The Kinks: Sunny Afternoon

Nicky Hopkins contributed piano and a melodica solo to this 1966 ditty, which topped the singles chart. Ray Davies says that producer Shel Talmy, who was also responsible for yesterday’s Who selection, ‘insisted that Nicky copy my plodding piano style. Other musicians would have been insulted but Nicky seemed to get inside my style, and he played exactly as I would have. No ego. Perhaps that was his secret.’