Mike Rutherford song, so not Phil's fault. Never listened to it enough to wonder about the lyrics, it's easily the worst song on the album, just a racket.
Agreed. I've always felt that if they took away the trash cymbal, and Phil played a straight drum rhythm during all the refrains, the song would've been much more appealing.
Another PG lyric whose meaning always eluded me:
Kiss of Life.
A great song, and I feel like the meaning is right there-and I'd kick myself once I found out...but...???
Or is it really just a collection of imagery?
Display More"And in the beating of your heart there is another beating heart
All at once I can see what we do,
Me into me and you into you
Me into me and you into you
Tonight, tonight, oh he's s burning bright"
I've always had a strange, diffuse, orwellian feeling about this song. What do you think of it ?
Indeed, this is another one of mine - I've always been confused by the lyrics for Man of our times! I mean, the lyrics don't even seem to relate at all to the title of the song! LOL I kind of always thought of it as a completely random selection of throwaway lines, or just improvised jibberish Phil had sung while they were rehearsing...
I've also always found the lyrics to Say It's Alright Joe to be a bit cryptic, mainly in the louder sections. At first it all seems so simple...but how do the two parts relate to each other?
Hi everyone!
Not sure if a thread like this exists-if so, please feel free to lock. But I have occasionally run across lyrics or phrases between all of our Genesis related artists and releases that don't make sense to me, or culturally I didn't understand, or that just seem odd!
I thought this could work as a thread for anyone and everyone to share the lyrics they've always found cryptic or hard to define, or simply just words or phrases that they're unaware of what they mean, or what significance they bear in the context of the song.
I'll start: For me, several of the lyrics in the song Blood on the Rooftops are confusing to me. Certain shows, certain words. The biggest mystery for me from that song would be "the grime on the tyne is all mine..." What are they referring to there?
Also, the term "paperlate." IIRC, I understand that to mean a late edition of a newspaper-but is/was that a real thing? How does it fit in the context of the actual song Paperlate?
Lastly, where on earth did PG get the phrase "shock the monkey," and what does it have to do with the rest of the (IMO somewhat random) lyrics??
These are simply examples of such questions that we could share, as well as speculate/answer what they mean...
What lyrical wonders do YOU have??? 
I didn't become a Genesis/Phil Collins fan until I was in 7th grade, which was 1994-so I was too young to see any of their concerts before that.
Once DITL came out, I was only 15-and though I expressed interest in going to the concert, logistically it wouldn't have worked anyway cos I was in high school and I was hours away from home going to a prep school in a different state-and there really wasn't anyone there to go with me. Once CAS came out in 1997, I would've gone...but they ended up cancelling the US leg of that tour obviously.
The first I saw was Peter Gabriel on his Growing Up tour in 2003, when my wife-to-be went with me to see him at Milwaukee's Summerfest in 2003. Great show, lots of fun-even though it was hot, and fireworks interrupted (and kind of ruined) Father, Son which was his closing song!
In 2004 I went with my wife to see Phil during his FFF tour in Chicago. That was amazing! We had great seats in the center, so we were able to enjoy the full effect of everything! Plus it was a great stage setup and very comprehensive setlist!
A few years later (even though we lived in CO by this point) I went to see Genesis in Chicago with my brother. He tried to take backroads to the stadium and ended up getting us lost-we didn't get to our actual seats until about 20 minutes before the concert started. The whole time I was worried we would miss the start! It was a fantastic show, but my brother wasn't really a fan so he acted bored most of the time.
Life got in the way, and I missed the two or three opportunities to see PG again (would've loved to see Back To Front)...but in 2019 I went with a friend to see Phil again on his NDY tour in Denver. Despite the fact that Phil did no drumming, was seated the whole time, and TBH struggled to reach some of the higher notes, it was still a FANTASTIC time, there was lots of energy and the full-house audience all had a blast! There was definitely something to knowing that this was likely the last time we would see Phil live. Genesis never made it out to Denver during The Last Domino? Tour-so sadly I had to miss that one...
Finally, last year I went with my daughter (who is 12) to see PG during his i/o tour here in Denver. It was a great show, although I was slightly disappointed that he ended up actually playing more new songs than old songs that night. It was ok however, cos my daughter got to see him play ALL her favorites-so I was happy for that at least....
