Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: folk
Song Meaning of “This Strange Effect – Live at Aeolian Hall, 1965” by The Kinks
“This Strange Effect” by The Kinks speaks to the heartbreak, confusion, and surreal feeling that one has when their heart has been broken. The lyrics capture Ray Davies’ sentiment that, no matter how incredible you make a situation seem, no one can escape from the pain that comes with love.
The song begins with the line “It’s a strange effect that you have on me,” which appears to be a direct reference to the strange, sad, and wistful emotions that love can bring. The lyrics suggest that the person feels that they can’t escape these emotions, no matter how hard they try. The narrator notes that “no matter how I try, I can’t deny that you haunt my dreams.”
The chorus is simple yet powerful, and it drives home the point of the song. The narrator is trying to understand why their former lover had such a strange, inexplicable effect on them, and they feel as though they will never understand. The lyrics capture this feeling perfectly: “Will I ever know the reason why, why you had this strange effect on me.”
The simplicity of the song’s structure and lyrics make it all the more powerful, as it captures the emotions of heartbreak and confusion so accurately. Despite all of the difficult emotions that come with love, this song remains hopeful by suggesting that there is still a way to move on from the experience and that it will not always be painful. The song ends with the emphatic phrase “You won’t have this strange effect on me no more.” This triumphant statement sends a message of hope and resilience, and it is a fitting end to this melancholy song.