[9] Music historian Jonathan Bellman sees it as the first Western rock song to integrate Indian raga sounds, citing its release four months ahead of the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)", which includes a sitar part.

[10] In his interviews at the time of the song's release, Ray Davies told journalists Maureen Cleave and Keith Altham that "See My Friends" was about homosexuality.

"[5] Shel Talmy, the Kinks' producer during the early part of their career,[15] has said that "See My Friends" was inspired by Jon Mark.

The issued "See My Friends" exhibits a good deal of tape hiss, due to multiple overdubs and running the recording through a compressor for effect.

The song features Ray or Dave [Davies] on a 12-string guitar, played close to the amp to achieve the droning feedback effect.

[19] According to Peter Lavezzoli in his book The Dawn of Indian Music in the West, it was Talmy who suggested the band add the droning effect.

[21] While Davies and Talmy wanted "See My Friends" to be the Kinks' next single, Larry Page, the group's former producer, planned to release the previously recorded "Ring the Bells".

[27] Reprise Records released the single in United States on 29 September 1965,[28][nb 3] and it was included on the US-only album Kinkdom later in the year.

[11] More impressed, Billboard's reviewer described the song as an "exciting and intriguing slow rhythm number that will fast spiral up the chart".

[38] Lavezzoli recognises "See My Friends" as the first example of sustained Indian-style drone in rock and "the first pop song to evoke an Indian feel".

[39] The single was influential on the Kinks' contemporaries in the UK pop scene at a time when other musicians embraced Indian sounds.

[40] It anticipated the widespread popularity of raga rock, a style pursued by bands such as the Beatles, the Byrds and the Rolling Stones.

[40][41] London artist, writer and musician Barry Fantoni, a longstanding friend of Davies,[42] recalled playing the track to the Beatles and cited this as the inspiration for them to incorporate drone in "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)", which also included a sitar part.

[43] Recorded in February that year and released as a single in April, "Ticket to Ride" used a subtle, drug-inspired drone suggestive of India, played on rhythm guitar,[44] and a melody that MacDonald terms "raga-like".