Kicks Lyrics by Paul Revere and the Raiders

[ravenkiller1]

Now playing in the Baltimore Ravens lockerroom

[bkpaguy]

@ravenkiller1 lololololololololololololololo­lololololololololololololololo­lolololololololololololol!

[OscarBravoUSA]

To my knowledge this was the first big anti-drug hit. Meanwhile in Oct. 2011, a Gallup poll stated, for the first time ever, a majority of Americans supported the legalization of marijuana. The times have certainly changed - and not always for the better.

[MickJaggeranKieth]

This is so relevant.

[rbraxley]

Yes, this band should be in the RR HOF, without doubt. One of the great 60s bands, but also, somehow, largely forgotten. (Thanks YouTube.)

[TheMustangsally75]

@rbraxley

WTF!!! They're NOT!!!? Time to write a letter!

[lancezimmerman]

I HEAR A NA AND AA MESSAGE IN THIS SONG.... NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO YOU WILL NEVER GET AWAY FROM YOU........

[TheMustangsally75]

Did you know he wrote this song about his then girlfriend who was WAY too into the drug scene of the sixties?

[boboskiwattentotten]

RIP Amy Winehouse :(

[surfraptor]

Was Sarah Palin born yet? ;)

Could have been written for her, the nutcase ...

[TheStampedehero]

This band was from Oregon!! Yea! My favorite Raider songs (not in order) Ups and Downs, Him or Me..,.Kicks, Hungry, Louise, Tighter, Oh Moreen, Good Thing, Free, Communication, Movin On. The jackass RnR induction Committee accepted Iggy Pop, The Cure,U2 and many bland groups. The Raiders and other great bands were not considered prior to and so the Rock Hall is BOGUS. Your Opinion?

[Countrychiddler]

One of the great bands from the 60's.

[1962drob]

@Countrychiddler Definately one of the best rock bands of the '60's.

[maddi206]

Yeah, Mark was hot back then. I loved their sound. They were good, good!!! I was still about 13 but I had an ear for talent!!!

[1950bba]

What a different message than most groups presented in the 60's---Thank you Paul revere and the Raiders

[TheFiveEmprees]

forget who played on the recording. My group played with them at the Wisconsin state fair ant the group was outrageous....very good entertainers. Even the Beach Boys used other musicians---

[spinat45]

Great anti-drug song, anthem of the 60s!!

[capitolemiproducer]

News flash: The Band only sang on their records. This is another Wrecking Crew production. Like the Beach Boys, Mamas and Papas, Gary Lewis and Playboys ect.. Sorry to break everyones bubble, credit should be given to those who really played on the records. Almost all American hits were made by the Crew. Look it up and be amazed

[Lolyf55]

@capitolemiproducer Oh man, Dude do you have to burst all our bubbles ? This is all we have left of our past! Please don't rain on our Parade. Save your bad breath for something else.

[tightfistedtitans]

this song is genius! Thank you so much for posting the lyrics. I could not have said it any better. pure genius

[katybelle9]

my god this is wonderful!!! what memories. mark prabably has letters i wrote him EVERYDAY for about 3 years!! i was a teen obsessed!

[TheBlueCream]

fabulous song...

[1964jazzbass]

" No, you don't need kicks

To help you face the world each day "

Kicks only refers to drugs ?

( sorry I'm not english... )

[iAthie]

@1964jazzbass Yup.

[sullenday]

@1964jazzbass

Well it seems to be 60's American colloquialism for "getting your kicks" through drugs. Like The Cramps song "I need a new kind a kiiccckkk". However "getting your kicks" is an outmoded term that only our parents are familiar with using, along with such terms as "boss" "groovy" "far out" etc; however, kids are now bringing back fashions and expressions of yore (the 60's). I've noticed hipster chicks are cutting their hair with those tight bangs a la bettie page.

