TotW 11/06/2023 - 11/12/2023: GENESIS - Snowbound

1st Official Post
    • Official Post

    Your rating for "Snowbound" by GENESIS 28

    1. 15 points - outstanding (1) 4%
    2. 14 points - very good (3) 11%
    3. 13 points - very good - (4) 14%
    4. 12 points - good + (9) 32%
    5. 11 points - good (4) 14%
    6. 10 points - good - (3) 11%
    7. 09 points - satisfactory + (1) 4%
    8. 08 points - satisfactory (2) 7%
    9. 07 points - satisfactory - (1) 4%
    10. 06 points - sufficient + (0) 0%
    11. 05 points - sufficient (0) 0%
    12. 04 points - sufficient - (0) 0%
    13. 03 points - poor + (0) 0%
    14. 02 points - poor (0) 0%
    15. 01 points - poor - (0) 0%
    16. 00 points - abysmal (0) 0%

    We invite you to share interesting facts and tidbits about this track. Let's look at the track in the context of the band's / the artist's history, at the music, the songwriting and all other aspects that are relevant for this track. Please do stick to the discussion of the track above. Comparisons to other tracks are okay, but remember that the other track you may be keen to talk about has or will have its own Track Of The Week thread. If you spot a mistake or if you can close a gap in the fact sheet above please feel free to contact martinus or Christian about it; we will gladly add and improve!


    GENESIS - Snowbound

    Year: 1978
    Album: And Then There Were Three
    Working title: ?
    Credits: Rutherford
    Lyrics: Yes
    Length: 4:29
    Musicians: Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford
    Played live: --
    Cover versions: ?

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    Notes: It's November, the signs are pointing towards winter in the Northern hemnisphere - so it's probably fitting that Snowbound is our Track of the Week. Mike Rutherford brought this song into the sessions for And Then There Were Three, Genesis' first album as a trio. Does this already show "what Genesis should do big as a trio" or is it more of a solo song by Mike that got the Genesis treatment?..

    cheers

    Christian


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    13 from me

    I love the atmosphere on that track and the way Phil sings it is pretty unique compared to later recordings. He's still finding his voice and this track shows that nicely.

    ... make tomorrow today!

    Same comment here, in that I love the atmosphere of this song. It also has that rise and fall that you get with many great Genesis tracks, which gives it a real emotional hit. The lyrics and concept are a little odd but it's one of the better tracks on ATTWT.

    I don't like it. It exemplifies the twee, soppy side of Genesis I've never got on with. But even then it's still not as fingernails-in-palms cringifyingly bad as SFAND.

    Abandon all reason

    I feel like this is the song that typifies ATTWT best. The topic is odd, with simple and almost naive lyrics that aren't very strong. The structure is simple enough although I'm sure the music and instrumentation are deceptive. The whole thing sounds like it was recorded in a padded shoe box which strangely contributes to the dark-last-days-of-December twilighty, dying embers kind of atmosphere. It's a bit adynamic though, not that every song needs to be dynamic. Not their strongest moment. 11.

    I can see why it would not be considered as "one of their strongest moments". It's not Supper's Ready or Afterglow. Still, I think it's one of my favourite songs from the album, and maybe even from their entire catalog (but I have come to a point where, as a fan, I can't think of a song I really dislike...).

    I like the overall sound. I know I'm in the minority here, but I prefer the Hentschel period over the Padgham one. Childhood memories are strong, and this is the sound I was exposed to, back then...

    Musically lovely, especially on the verses, but the lyrics get weird and kind of twee, with the listener annoyingly left in the dark as to what they're supposed to be about. Approximately my 2nd least favorite ATTWT track (after "Ballad of Big"). Rutherford's songs on side two are far better.

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


    ...crows simply drank at home.

    I actually prefer Banks' ballads from this album (Many too Many, Undertow) to this one despite me being a big fan of Rutherford ballads Duke onwards for Genesis (Alone Tonight, Open Door, Like it or Not) and also his solo work (Time and Time Again, Every Road).


    In these tracks, Mike nailed the lyrics and melody. This is more of a prototype of what was to come.


    That said, Phil sings beautifully on the verses and the chorus soars. Maybe a minute could've been chopped off the end though.


    Still enjoy it though. 12 from me.

    The bombast of tunes like Deep In The Motherlode and The Lady Lies combined with the sweetness of Phil's voice, the captivating melodies and the floating ethereal quality of songs like Snowbound are what spurred me to want to explore this band further.

    To this day, I regard Snowbound among the highlights of a great Genesis album.

    I'm not a great fan of this, although I do like the sound of it, in terms of conjuring up winter images. I think the keyboard sounds work well here. I also thought it far too twee until I read explanations of the meaning of the lyrics on the Steve Hoffman site amongst others (supposedly being about a man lying down to die in the snow and then being covered by it) - if this is true than it couldn't be described as twee, but I'm not convinced about that interpretation, having re-read the lyrics.

    Anyway, it’s an average song off an average album, by Genesis standards, in my opinion. As for SFAND, I agree with Backdrifter that it is very lightweight, but saved a bit for me by the harmonies and that bit of rhythm guitar (?) at the end.

    Edited once, last by Thelawnmower: Missing apostrophe ().