You Really Got Me

"You Really Got Me" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks, written by frontman Ray Davies and released as their third single in 1964. The song was the Kinks' breakthrough hit, establishing them as one of the top British Invasion acts in the United States. The song's novel use of power chords and distortion heavily influenced later rock musicians, particularly in the heavy metal and punk rock genres.^[1]

Built around a guitar riff played by Dave Davies in perfect fifths and octaves, the song was originally performed in a more blues-oriented style inspired by artists such as Lead Belly and Big Bill Broonzy.^[1] Davies described its lyrics as "a love song for street kids".^[2] Two versions were recorded, with the second performance used for the final single. Dave Davies performs the song's guitar solo; a debunked rumor held that it was performed by future Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.^[3]

The song was released in the UK on 4 August 1964 by Pye Records as the group's third single, and reached number one on the Record Retailer chart the following month, remaining there for two weeks. It was released in the US on 2 September by Reprise Records, reaching number seven. The following month, the song appeared on the Kinks' debut album, Kinks. American rock band Van Halen covered the song in their 1978 eponymous debut album; it was released as their first single and peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was also covered by American rock band Oingo Boingo in their 1981 album Only a Lad.