[trukman333]

my favorite song by a super group of the 60`s .....my mom use to yell at me about playing it over and over to learn it lol..good times ..glad i was raised in the 60`s

[mjcamck71]

Just like the fact that not ALL of us 60's Peace & Social activists did drugs, not ALL pop groups were glorifying them.. PAUL REVERE & RAIDERS BELONG IN THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME for their creative costuming, tunes that stick in one's head and for recording an ANTI-DRUG SONG. Who knows how many teens it spared from dead end substance abuse? I play it for my own children and so far, we're good. PEACE & LOVE, BREAD & JUSTICE for All.

[ktbaby077]

this is really cool

[zappatx]

The only thing comparable was unknown Steve How's first band called BODAST in UK.. But this is flippin awesome!

[a51hawks]

What a band:-) They are better than most bands nowadays, I really miss this music of this period ot time. I am glad I got to live through it. Put them in the Rock & Roll.

[bender1958]

@a51hawks Yes put the Raiders in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

[MrMotownmanny]

Have a bowl of KIX Corn Puffs Cereal, and you"ll find, It' whole grain , nutricious, gives Mom peace of mind. Have a bowl at breakfast, or have it late, KIX, the cereal tastes GREAAAAT!!. Have a bowl of KIX .. then just add milk Girl/

[mjcamck]

KICKS was an important song. At a time when the drug culture was considered cool, this major pop group put out an anti-drug song. My children have become big Raiders Fans Also!

[khj93play]

This song was released when I was 10. I did not know that it was an anti-drug song I just know that I loved it and I thought that the Raiders were so cool. They had their own look and style that set them apart from the rest of the American groups that surrendered to the Brits.

[okgal888]

Relative . . . all these many years later! Great song!

[doghousemine]

Mark was a damn good vocalist. He had a voice with some gravel and guts and gave the band an edge it wouldn't have had otherwise. What was written for them musically was pretty lightweight but his vocals gave them a distinction that would have made most edgier bands proud to have had him as a front man. Kicks one of my all time favorite songs.

[tinamarconi]

@doghousemine I have to totally agree with you. And I have been around a while...Ejoying this even more thanwhen it came out. Cool song all around...yup.

[Lolyf55]

Liven in Idaho, Mark knows , you don't need Kicks. Whatever you think it means. Yes I spelled it liven on purpose.

[doublelou86]

i i used to listen to this music wheni was 15 along with cream, blind faith, kicks is about someone who was trying to find themselves like so many of us back then great song ill never forget it

[alienhuman]

Kicks was written as an anti-drug song.

[bigbadredsox]

@alienhuman

Good comment!

[shadowbeliefisme]

believe it or not there were ANTI drug groups back in the 60s not everyone was a Heavy Head!

[zalman595]

First of all, this is just on eof the great records of pre-psychedelic sixites pop. Secondly, Mark Lindsay, to my mind, was always a vastly underrated singer -- with a great rock sensibility. I always tell people to go back and listen to cuts like this, "Just like me" and "hungry" with fresh ears. Just a great singer.

[camelguy12]

actually was an anti drug song..strange for that era

[Freespeech1776]

Correct, at my age I remember, glad u too.

[3946greeneyes]

The look and sound of these guys is timeless. If you never seen them before you would not know from what era they were. That is probably why the Raiders were hard to catagorize, therefore never getting the recognition they deserved. To people who do remember them from the "Were the Action Is" and their many chart hits, it does not make them any less important . Paul Revere and the Raiders were one of the greatest American Bands of the 60's!

[notwaiting]

Such an epic song about the times, but way ahead of them!

Thanks for posting!

[rowdymax1]

Besides the Beatles and Elvis, Three Dog Night was the biggest Top 40 hitmakers ever. 13 top 10's and 22 top 40's.

[Aldebaron9]

LSD ????

[TIO540S1]

This is a band way ahead of its time both musically and lyrically.

[woozy11285]

lol of course this song was ahead of its time.......its an anti drug song from the 60's : )

[rslitman]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but this song was written by the famous songwriting team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. They also wrote the Raiders' next hit, "Hungry".

