TotW 12/18/2023 - 12/31/2023: GENESIS - Blood On The Rooftops

It's exquisite. I made myself learn most of the opening bit on acoustic guitar but could never get all the way through. I love the unusual atmosphere it creates and the vocal delivery by Phil is great - the song is perfectly suited to his still undeveloped abilities at that point, so delicate and haunting. It has great dynamics too, when the drums kick in. An easy 15.

15. A truly wonderful track. A beautiful intro followed by some fantastically-sung observational lyrics. I particularly like the transition from verse to chorus as well. It's autumnal tone perfectly fits Wind and Wuthering.

A shame it was never played live in part due to the technology of the time. It was a popular choice in the Your favourite songs they never played live thread.

Do wish somehow Steve could have appeared either in 07 or 21/22 to play it with the band.

I'll be intrigued to see if there's any negativity about this one as it always seems to be universally loved on this board. Right from hearing it as an 11-year-old in the late 1970s this track has always felt special. It has a unique blend of delicacy, melancholy and drama, with a touch of grim resigned humour. It's one of those ones like Duchess that has a very singular feel. There are other acoustic guitar-led songs among their work but this stands apart from them. It's a fixture in my personal Genesis top 10, probably top 5.

People talk about the 'englishness' of SEBTP but this one track encapsulates a certain aspect of that better than almost anything else they did - there's emotion but it's covered over with an old worn floral blanket such as you imagine this couple have tucked over their laps as they sip their tea and watch this succession of TV images in their small living room, struggling to be warmed by a one-bar fire.

It's an example of how undervalued and dismissed they could be. Other bands producing something this accomplished and so brilliantly layered would be lauded, the song praised as a 70s classic. It deserves to be, but never will be beyond fans like us.

My favorite Genesis song. Period.

Steve has released both live & studio versions of this, with drummer Gary Toole on vocals; but no other singer can match the magic that Phil brought to it in the original.

A bit harsh to describe it as the only real song by Hackett/Collins, For Absent Friends may only be 2 minutes, but it's an observational masterpiece, much as this is. Following on from the real opening moment of the album, the coda of "mouse", this sets up the rest of W&W so that the album's good enough to be considered one of the best 4 Genesis albums by many people, 15 points and Steve's swansong.

Best song on the album IMO. Outstanding.

15.

Probably my favourite song (but I have to say that I have many favourite Genesis songs...). So, maybe my favourite-favourite song.

The moment that I love the most may be the little synth melody right before the chorus.

14, very fond of it, particularly 'the grime on the Tyne' which refers to Lindisfarne's Fog On The Tyne. I just wish it wasn't called Blood On The Rooftops. But then what should it have been called?

up there with one of their best..beautiful lyrics and great vocals from Phil.. always comes to mind this time of year with the xmax line lyric.

A classic never played live but may have been better off left as it is..15

15!!!!

Is it my idea or Blood on the Rooftops resembles a fado?

One of the very best by Genesis and as Backdrifter put it, in his superb summary, deserves a wider audience. A bit like George surging forwards as the Beatles came to an end, this marks a high point for Steve before he struck out on his own properly. It’s hard to think of many other songs that balance so well melancholy and charm. The little break around 1.50 between the first verse and chorus is exquisite. Tragically we are still lamenting the lack of peace between Arabs and Jews so it has extra poignancy at the moment, definitely too much for me. There may not be much optimism in the lyrics and the music is undoubtedly melancholy for the most but, as I’ve said, there is a charm and a glimpse of lightness here and there to hang on to. That is what I think repays repeated listening.

Steve has performed some superb versions of this with Gary O’Toole singing and when I met Steve after Gary had left I asked would he still perform it. He said they had rehearsed it with Nad (they may have performed it with him on a cruise - I’ll check) and that he sang it a lot like Phil so I hope to see that at some point. But the album version takes a lot of beating for a vocal performance. Easily a 15

Steve performing this with Nad on the Blues Cruise in 2019. It had always been a regular feature with Gary singing and drumming but Steve hasn’t performed it in recent tours to my knowledge. Actually Nad does a very good job here but the recording is muddy so a bit hard to tell. Certainly Phil’s original had a purity that is hard to equal, never mind beat. And, despite everyone’s praise for it and Daryl’s high ranking, Genesis never performed it live, although it was a strong contender for 2007,

presumably losing out to Ripples. Maybe that tells us it’s a hard one to do live. The above video does bring out the easily overlooked baseline though.

tbh..having heard the original so many times , i struggle to hear anyone other than Phil singing it. As mentioned earlier, for me one of his best vocals. Did see Steve play it live and unfortunately Gary's vocal just didn't compare...but just my opinion..

Quote from Simon1967

tbh..having heard the original so many times , i struggle to hear anyone other than Phil singing it. As mentioned earlier, for me one of his best vocals. Did see Steve play it live and unfortunately Gary's vocal just didn't compare...but just my opinion..

Yes, PC's voice is characterful whereas GO'T, while holding a tune, has a colourless voice (the latter is one of my problems with Sylvan too).

I agreee, Phil is the definitive version. Gary has a great personality and that carried him through with what is a strong but average voice (great drummer though). I feel Nad has really grown into his role in Steve’s band and I’m sure if they did this live again he would do it justice and the song does need to be heard much more.

Quote from Simon1967

tbh..having heard the original so many times , i struggle to hear anyone other than Phil singing it. As mentioned earlier, for me one of his best vocals. Did see Steve play it live and unfortunately Gary's vocal just didn't compare...but just my opinion..

The studio version with Phil is one of the most enchanting songs ever recorded by any band, IMO.

Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed Steve's performance of this song with Gary on lead vocals. Gary's voice, I thought, had a John Wetton-ish quality to it, which I was totally fine with.

One of their finest ever. Still enjoy this a lot when Steve plays this live!

Quote from Witchwood

Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed Steve's performance of this song with Gary on lead vocals. Gary's voice, I thought, had a John Wetton-ish quality to it, which I was totally fine with.

agreed!

I absolutely LOVE that song. Always in my Genesis all time top 5 and I never tire of hearing it. Excellent lyrics, beautiful playing and all wrapped in a concise package. 15.