Wicked Annabella

"Wicked Annabella"
Song by the Kinks
from the album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
Released22 November 1968
RecordedJuly 1968
StudioPye, London
GenrePsychedelia, rock, acid rock
Length2:40
LabelPye
Songwriter(s)Ray Davies
Producer(s)Ray Davies
Official audio
"Wicked Annabella" on YouTube

"Wicked Annabella" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks from their 1968 album, The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968). Written by Ray Davies, it was recorded by the Kinks in July 1968. The song is Dave Davies's only lead vocal contribution on the album. It is one of several character studies on Village Green, recounting the wicked deeds of the local witch as a warning to children. Employing an eerie tone, its lyrics are darker than the rest of the album and have been likened by commentators to a dark fairy tale.

An example of psychedelia, the song includes guitar feedback and a long sustain, likely achieved through the use of an early solid-state amplifier, while Davies's lead vocal features heavy echo and reverb. Retrospective commentators have described the song as a departure from the relative calmness of Village Green and have often highlighted its guitar sound for praise.