[PAULLONDEN]

Yeah -rslitman- you'were the second ,and now I'm the third that says 'Lyrics by Cynthia Weil & Barry Mann,that brilliant "Brill Building"songwriter team, they wrote many hits for The Animals & Herman's Hermits too

[lthpd]

"Kicks" is widely regarded as the first "anti-drug" rock song. Fact.

[70sforever1]

Great song! Still stands the test of time!!!!

[wscotty9]

why is alot of today's music so ugly, nasty, angry and bad?

[oranger2525]

because sometimes this is an ugly world., and the artists of today are willing to talk about it.

[ktbaby077]

@wscotty9 maybe because that's what your looking for

[TheBogband]

Best band to come out of America

[oranger2525]

Really -- better then the Eagles,Chicago, Aerosmith, GnR, Nirvana or CCR?

Look, I love PR&R,but get real.

[IncensePeppermints68]

anyone is better than nirvana and gnr

[rslitman]

The Raiders almost always beat the Eagles. It was true on January 25, 1981, it was true 14 years later on September 24, 1995, and it is still true 14 years after that on October 18, 2009 (the date on which this is being posted).

[rslitman]

My post was meant in jest, with a double meaning connected to U.S. football.

I don't know how the Raiders stack up against Chicago. Perhaps it bears looking into.

[rslitman]

Also, the Eagles do beat the Raiders sometimes, such as November 30, 1986.

[rowdymax1]

lmao...yeah, with Jaws at QB and Fred Barnett at WR.

[oranger2525]

LOL. yesterday's game was quite a suprise too.

[violator79]

You're also forgetting Creedance Clearwater....THE best band America ever had IMO.

[oranger2525]

I mentioned them --they are sometimes refered to as CCR. Or as we called them back in the day; "Creedence"

They're among the top two or three best /greatest American bands of alltime.

With all due respect too PR&R.

[violator79]

Oh yeah I see where you mentioned them. I just overlooked it. My fault. At least you have good taste in music and for that I thank you.

[zalman595]

An argument cna be made for the Raiders. Even though not purely "a band,": I would have to nominate the Beach Boys led by the genius Brian Wilson, or even Frank Zappa and the Mothers, another stone cold genius. Eagles? Exccellent, but very derivative. Chicago -- top-selling elevator music. Aerosmith-- basic Stones rip-off rock band. Axlel Rose? Caterwailing banshee. Cobain? Sang like he needed to take a shit. Creedence? Fogarty's a pretty good singer. Lindsay? Very underrated GREAT rock singer.

[oranger2525]

Mark Lindsay was "PR&TR. Without him, what?

Some of the artists i mentioned may not and will not ever be in the RnR HoF.

But PR&TR do not belong.; ever. Also on the never list - the Monkees and KISS,

And I'm not a big Eagles fan, but if you don't think they belong, I'm dumbfounded.

And if GnR doesn't go in rthe first year, there is no such thing as rock and roll.. GnR was a Rock Band.

The Raiders were bubblegum.

[zalman595]

Hi, Orange. I'll give you CCR because Fogarty was an excellent vocalist. PR &R had a bubblegum image-- but when you put that aside and just listen with a musician's ears, Lindsay was a great rock vocalist. In addition, the record production was outstanding. Granted, GNR are a true Rock band, and maybe it's because I'm an old guy, but Axel always sounded like he was singing with his nuts caught in a vise and Cobain (like so many grunge rockers) sounded like he was trying to squeeze out a shit.

[oranger2525]

first of all, i love PR&TR. I also think David Cassidy as good as Jon Bon Jovi, along w/Lindsay. but Bon Jovi is going to be in.

PR&TR music sounds as good to me as it did when I was in the 5/6th grade. It's outstanding pop/rock.

But there is just not enough of it to get to the RnR HoF.

Speaking of the RnR HoF, I'm steamed that Heart is not in. And Joan Jett. But as someone said - she probably doesn't give a flying...

Benatar? Yes. Jounney? Yes. but that's not going to happen

[TheMustangsally75]

@zalman595

LOL!!!

[attra91]

This was the first anti-drug song made!