That all said, which of those was my best ever concert??????? I'd say based solely on the show itself, it's a tie between Phil in 2004 and Genesis in 2007. I guess I could use who I was with and the overall environment as a tiebreaker. I did like the Genesis TIOA stage setup and music better, but between almost being late and my brother acting bored the whole time...that kind of diminished the experience for me. So I would say the winner is definitely Phil on his FFF tour in 2004 in Chicago!! Incredible setlist, stage setup, seats, full house, my wife was with me and we both had a great time...it was just a very memorable experience.
Sorry for the long-winded history, but I felt the backstory helped make the reasoning for my choice make more sense!
I saw that video this last weekend. Sure I was disappointed, but he does bring up an interesting point worth remembering; that considering how viral this whole thing went, this situation does nothing if not prove that there's still a huge amount of interest in new (or ANY, really) material from Phil Collins-and that his popularity and relevancy has not disappeared, at least since the years during his NDY comeback period!
Here's hoping this may indeed spark something! 2017-2019 was a great time to be a PC Fan, just as 2023 was a great time to be a PG fan-it would be amazing to see something from him.
I also maintain that he could even release a selection of singles online or something like that. Things are different now; it doesn't necessarily HAVE to be a full-on album, released on multiple media types (although I'd prefer that)...
Although I would jump for joy at the announcement of any new music from Phil, He's looking and sounding good there, and I'm glad he's seemingly enjoying a hardworking musician's well earned retirement.
I was thinking the other day about his life over the last half century-and considering how much he'd more or less run himself ragged (doing what he loves, how many of us can say that!?), it's no surprise to see him in his current physical condition. Sure there are several artists out there that still are much more mobile and active-Peter himself being one of them, as proved by his i/o tour. Crazy seeing a 70-something able to jump around the stage like that still, with his voice as good as it was in the late 90's! The thing about all those other artists though is that none of them had been nearly as busy as Phil had over all these decades!
He literally gave every bit of himself over the years for his fans-and loved doing it. Can't help but say-even if he doesn't release anymore new material of any sort-this retirement is MORE than well-deserved!
Still though, selfishly I hope the statements made are true...even if it just means releasing a new single or two on some compilation or other!
Display MoreA filler, maybe, but it's actually one of my favourite part of this album. 14
I completely agree. I also love his hi-hat at the end of the song (just after the Hairless Heart reminder).
Me, maybe ? RE: Things you've only recently noticed
To me, it is a part of the HH melody, slightly altered to go with the key (E instead of D) and the harmony (major instead of minor). Overall melodic construction ? Same. Rhythm (tempo aside) ? Same also.
I also noticed - and posted long ago - on that similarity from Hairless Heart, played in a different key (can't remember which thread I posted it, but it was different from the one quoted above). Sounds like there's a select few out there that caught that subtle reworking of the Hairless Heart melody.
Good topic.
I would say the most 'summer feeling' Genesis songs-for me at least-have always been Mama and I Can't Dance (mostly cos of the lyrics).
That said, I've always felt that Tonight Tonight Tonight, Domino and Hold On My Heart had a very "hazy summer nights" kind of feeling for me. Especially HOMH, which for some reason I always pictured spending warm summer nights hanging out with my high school girlfriend.
I know it risks veering off-topic, but in response to some posts above; I've always felt certain Genesis songs had a very specific seasonal feel. Some of them obvious, some not. Here are the most obvious ones for me:
White Mountain: Winter
Stagnation: Spring
One for the Vine: Autumn
Match of the Day: Autumn
Undertow: Winter
Snowbound: Winter (obviously)
Heathaze: Autumn
Mama: Summer
Just a Job to Do: Summer
Tonight Tonight Tonight: Summer
I Can't Dance: Summer
Hold on My Heart: Summer
12 points for me.
Although the song itself has a very "transitional' feel in terms of the lyrics and the open instrumentation and slower tempo, I feel that if this song had been given a bit more attention and didn't happen to fall in between several more obscure songs on the album, The Light Dies Down on Broadway might have ended up being a more memorable piece. At any rate, it serves as a really nice 'reflective reprise' to the title track and also the story in general.
I think the reason it's forgotten sometimes is cos it falls right in the middle of that 'is this almost over yet?' kind of point about 3/4 of the way thru that comes with any drawn out production that demands this much attention from listeners.
14 points for me.
A Genesis classic. Although not on the top of my "fan favorites" list, it's high up on my "favorite hits" list. It's a great melody, has a great keyboard part from Tony, which essentially supports the whole song. It's also very translatable to different genres and feels-as evidenced by all the different videos posted here. I'd go as far as to say; in terms of simply crafting a very well put-together single, That's All might be Genesis' best-for the reasons listed above, and also for its simplicity, it's iconic and universally recognizable sound, enjoyable but not-overly indulgent song structure, relatable lyrics and memorable (but not monotonous) melody. It's even very well-performed and cleanly put together, from a mixing and mastering standpoint.
