Lyrics of
A Well Respected Man

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.

Cos he gets up in the morning and he goes to work at nine
And he comes back home at five thirty, gets the same train every time
Cos his world is built on punctuality, it never fails

Cos he's oh so good, and he's oh so fine
And he's oh so healthy in his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively

And his mother goes to meetings while his father pulls the maid
And she stirs the tea with councillors while discussing foreign trade
And she passes looks as well as bills at every suave young man

Cos he's oh so good, and he's oh so fine
And he's oh so healthy in his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively

And he likes his own backyard and he likes his fags the best
Cos he's better than the rest and his arm sweat smells the best
And he hopes to grab his father's loot when Pater passes on

Cos he's oh so good, and he's oh so fine
And he's oh so healthy in his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively

And he plays the stocks and shares and he goes to a regatta
He adores the girl next door cos he's dying to get at her
But his mother knows the best about the matrimonial stakes

Cos he's oh so good, and he's oh so fine
And he's oh so healthy in his body and his mind
He's a well respected man about town
Doing the best things so conservatively