[cinderiffic]

sorry but it seems like both u & i are rite

[cinderiffic]

this song is about drugs

[mojodubb88]

real music!!!!!!

[cinderiffic]

except for the fact that they / the kids mix their kicks / pills with alcohol & go out & drive cars & almost kill themseves & or others

[cinderiffic]

actually not much has changed

[Safenut]

The message of this song is probably more true today than it was back then.Thanks for posting.

[amriirma]

yes vrgniamailman, I think he is right!!! I always loved this songtoo, but never payed real attention to the lyrics. I have a kind of alcoholproblem (kick), and after founding the lyrics, I played it very often! Sometimes it helps me to make my kick less obviate, Thanks bkpaguy!

[VrgniaMailman]

I always loved this song, and as a 30-something in the 1980s, I went to some show and at least one of the Raiders was there, I think the lead singer. He played and sang this song, then explained that it was the first anti-drug rock-n-roll song ever made.

[metaletech]

Why does the guitar intro get cut off ? That's the best part.

[rembrandt4u]

As a kid, I saw them put on a great show at the grand opening of a mall. Quintessential 60's.

[kargocult]

A standout guitar figure + lyrics you can actually hear, and that make actual sense

in a few words.

[mkl62]

Sad to learn of the death of Drake Levin. He was the same age as Farrah Fawcett. I would like to think that when he crossed over, Farrah, along with Michael Jackson and Sky Saxon (The Seeds) were there to greet him. This hit, by the way, was recorded by The Monkees in 1986 on their 20th Anniversary LP.

[Enlightenedpsych2]

Wow, I missed that headline thanks for the heads up on his passing. Of course Farrah and Sky were there to greet the great Drake, Michael was no where to be found . . .

[mkl62]

Drake probably welcomed Billy Lee Riley, who also left us last week.

[TheManaconda]

Also some of the best music ever recorded was created by musicians that were under the influence of drugs or addicted to drugs. This song blows because it was played by a bunch of pussies dressing up like revolutionary faggots that were anti drug because they are probably ignorant warriors for christ.

[TruthinFilm]

OOOOHHHH you are one sick puppy

Shick Shadel is still open and you can still grab 5-10 years of clarity if you open your eyes TODAY.

Otherwise you have stolen ALL the oxygen you've sucked for the last 40 years

[TheManaconda]

What a bunch of pussies. They look like faggots in those costumes too.

[lockwpa]

Saw these guys in 1965 in Syracuse New York with Keith Allison as the warmup. Great show. Love all their songs!

[pussbuss]

Rest in peace Drake Levin. May Jesus bless your family.

[runway27r]

R.I.P Drake Levin, Guitars for the group

[maryquant1967]

3 days ago? this was just on the front page of the ny times today.

RIP Drake Levin and thanks.

[Bonjour3293]

cool!

love it :)

[JKBMK]

way ahead of its time for the 60's

[chengloki]

JK, this was the first "Just say NO song". =Stefan=

[pietrogutta]

before you find out it's too late, girl you better get straight

[youthworker2]

they ARE STILL having fun in Branson

[roxyxena100]

So friggin awesome! I always wanted to wear one of those Raider suits! And the music was so damn good for the time! These guys had some fun! Still love it so much-music when music meant something!

[LeotheOrangeCat]

I'm an addict; I don't find it preachy

Kicks are harder to find but can be found, but finding them is the road to nowhere

[aliciastef]

What an awesome find and share mission507 !!!!

[anitashelby]

What a Great Song!!! Thanks Erik & bkpaguy...Anita

[lchunt55]

I grew up with Paul Revere and the Raiders.

Hullaballo and Shindig...wasnt there a guitar player named Fang??

[Coolpal38]

Even after 40 years I have to agree with some of the comments here.

[oranger2525]

i love sound/vibe of the song.

and the raiders rule..

but really; what preachy little song.

[HankLandMan]

It was written by Mann & Weil regarding Gerry Goffin's problems with drugs. It's a fantastic song.

