It's Yourself - I love, love, LOVE this song.

  • I've always loved this song (it was a B-side twice in '76 and '77) but I've never heard the full version. Think about how incredibly creative and productive Genesis were in '76. This song never made it onto ATOTT. It's one of the prettiest, trippiest songs Genesis ever wrote. The 12-string guitars, the Taurus pedals, Phil's vice.... perfection.


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  • I've always loved this song (it was a B-side twice in '76 and '77) but I've never heard the full version. Think about how incredibly creative and productive Genesis were in '76. This song never made it onto ATOTT. It's one of the prettiest, trippiest songs Genesis ever wrote. The 12-string guitars, the Taurus pedals, Phil's vice.... perfection.


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    I wholeheartedly agree! (See my footer in my posts for further proof. ;))


    I wish it would have found its way onto ATOTT - if they had tried hard enough, I’m sure they eventually could have figured out how to meld it with “Los Endos” (since both songs share an instrumental section).

    Stepping out the back way, hoping nobody sees...

  • agree. I have posted before that i really like the first part of the song..although it does seem a little disjointed as moves into los endos part.

    For me, around this period Phil's vocal was at his best , especially on this track and always love listening to...is the subject about lost love or PG leaving, we can but wonder

  • agree. I have posted before that i really like the first part of the song..although it does seem a little disjointed as moves into los endos part.

    For me, around this period Phil's vocal was at his best , especially on this track and always love listening to...is the subject about lost love or PG leaving, we can but wonder

    Agree completely Simon about your comment regarding Phil's voice. I know there's a lot of love for the '80s stuff on this board but to me, Phil's voice was at its best between 1976-78. I really started to dislike his voice with Duke when it turned to this screechy, screaming howl all the time, including in songs like Afterglow (live 1980-post). That "pure" voice he had on Trick & Wind is hard to beat in my book. As far as It's Yourself goes, that trippy part sure reminds me of the end of Dancing Out from SEBTP. I think the working title of the latter was "Disney" which seems fitting here too. In fact, that song (and others on ATOTT) seem like a much more natural progression from SEBTP rather than LLDOB which was a real departure for them (stating the obvious I know). I love the instrumental section of Robbery (I played that beast numerous times live on bass and it is a bitch) but the verses and chorus are "underwhelming". I wonder what the album might have sounded with It's Yourself instead (probably too slow, hence the decision to include an up tempo song like RAB). Take care, Andre.

  • A fascinating track. The first part -- not far removed stylistically from "More Fool Me," or from some much later Collins-era Genesis & Collins solo stuff -- is over with fairly quickly. The remainder doesn't really make sense from a song structure standpoint but it's gorgeous nonetheless. I can only see the song as a B-side, not as an album track, but that's not an insult to it in the least.


    The fact that Genesis never put the full original version to CD is one of my major annoyances with them. I'm very glad someone provided me with an excellent digital version years ago.

    Little known fact: Before the crowbar was invented...


    ...crows simply drank at home.

  • Agree completely Simon about your comment regarding Phil's voice. I know there's a lot of love for the '80s stuff on this board but to me, Phil's voice was at its best between 1976-78. I really started to dislike his voice with Duke when it turned to this screechy, screaming howl all the time, including in songs like Afterglow (live 1980-post). That "pure" voice he had on Trick & Wind is hard to beat in my book. As far as It's Yourself goes, that trippy part sure reminds me of the end of Dancing Out from SEBTP. I think the working title of the latter was "Disney" which seems fitting here too. In fact, that song (and others on ATOTT) seem like a much more natural progression from SEBTP rather than LLDOB which was a real departure for them (stating the obvious I know). I love the instrumental section of Robbery (I played that beast numerous times live on bass and it is a bitch) but the verses and chorus are "underwhelming". I wonder what the album might have sounded with It's Yourself instead (probably too slow, hence the decision to include an up tempo song like RAB). Take care, Andre.

    I love the song but must admit I’m one of those who particularly enjoyed Phil’s voice in the early 80s. I appreciated those rough edges to his voice. To me the acid test has always been the last half of Supper’s Ready. In 1976 Phil’s voice was fairly weak during the 666 section; in 1977 it got better (depending upon the night); in 1982 almost every night he was spot on with that section; by 1986 he struggled, especially after the first few shows of the IT Tour (thus the change to Afterglow). Just my opinion :)

  • I too have always liked IY very much. But -

    I really started to dislike his voice with Duke when it turned to this screechy, screaming howl all the time

    - I mean, come on... While I prefer his voice from Duke onwards I totally get why some go for the softer earlier style. But surely you can see "screechy screaming howl ALL THE TIME" is a massive over-exaggeration!


    It came up before that it's such a shame the original ending of IY was lost - I'm not misremembering that am I? The fadeout pretty much ruins it for me. The second section, like The Waiting Room, stands out so starkly against their other work.


    There's not much I like from the 76-78 phase but this one is up there.

    Abandon all reason

    Edited once, last by Backdrifter ().

  • It came up before that it's such a shame the original ending of IY was lost - I'm not misremembering that am I?

    Not so much lost as tape damage. Either it was physically damaged (unlikely, I'd say, but possible) or due to the now famous oxide shedding that requires tape baking - it's certainly possible that a tape could fail so badly that baking wouldn't work.

    Ian


    Putting the old-fashioned Staffordshire plate in the dishwasher!

  • Not so much lost as tape damage. Either it was physically damaged (unlikely, I'd say, but possible) or due to the now famous oxide shedding that requires tape baking - it's certainly possible that a tape could fail so badly that baking wouldn't work.

    Yes that's what I thought I was remembering - I didn't mean lost as in someone misplacing it. Thanks.

    Abandon all reason

  • Hi Backdrifter. That's your opinion and you know what they say about opinions.... All kidding aside, his voice drastically changed from those early couple of post-Gabriel years to the "80s voice". Live, it was most noticeable. I have a cassette recording form the Duke tour that I attended and it was pretty much a screech fest form beginning to end (and very different for the '77 and '78 shows I attended). Some people love that voice, some people hate it. Whatever, I wasn't trying to convince anyone, just giving my opinion... and you know what they say about opinions. Peace.

  • Not so much lost as tape damage. Either it was physically damaged (unlikely, I'd say, but possible) or due to the now famous oxide shedding that requires tape baking - it's certainly possible that a tape could fail so badly that baking wouldn't work.

    The story I've heard is that the guys decided they didn't like the original ending so they faded the song out early on all CD reissues. Now you've got me wondering what the real story is...

    Little known fact: Before the crowbar was invented...


    ...crows simply drank at home.

  • Just wanted to pop in and say... I also love, love, LOVE this song. One of my absolute favorites. It's a Beach House song 30 years before there was Beach House. Genesis, as so often, way ahead of their time.