Article
May 1, 2026
THOM
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Song 05: "Won't Stand Down" (1st May 2026)

There will be two songs for o\i in May. The first is – as you might expect – a rather calm track. But also one that radiates great optimism.

Bright-Side Mix
Dark-Side Mix
Piano Version

overview of the o\i article series

May 2026 has two full moons and will therefore bring us two new o\i songs. As a result, from June onwards, the release schedule will also shift from the beginning to the end of the month.

Speaking about 'Won't Stand Down', Gabriel says: "It's really a song to encourage some sort of activism. […] I think we need people who can just nudge both us and our leaders and keep alive some basic values of justice, compassion and democracy – a hope that can help us start envisioning a just, peaceful and fairer world."

Lyrics

The lyrics are an encouraging call to action, evoking a sense of unity that may not exist in reality, but which should. At its core, the message is not to stand still, but to work together towards a tangibly better future. The chorus therefore declares: "But we won't stand down till there's something better".

It also states that the servants of the people have forgotten how to serve – and in the finale, that even if every brutal act appalls us and the cries are buried, the spirit calls inside us.

It is also interesting that Gabriel questions whether "containers, maps and mirrors" can hold all the human race, whilst the planet's smartest minds have no human face. This is an interesting observation on his part, given that there have already been accusations that he is too enthusiastic and fixated on technologies such as artificial intelligence.

Artwork

The artwork accompanying the first song of May this time is a photograph. It has, however, been further processed. The image is called Faith and is by the Iranian artist Shirin Neshat.

Born in 1957 in Qazvin, she grew up in a Western-oriented environment, attended a Catholic boarding school in Tehran and was even allowed to go to college. To study art, she went to the USA in 1979, where she obtained two degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, in Fine Art and Performing Arts.

A year after Khomeini's death, Neshat returned to the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1990. Her inner and outer circumstances there led to her photo series Women of Allah (1993–1997), in which a woman – sometimes armed – is depicted in floor-length traditional dress. The photographs are also accompanied by calligraphic texts.

In 1996, this photo series also gave rise to her first video, Anchorage. From then on, she devoted herself increasingly to film and video art, and from 2009 she also began directing feature films. Her central theme is the situation of women in the Muslim world.

Neshat now lives in New York City and Berlin (and it is truly astonishing how many of the i/o\i artists have a connection to Germany).

Her pair of photographs, Bonding and Faith, date from 1996; the latter was selected for Won't Stand Down. Both show a child's hands and, around them, those of a woman. In Faith, both pairs form the customary gesture for Islamic prayer. The text, inscribed in calligraphy in Farsi, translates as: "Give me a hand so I can be held."

Gabriel says that, for him, the image represents to protect a positive future for our kids.

You can find out more about the o\i artworks and the artists behind them in our separate article.

Bright-Side Mix – 1st Mai 2026

Words and Music by Peter Gabriel
Produced by Peter Gabriel
Mixed by Mark 'Spike' Stent
Mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis Studios
Engineering by Faye Dolle, Katie May, Dom Shaw
Additional engineering by Oli Middleton, Erica Block, Alex Wilders, Abe Rounds
Assistant engineering by Charles Hughes, Xav Sinden, Maisy Preece
Recorded at Real World Studios, Bath and The Beehive, London & Phantom Studios, Gallatin, TN

Drums – Manu Katché
Additional Drums – Abe Rounds
Rhythm Programming – Peter Gabriel, Mike Elizondo
Percussion – Abe Rounds
Bass – Tony Levin
Electric & Acoustic Guitar – David Rhodes
Backing vocals – Faye Dolle
Piano, Synths, Synth strings, Synth flute, vocals – Peter Gabriel

Length 6:07

A serious topic is presented in a light-hearted manner. No combative rhetoric, but rather an optimistic vision.

Gabriel says: "I think people generally respond much better to positive pictures of what's coming than they do when they are bombarded and scared by negative ones. We are much more likely to engage if we feel hope."

Music

The opening string note is warm – but doesn't it also convey a sense of tension?

Then, however, a cheerful, rolling rhythm sets in, spreading a sense of positive confidence at a relatively leisurely pace. Over this lie intricate runs, predominantly high notes – it is likely their timbre that reminds some listeners of the 80s. In any case, everything surges forward with a light, springy quality and complete unwavering determination.

Musically, the song remains largely unchanged, with no major shifts in tempo or dynamics. It continues to flow gently but unchecked. There is just a brief instrumental section in which a few high notes are initially played on a piano. Short runs that seem cheerful and almost naive. In the second half, a synth backdrop joins in, and a sense of warmth shines through in the lower registers.