[HankLandMan]

It's not a "preachy" song. The song is basically about someone confronting a loved one that has hit rock bottom with their addiction. They are at their wits end with them and either wasn't able to help them in other ways or are just fed up.

[HankLandMan]

You're just not getting it. This is about what those surrounding the addict go through. Again, this song is not a sit-down-stop-taking-drugs-now type of thing. When you listen to the song you can get the emotional impact on those affected by the person they are talking about in the song.

You're reading too much into the song saying it's a straight-forward "Don't do drugs" song. It's not.

[HankLandMan]

ROFL, look I'm sorry if you have issues with drugs and whatnot but you need some help. Why can't you just enjoy this song about someone seeing their loved one go through dependency. It's a great pop/rock song from a great era by a great songwriting team. It really is that simple.

[colomom]

Could you do one of these for "Good Thing" by the Raiders?

[PAULLONDEN]

Nice AM sound here ♫

[68enxy]

With all the high school and college kids OD ing on drugs, this song should be reintroduced.

[JimDoris73]

In the the 60's Paul Revere and the Raiders used to be on this TV show called where the Action Is every Saturday. The were very underated as a band.

[PAULLONDEN]

Yeah,but not as a singles band,where most instruments were being played by a host of ace sessionmen ,like Ry Cooder,

and some more of Terry Melcher's friends.

Great sounds they made ♫

[abcbraveheart]

This was a great pop song, and I love the way Mark Lindsey sang this tune with so much conviction. It has a timeless element to it because it's really true: You can't run away from you," and if you do, "there's a price to pay."

[likesspice73]

amen, tried to teach that to a young lady, she enver got the message so I ahd to walk away, I still feel sad.

[wjv4me]

Great song-thanks!

[rvisual]

Another great Raiders tune, another great bass line

[brooklyn0423]

good song

[brooklyn0423]

good song

[himycatsdead]

I can't understand why one of the younger bands today has not done a cover of this song? It is perhaps one of the most perfect pop-songs ever written!

[malikscifi92]

oh no don't even mention THEM on here

they'd just screw it up and make it unlistenable

[zourz44]

Haha, that's funny yet so true!

[HandaCarr]

Mention who?

[timnolan1972]

Anti-drug song

[jdcovington]

First time we saw the Raiders in Atlanta it must a been 65-66 maybe. I know we did not know who they were, BUT they ROCKED. I remember Fang in particular.

[alonenjersey]

Maybe they(the allmighty networks) are waiting for someone more up to date like Springsteen or Kravitz.

[alonenjersey]

I wonder if folks back then were able to understand the message.

[bartonone2005]

I remember hearing this song on the radio as a teenager and it's strong anti-drug message was very clear to me. It was during the height of the sixties drug craze. Why this song was not promoted on it's anti-drug stance always seemed strange to me.

[filthyphillyboy]

I was like 16, and dumb as I was, yeah, it was easy to see their was a warning there.

[wjv4me]

Love this song-we had it on our jukebox at home-always played it. Thanks for sharing it.

Actually, all of their songs ROCKED!

[thepaddywagonishere]

This was the first anti-drug song by a rock band.

[SabrinaMessenger]

The lyrics are just as true today as they were back in the 60s!

[FireGoat67]

I believe this was the first anti-drug hit song.

[winciepoo]

Love the Raiders! Always have, always will.

[moondogs61]

absolute classic---wonderful group

[moxie96]

I never liked the Monkees version from the late 80's...

[rayallin]

Kicks Lyrics and music were NOT written by Paul Revere & The Raiders it along with their other smash hit "Hungry" were both written by the brilliant song writing team of Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil out of NY.

[idontfitintonobox]

good ole heroin you betefr get staright

[oceanbound222]

Totally coooool song !!!!!!!

[DeeGVero]

Good comment on when good drugs go bad and eveything got ugly. There was still time to make it all good again....

[ibZippinit]

I gotta unzippit to say - Oh!! Thank You!!! Very Much!!!! And perfect timing for a Mother's Day surprise, far-out and okie-dokes, and its all good:)with me. Gots ta love this.