Listen to Ray Davies' new version of his 1971 Kinks tune “Oklahoma USA”

Dan Weir

7 years ago

Credit: Alex Lake

Credit: Alex LakeKinks frontman Ray Davies has debuted another track from his upcoming solo album, Our Country: Americana Act II, which will be released on June 29. The tune, which you can check out at Davies’ official VEVO YouTube channel, is a new version of “Oklahoma USA,” a song by Ray’s old band that originally appeared on the 1971 album Muswell Hillbillies.

The updated rendition features more atmospheric instrumentation than the original, provided by the veteran American alt-country group The Jayhawks. The track can be purchased as a digital single now and also is available via streaming platforms. In addition, fans who pre-order Our Country: Americana Act II will receive a free download of “Oklahoma USA” and of the album’s previously released lead track, “Our Country.”

As previously reported, Our Country: Americana Act II is a sequel to Davies’ 2017 concept album, Americana. Both records are companion pieces to Ray’s 2013 memoir, Americana.

Like the first Americana album, Our Country features Davies accompanied by The Jayhawks and his longtime guitarist Bill Shanley, while various other U.K. musicians also contribute to the new record.

Our Country boasts 16 new original tunes and three re-imagined versions of older Davies compositions: the aforementioned “Oklahoma USA”; “The Real World,” from Ray’s 2007 solo effort, Working Man’s Café; and “The Getaway,” which originally appeared on Davies’ 2006 record, Other People’s Lives.