and then included it on their album Midnight Ride. The song went to #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, #3 on Cash Box, and #1 in Canada. “Kicks” is on Rolling Stone magazine’s “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”

Paul Revere & The Raiders formed in Boise, Idaho, by organist Paul Revere Dick. On this track are Drake Levin (lead guitar, backing vocals), Mark Lindsay (lead vocals), Paul Revere (organ, backing vocals), Hal Blaine (drums), and Phil Volk (bass guitar, backing vocals). Terry Melcher was the producer.

Here are the lyrics to “Kicks” by Paul Revere and the Raiders:

“Girl, you thought you found the answer
On that magic carpet ride last night
But when you wake up in the mornin’
The world still gets you uptight
Well, there’s nothin’ that you ain’t tried
To fill the emptiness inside
When you come back down, girl
Still ain’t feelin’ right

And don’t it seem like
Kicks just keep gettin’ harder to find
And all your kicks ain’t bringin’ you peace of mind
Before you find out it’s too late, girl
You better get straight
No, but not with kicks you just need help, girl

Well you think you’re gonna find yourself
A little piece of paradise
But it ain’t happened yet, so girl, you better think twice
Don’t you see no matter what you do
You’ll never run away from you
And if you keep on runnin’ you’ll have to pay the price

And don’t it seem like
Kicks just keep gettin’ harder to find
And all your kicks ain’t bringin’ you peace of mind
Before you find out it’s too late, girl
You better get straight

No, you don’t need kicks
To help you face the world each day
That road goes nowhere
I’m gonna help you find yourself another way

Kicks just keep gettin’ harder to find
And all your kicks ain’t bringin’ you peace of mind
(Oh, you don’t need kicks, girl)
Before you find out it’s too late, girl
You better get straight
(You just need help, girl)

Kicks just keep gettin’ harder to find
And all your kicks ain’t bringin’ you peace of mind
(Oh, you don’t need kicks, girl)
Before you find out it’s too late, girl
You better get straight
(You just need help, girl)”

If you are interested in reading about and listening to other songs by Paul Revere and The Raiders, please click here for “Just Like Me” and “Hungry.”

Check Out The Groove Pad for More 1960s Music

The Pass the Paisley Groove Pad is a resting stop, a place to chill out and listen to the featured song on the stereo. If the mood strikes you, click on the juke box to access and listen to the 50+ free online songs there. The TV has several channels, with selections updated twice a week. Every now and then, Pass the Paisley hosts an all-request of 1960s and 1970s songs for a Be-In at the juke box in the Groove Pad. Keep on truckin’. Hope you enjoyed “Kicks” by Paul Revere and The Raiders.