What Did Kinks Really Think of Van Halen’s ‘You Really Got Me’?

In January 1978, Van Halen released their debut single, a cover of the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me.” The tune became a radio hit and helped launch Van Halen’s career – but what did the Kinks think of it?

Van Halen’s interpretation of the tune deviated notably from the original, giving the classic track some hair metal flare. Among the biggest differences, Eddie Van Halen’s monstrous guitar riffage, which propelled the high-octane cover.

Van Halen originally discovered “You Really Got Me” when they were playing club gigs on the Sunset Strip. “Back in our bar days, I bought a double-album from K-Tel or something that had 30 Kinks tunes on it,” David Lee Roth recalled in the book Van Halen: Exuberant California, Zen Rock ‘n’ Roll. “We learned all of one side and played them into the dirt during the club gigs, twice a night each one, because they sounded good and they were great to dance to.”

The Kinks’ Reaction to Van Halen’s Cover

When the Kinks’ Dave Davies heard Van Halen’s version of “You Really Got Me” for the first time, he was taken back.

“Why would they copy our recording?” the guitarist wondered, noting it was a “very flashy” rendition. “They almost [made it] more R&B,” Dave opined during an appearance on the Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan podcast.

READ MORE: Ranking Van Halen’s 10 Cover Songs

In other interviews, the guitarist was more harsh, chastising Van Halen for their “stadium rock” sound, “tight trousers” and “swanky” style.

Kinks singer Ray Davies, on the other hand, was more complimentary of the cover. “It was a big hit for them and put them on a career of excess and sent them on the road,” the frontman noted in 2014. “So I enjoyed that one.”