Lincoln County (song)

"Lincoln County" was recorded around the sessions of The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society, and, like "Death of a Clown" and "Susannah's Still Alive", featured all of the members of the Kinks participating.[1]

Dave Davies' third solo 45 had a checkered history, two release dates came and went before it was released, contrary to popular belief the single was not released and withdrawn, although a handful of promo copies were date stamped with the previous release dates. The delays were partly down to PYE not wanting competing Kinks' product and the Kinks' uncertainty of what their next single would be and it was left waiting in the wings until an appropriate gap in the release schedule became available. "Lincoln County" was eventually released in June 1968, backed with "There Is No Life Without Love". Unlike the previous two Dave Davies singles ("Death of a Clown" and "Susannah's Still Alive"), the single flopped internationally and at home, only hitting #15 on the Dutch Singles Chart and missing the charts elsewhere. There was only modest promotion of the single by PYE, but surprisingly it did get good airplay on the BBC's fledgling Radio 1 as well a promotional film recorded to support its release. After this, Davies would only release one more single ("Hold My Hand") before putting his solo career on hold until 1980 (despite some solo dablings in the mid '70s after the Kinks own recording studios Konk opened in 1973) with his album Dave Davies (referred to in the US as AFL1-3603.)

"Lincoln County" would have likely appeared on any Dave Davies solo album had it appeared in the second half of the 1960s, but an album was never released. It however has since appeared on numerous compilations including The Album That Never Was and the reissues of Something Else by the Kinks from 1997 onwards. Most notably it appeared on 2011's "Hidden Treasures" in remastered stereo, this album finally brought the whole tortured saga of the lost 1960s Dave Davies solo album into full public gaze.

"Lincoln County" has generally received positive reviews from critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic cited the song as a highlight from the Dave Davies compilation album Hidden Treasures.[2] Richie Unterberger, also of AllMusic, called the track a highlight from The Album That Never Was.[3] Author Andy Miller called the single "fabulous."[1]