Towards the end, the arrangement thickens with additional keyboards, continuing to move forward. It is not entirely easy to find an egress of such consistency. A fade-out would be simple, but Gabriel opts for a conclusion – one that perhaps slips in a little abruptly.

Personnel

Even though the track manages with a surprisingly small line-up, it isn't really a band song. The rhythm programming plays too central a role, making Won't Stand Down more of a textural track. Mike Elizondo has worked on it once again, and it is likely thanks to him that Abe Rounds is also featured, contributing additional drums and percussion.

Gabriel mentions that both will also feature in later o\i tracks – and will be allowed to develop more dynamism there.

Dark-Side Mix – 16th May 2026

Words and Music by Peter Gabriel
Engineering by Faye Dolle, Katie May, Dom Shaw
Additional engineering by Oli Middleton, Erica Block, Alex Wilders, Abe Rounds
Assistant engineering by Charles Hughes, Xav Sinden, Maisy Preece
Produced by Peter Gabriel
Mixed by Tchad Blake
Mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis Studios
Recorded at Real World Studios, Bath and The Beehive, London & Phantom Studios, Gallatin, TN

Länge 6:07

In the video, Gabriel had announced that the two mixes for Won't Stand Down had taken very different directions. When you listen to the Dark-Side Mix now, that doesn't seem to be the case at first, as they both sound very similar. Once again, it's the details that make the difference and actually alter the overall impression.

Music

It's immediately noticeable that the vocals have been given a distinct reverb and aren't positioned quite as prominently. This perhaps obscures them slightly, but – unlike in the Bright-Side Mix – it doesn't thrust them in the listener's face quite so forcefully. We've encountered this characteristic of the two mixes quite often here at o\i. The subtle drumming is also less emphasised, which is rather unusual for Tchad Blake. More prominent throughout the track, however, is Gabriel's main instrument, the piano, which repeatedly comes clearly into focus. Particularly in the chorus and the final section.

Also worth noting: the individual sections of the track (verses, choruses, bridges) are always clearly distinguished from one another in the instrumentation. Nothing flows uniformly throughout, but has been structured more clearly. For instance, during the instrumental passage in the middle, all accompaniment is rolled back significantly to just the piano, rhythm loop and bass – there is no longer a keyboard underlying everything, which makes the moment stand out more.

In contrast, in the closing section, the accompanying keyboard sits much further forward. Gabriel has to sing against it, so to speak. This also highlights the fact that the Dark-Side Mix makes the address to the listener more forceful, that everything becomes edgier but also more tangible, and does not flow as smoothly. This comes across as more human, in a way.

When it comes to the tracks's conclusion, Blake doesn't even attempt to craft a smooth ending. Instead, he brings to a sudden halt whatever momentum had just begun to build.

Piano-Version – 28th May 2026

Words and Music by Peter Gabriel
Engineering by Faye Dolle
Produced by Peter Gabriel
Recorded at Real World Studios, Bath

Peter Gabriel – Piano and Vocals

Length 4:51

Just before the next full moon, Gabriel has given the Bandcamp subscribers an extra version of Won't Stand Down. It's a very classic and very early demo.

It was recorded in February 2025, and Gabriel's engineer Faye Dolle – who not only oversaw this recording but also sings backing vocals on the final version – heard the song for the first time then. She later said that she knew straight away that it had something special.

It is also interesting to note that barely more than a year passed between this still very rudimentary version and the final one. So Gabriel can get things done quite quickly sometimes…

Music

This Piano Version is therefore completely unfinished with no lyrics yet; Gabriel is singing his familiar Gabrielese. The melodies for the individual sections are essentially in place, but some of them are still subject to significant variation. The verses and pre-chorus in particular are slightly different – probably because the right words are still missing.

The structure also differs from the final version, in that here we have the first verse, pre-chorus, then the chorus three times in a row, the second verse, pre-chorus, and then the chorus twice. The revised version, with two repetitions of verse, pre-chorus and chorus, follows a more conventional pattern. The instrumental interlude has no place here at all.

Otherwise, what Gabriel plays on the piano is merely a light accompaniment without any artistic embellishment. Furthermore, the recording is peppered with hesitations and minor slip-ups. Nevertheless, it is striking that its character is still quite solemn, and the optimistic attitude with a sense of forward momentum is not yet perceptible here.

–

Author: Thomas Schrage

Links
Introductory video for Won't Stand Down:

Song background on petergabriel.com
Originally, the song was written with The Elders.org in mind.

Shirin Neshats pair of images Bonding und Faith here.

Digging in the Dirt featuring Sheryl Crow, produced by Mike Elizondo on YouTube.

Join the discussion about the song here in the forum.