From a nostalgic standpoint, I distinctly remember hearing this song come on the radio often when I was a kid, as I was riding in the backseat of our car. That was back in the days when PC had like six or seven songs that would regularly come on the radio all at once!
In a way, I felt it was the Genesis album (rather than Abacab) that was the re-defining album for the band and the one that served more as a turning point in their sound, as it introduced a much 'edgier' sound than they'd been known for up to that point. Abacab was indeed quite experimental, but still held on to some of the more complex and unusual lyrics, prog-sounding keyboard melodies and multi-part song structures.
I also really like the horns on this one...well, I like the horns on this whole album.
You know, it's funny-I remember recently seeing an interview he did, talking about his Both Sides album. In that interview he addressed the 'no horns' approach and he said he 'tried to do that on his last album' (But Seriously), but it ended up getting away from him and he used them anyway. I think that's hilarious actually cos-not only did he not succeed in avoiding horns on But Seriously, he actually ended up making the album that used them the HEAVIEST out of ALL of his albums!! LOL
I love almost every song on ...But Seriously, and although it's not at the top of my ranking, it's a great PC song. I love the idea of the contrasted slow and fast sections. Reminds me of Domino in that way-which I also like, ending with a great powerful payoff.
IMO this is the one song that IMO has the best representation of the "live band" sound that Phil was clearly going for on this album with several of the songs. I mean, apart from the drum interlude, this song sounds like it indeed WAS recorded live-just without an audience!
Good+ for me.
I enjoy it but don't love it. I have always felt this song really sounds like it could've been on the Lamb album!
I know I was the last one to post here, but seeing as how it was three months ago...
My top three have once again shifted-and this time, by quite a bit:
1. Live and Let Live
2. Panopticom
3. Road To Joy
I wonder what it'll be in the winter!???
I'll go with my 'dream setlist' for the Turn it On Again tour, as that's the last one I got to see:
Duke's Intro/Turn it On Again
No Son of Mine
Land of Confusion
Dance on a Volcano/The Lamb.../Musical Box/Firth of Fifth
In Too Deep
Squonk
Follow You Follow Me
The Cinema Show
Mama
Abacab
Ripples
Throwing it All Away
Drum Duet/Los Endos
We Can't Dance
Tonight Tonight Tonight/Invisible Touch
Encore:
Dancing with the Moonlit Knight/Carpet Crawlers
When considering what songs to put on there, I decided to go the 'realistic' route-mainly songs I felt Phil could legitimately play and sing at that time. I know not having a cage medley in there - especially not having Afterglow seems like a missed opportunity-but considering the fact that we have Ripples and the whole of Cinema Show in there, I feel the Dance/Lamb/Box/Firth medley is a better representation covering even earlier material than the Cage medley does.
As for Domino and Home by the Sea, they're great live pieces, but they aren't that well known beyond being considered hardcore fan favorites. Not to mention together they take up valuable setlist real estate!
My ultimate dream list might contain songs he may not have been up to any longer so, I decided to keep my choices grounded abit. But this is what I would've loved to see-especially Squonk, Abacab and the whole of Cinema Show!
Or (What I think):
What PC meant with Andy having put words on some lines for him and Jill is that Andy threw a tantrum at him when PC told Andy that he had a new partner, with PC taking some of the sentences uttered by her during the scene and "reworked" them in Thunder and Lightning.
I'm much more inclined to believe that, especially knowing how the rest of Face Value (not to mention several-even angrier-songs on Hello I Must Be Going) were written!
Part of me is disappointed they are not half-speed remasters of the original mixes (as PG and PC both did with their catalogue), as I would love to have them if given that treatment.
On the other hand, part of me is GLAD these upcoming releases is something I'm not interested in (since I already have the 2018 versions of the PG era and CAS, and the original vinyl releases of all the others). Otherwise, I'd have to start collecting the catalogue ALL over again - and that would cost me a pretty penny!
I know it doesn't seem to specify-at least not on the three different sources I've seen it reported-but these will probably be the 2007 remixes, would that be correct?
Interesting how they're being more subtle about that point this time around, rather than promoting it as a feature, like they had before...
I wonder if any of these will have different album sleeve designs compared to the previous 2018 versions? I always wondered why they weren't all gatefolds. They all very well could have been, given the OIS designs and artwork...Genesis, Invisible Touch and WCD would in particular look great as gatefolds!
