TotW 01/29/2024 - 02/03/2024: GENESIS - It's Gonna Get Better

I like the longer version of that song. It’s not the best track on the record, but still worth 11 points.

12/15 from me.

It is a good song, but of course no match for classics like Mama or Home by the sea ...

Nevertheless a pity they didn't play this live after 1984.

I never really 'got' this track, whether the album version or live. Despite the title, it leaves me feeling pretty low and it just drones on without any particular plus points, and I’m really underwhelmed if I listen in full to Side 2 of the eponymous album with this at the end of it. It's also awash with Tony's 80s synth sounds and not much else; the very arrangement that turns me away from quite a lot of their 'pop era' material. It's not a tooth-grinder of a three piece Genesis track for me, not like Living Forever or Since I Lost You, or as tragic as anything on Calling All Stations (aka Burning All Credibility) but it is some distance from making it to my Genesis all time playlist.

7

7 for me, too. I like the instrumental introduction, but the lyrics and the song itself don't do much for me

I like it a lot. The overall feel of it, the bass, guitar and melody lines are really appealing, the backtracked synth is a nice texture. I can take or leave the lyric.

I'm ambivalent about the extended guitar solo on the live one in that part of me thinks, was this really needed? While I'm also thinking, it's pretty good isn't it. Overall there's a sort of soulfulness to the live one that I like, it has a good atmosphere, melancholy yet hopeful. PC's vocal especially on the live one is very good.

11 points

A decent track and good album closer

10 points for the long version, which is the only one I acknowledge. If I had to rate that awful edited album version, I'd say about 7.

12 from me. Apart from Mama, the only track on here I like.

I like this song. I really like Tony's circling back on itself opening string pattern. I like the synth bass from Mike. And I really like the melody. The lyrics are perhaps the weakest link - earnest but a bit trite.

Despite the editing out of a verse, I like the studio version because of Phil's use of falsetto to hit the high notes. This adds a nice intimacy to this section. Live he goes for it full force, but it sounds strained and unnecessarily aggressive.

6.

For me, an average track on a decidedly less than average album.

I've ranted about the album elsewhere so I won't repeat myself!

It's an okay song for Album mood and filler but not anywhere near as good as any filler or B sides of IT and WCD.

This Album has 3 top songs and not much else of their usual quality.

It was an Album that needed to be done, but was 100% done so with Phil and Mike's solo work distracting them.

The lack of other songs (B side or throwaway) shows that they didn't put a lot of time or real imagination into Shapes.

I like the soothing melody, the adrenaline rush I get from the driving sounds of the synth bass and the quality of Phil's voice combined with this uplifting instilling message of hope conveyed in the lyrics.

It's my favourite song on the album.

And while I prefer the extended live version, I'm not overly put off by the abridged studio version.

Quote from Dr. John

Despite the editing out of a verse, I like the studio version

Quote from Witchwood

while I prefer the extended live version, I'm not overly put off by the abridged studio version.

You guys are aware that there is a long studio version, right? It's what the album version was edited down from. It was the B-side of the 12-inch single and (later) CD single of "Mama" (the long version that fades out some 40 seconds later than the album version).

To me, the long versions of these two songs are the real versions, and the album versions are just inessential extras.

Quote from DecomposingMan

You guys are aware that there is a long studio version, right? ...

I was aware there was a longer studio version but I've never heard it (or if I did, it was probably on some forgotten occasion when I searched it up on YouTube).

But it's not in my collection, so, my only points of reference of the extended version are the various live versions I have.

Quote from DecomposingMan

You guys are aware that there is a long studio version, right? It's what the album version was edited down from. It was the B-side of the 12-inch single and (later) CD single of "Mama" (the long version that fades out some 40 seconds later than the album version).

To me, the long versions of these two songs are the real versions, and the album versions are just inessential extras.

I'm aware too. I'm the opposite of you and feel no need for long versions of either track, especially Mama where I'm a bit baffled that another 40 seconds is in any way desirable. I actually prefer the truncated live versions and even on the album when it gets to the final verse I'm thinking "yes alright I GET IT".

Quote from Backdrifter

I'm the opposite of you and feel no need for long versions of either track, especially Mama where I'm a bit baffled that another 40 seconds is in any way desirable. I actually prefer the truncated live versions and even on the album when it gets to the final verse I'm thinking "yes alright I GET IT".

Well, I'll at least agree that "IGGB" benefits more from not being shortened than "Mama" does.

Love the desolate city vibe of this song. 15.

Quote from thewatcher

Love the desolate city vibe of this song. 15.

That’s where I am with this song too, i.e., I adore the atmosphere this song evokes - perfect for a closing track on an album; thus, I gave the same score.

Interestingly, another release in 1983 (“Synchronicity” by The Police) had the same type of atmospheric closing track with “Tea In The Sahara” (on the original vinyl, that is - the cassette and CD versions had the extra song “Murder By Numbers” as the closer, which works as well, just in a different way). 1983 must have been the year for such closers. 😄