Dave Davies Responds to Moby’s “Transphobic” Label for The Kinks’ “Lola”

Dave Davies has publicly countered comments from musician Moby, who recently labeled The Kinks’ 1970 single “Lola” as “gross and transphobic.” The exchange, playing out in the press, centers on the interpretation of a song long considered a landmark in popular music’s engagement with gender fluidity.

Moby’s criticism came as part of The Guardian’s “Honest Playlist” column, where he stated the song came up on a Spotify playlist and he found the lyrics “unevolved.” He did not specify which lines prompted his reaction. The song’s narrator describes an encounter with Lola, who “walked like a woman and talked like a man,” culminating in the famous couplet: “Girls will be boys and boys will be girls / It’s a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world.”

In response, Dave Davies, the band’s guitarist and co-founder, offered a brief rebuttal. “I think Moby should listen to the message of the song more clearly,” Davies told Stereogum. “It’s a song about tolerance and acceptance, and I think that’s what Ray was trying to say.” His defense aligns with the stated intent of his brother, songwriter Ray Davies, who has historically framed “Lola” as a sympathetic portrait. In past interviews, Ray Davies has said he conducted research with drag queens and intended to express admiration for self-determination.

The controversy highlights the ongoing tension between a work’s original context and contemporary reappraisals. Released in 1970, “Lola” was notably bold for its time, navigating BBC censorship due to a veiled reference to “Coca-Cola” being heard as a brand placement. Its ambiguous treatment of gender and sexuality has, for decades, been cited by music historians as an early, if complicated, step toward LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream rock.

Moby’s critique reflects a modern lens applied to a classic text, questioning whether the song’s language and perspective hold up. The debate is less about a single artist’s opinion and more about how cultural artifacts are re evaluated as social understanding evolves. Dave Davies’s reply underscores the enduring belief of its creators in the song’s fundamentally tolerant message, even as that message is now subject to new scrutiny.

No further comment has been offered by Ray Davies or Moby at this time. The discussion ensures “Lola” remains a live reference point in conversations about art, history, and the standards by which we judge both.