TotW 3/4/2019 - 3/10/2019: GENESIS - Silver Rainbow

    • Official Post

    What do you think about "Silver Rainbow"? 17

    1. 15 points - outstanding (3) 18%
    2. 11 points - good (3) 18%
    3. 10 points - good - (3) 18%
    4. 13 points - very good - (2) 12%
    5. 12 points - good + (2) 12%
    6. 09 points - satisfactory + (2) 12%
    7. 14 points - very good (1) 6%
    8. 04 points - sufficient - (1) 6%
    9. 08 points - satisfactory (0) 0%
    10. 07 points - satisfactory - (0) 0%
    11. 06 points - sufficient + (0) 0%
    12. 05 points - sufficient (0) 0%
    13. 03 points - poor + (0) 0%
    14. 02 points - poor (0) 0%
    15. 01 point - poor - (0) 0%
    16. 00 points - abysmal (0) 0%
    GENESIS - Silver Rainbow
    Year: 1983
    Album: Genesis [album review]
    Working title: Adam Ant
    Credits: Banks, Collins, Rutherford
    Lyrics: Yes
    Length: 04:31
    Musicians: Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford
    Played Live: never
    Cover versions: none

    Notes
    : Most songs from the second side of Genesis' 1983 album have rather been neglected. The band themselves never rated that side very high. Silver Rainbow does have a number of fans, some even consider it a secret hit. Is it?


    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!
  • For me, this is one of those “hidden treasure” tracks. I can understand why they never attempted it live; this song would be very challenging to pull off - perhaps it could have been done as part of a medley. However, not every song that is recorded has to be played live - as a studio creation, it is one of my very favorite songs on the eponymous 1983 album, and one of my favorite post-Duke tracks as well.


    A track I truly look forward to hearing when listening to the so-called “Mama” album, esp. since “It’s Gonna Get Better” follows it - together, they create a nice 1-2 punch to close the album.

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

  • Just a little suggestion: you could add the author of the lyrics for each track of the week. This one is known for Tony wrote the lyrics.


    This song is not bad, it does stand out on the album, yet it doesn't rank at the top for me. From that album I prefer It's Gonna Get Better, That's All, Home By The Sea and Mama.

  • I like this one a lot, one of the best hooks they ever had. A bright shiny hook for a song about the male orgasm. A much better lyric subject from Banks than his previous efforts about dinosaurs, mice, ropes on fire and whatever the bloody hell Vine and Moon are about.


    It lifts the album back up following the trough it hits with Alien, Taking and Job which come after a strong first side. Then as mentioned above, it leads on to a very nice conclusion with It's Gonna.

    Abandon all reason

  • I don't have a big problem with Side 2 of the "Shapes" album (except that "It's Gonna Get Better" really should be the full version from the 12" single, rather than the awkward edited version that was used instead), but I had to warm up to "Silver Rainbow" somewhat. It's now my second favorite track on that side (after "Just a Job To Do").


    Notable feature: the prominent backing vocals from Tony.

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


    ...crows simply drank at home.

  • One of the two songs I l can listen to on Side 2 of that album. I believe it is Tony's and i like the fact he tried to do something completely different but ultimately I am not crazy about it, not something that would be on my radar without the Genesis name on it.

    Edited once, last by Fabrizio ().

  • Oh, where are they? Is it him doing the "...you won't know" bit behind the chorus?

    Correct. It may be Tony and Phil together, or something like that, but Tony's voice is definitely recognizable.

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


    ...crows simply drank at home.

  • Love this tune. Side Two of the Mama album seems to continue the trend of diversity that was so evident on Abacab and this song is no exception. I love the driving drums with the piano and Tony's ethereal keyboards at the start. Phil adopts a Lennon-esque sneer during the vocals to fantastic effect.


    Incidentally, when the band was putting tracks together for the second archive box set, Phil called Tony to nominate Silver Rainbow for inclusion, feeling that such an overlooked treasure was worth re-investigating by the fans.

  • The only slight downside is that they too often had such unimaginative fade-out endings and this one's in that category.


    DecomposingMan I listened to the backing vocal and have to say I struggled a bit to hear Banks, it sounds mainly Phil to me but it is more than one voice.

    Abandon all reason

  • I listened to the backing vocal and have to say I struggled a bit to hear Banks, it sounds mainly Phil to me but it is more than one voice.

    Really? I always thought it was fairly obvious. It's the part behind the chorus ("Beyond the silver rain-BOW you won't know") as mentioned.

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


    ...crows simply drank at home.

  • Tony's voice was always rather reminiscent of John Lennon's (most evident on The Fugitive) so I wouldn't be at all surprised if Tony was providing the backing vocals on this track. But were Tony and Mike still doing backing vocals in the band at this point?

  • Tony's voice was always rather reminiscent of John Lennon's (most evident on The Fugitive) so I wouldn't be at all surprised if Tony was providing the backing vocals on this track. But were Tony and Mike still doing backing vocals in the band at this point?

    You're giving him the best of it there! Shapes certainly credits them with b/vox

    Abandon all reason

    • Official Post

    14 points from me


    I always loved that track - and I still wonder why they never did that live.

  • Love this track. Genesis were, and still are about seventeen years older than me.

    They seemed so worldly wise, well read and knowledgeable about mythology, literature and with this song the ways of love..


    Whilst there was I - still fumbling around and hadn't yet gone 'beyond the silver rainbow'..

    And yes, they were indeed right..when I eventually got there I found that yes, 'you won't know if your coming or going'...


    I always envied them their older, more mature worldly wisdom, so it saddens me now to see them all growing older..

    "She looks at me and gently smiles, as if she knew I'd ask her all the time..."