Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) is a concept album by British rock band The Kinks. It was released in 1969. The concept of Arthur is a man named Arthur and his family emigrate from England to Australia. The songs describe the England that Arthur once knew, what he'll find in Australia and the death of his brother in the Battle of the Somme in WWI, among other things. The album was written as a potential soundtrack to a film following approximately the same storyline, however, the film was never produced.

Track Listing

All songs written by Ray Davies.

1. "Victoria" - 3:40
2. "Yes Sir, No Sir" - 3:46
3. "Some Mother's Son" - 3:25
4. "Drivin'" - 3:21
5. "Brainwashed" - 2:34
6. "Australia" - 6:46
7. "Shangri-La" - 5:20
8. "Mr. Churchill Says" - 4:42
9. "She Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina" - 3:07
10. "Young And Innocent Days" - 3:21
11. "Nothing To Say" - 3:08
12. "Arthur" - 5:27

Song Notes

Dave Davies has stated in interviews that he feels "Shangri-La" to be one of the best songs ever written by Ray Davies.

Personnel

• Ray Davies - Vocals, guitar
• Dave Davies - Guitar, harmonica, keyboards, vocals
• John Dalton - Bass guitar, background vocals
• Mick Avory - Drums
• John Gosling - Keyboards

Personnel - Production

• Dave Davies - Producer
• Lew Warburton - Conductor
• Andrew Hendriksen - Engineer
• Brian Humphries - Engineer on "Drivin'"
• Bob Lawrie - Album art