Susannah's Still Alive
1967 single by Dave Davies
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"Susannah's Still Alive" ("Suzanah's Still Alive" on the original UK release) is a song by Dave Davies, released for his second solo single. The recording featured all of the Kinks' members as his backing band. It was a hit (peaking at No. 20 in the UK)[4] but it did not live up to the expectations of Davies' last single "Death of a Clown", which was a Top 5 hit.[4] It failed to chart in the US, but was a significant success in Europe, reaching No. 10 in the Netherlands, No. 27 in Germany, No. 18 in Belgium and No. 18 in Sweden.[4] Although it was never featured on an LP, its B-side "Funny Face" was included on the Kinks' 1967 album Something Else by the Kinks.
| "Susannah's Still Alive" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
West German picture sleeve | ||||
| Single by Dave Davies | ||||
| B-side | "Funny Face" | |||
| Released | 24 November 1967 | |||
| Recorded | October 1967[1] | |||
| Studio | Pye, London | |||
| Genre | Pop,[2] folk pop[3] | |||
| Length | 2:22 | |||
| Label | Pye | |||
| Songwriter | Dave Davies | |||
| Producer | Ray Davies | |||
| Dave Davies singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Although all original UK singles used the spelling 'Suzanah', in many other countries and on later compilation albums Suzannah or Susannah was used.
Personnel
According to band researcher Doug Hinman:[5]
The Kinks
- Dave Davies – lead vocal, electric guitar
- Ray Davies – acoustic guitar, piano, harmonica
- Pete Quaife – bass
- Mick Avory – drums
Additional musician
- Nicky Hopkins – piano[6]
Cardiacs version
| "Susannah's Still Alive" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Cardiacs | ||||
| Released | 5 September 1988[7] | |||
| Recorded | Summer 1988 | |||
| Studio | The Slaughterhouse (Yorkshire) | |||
| Label | Alphabet Business Concern | |||
| Songwriter | Dave Davies | |||
| Producer | Tim Smith | |||
| Cardiacs singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Susannah's Still Alive" is the fourth single and only cover version ever recorded by Cardiacs. As well as being released as a single, the track was also on the Kinks tribute album, Shangri-La - A Tribute to The Kinks.
Personnel
Credits adapted from the 12" liner notes.[8] Personnel according to Eric Benac:[9]
- Tim Smith – guitar, vocals
- Jim Smith – bass, vocals
- Sarah Smith – sax, vocals
- William D. Drake – keyboards, vocals
- Dominic Luckman – drums
- Tim Quy – percussion, vocals
Technical
- Tim Smith – production
- Roger Tebbutt – production assistance, engineering
Locations
- Recorded at the Slaughterhouse in Yorkshire, England in the Summer 1988
- "Blind in Safety and Leafy in Love" recorded under the bed
