You're not wrong - but I think the eclecticism issue has a lot of people drop his career fast, which is a shame. My personal favorite Hackett classic pieces would be Two Vamps as Guests and Kim.
But that's not how it went. Steve was still feeling his way around with the group, slowly building confidence. I believe that he admitted that he didn't have much to contribute at that point. But then he had this piece which the band were quite positive about, so it wound up on the album.
Easy misc. reference guide A brief introduction to genesis Genesis - The Album by Album Thread after the debut Genesis - The Album by Album Thread the road to nursery cryme Genesis - The Album by Album Thread the threat of the giant hogweed WATCH: Did Genesis bizarrely predict Britain's Giant Hogweed nightmare 44 years ago? thanks @Giant Hogweed Who wrote what (more than likely) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @fRa The Foxtrot over story Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @The_Windmill How the mellotron works Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @Thievius Get em out by friday the comic book Genesis - The Album by Album Thread King Canute and the tide Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @The_Windmill Cool links Genesis museum - The Genesis Museum thanks @peterpyser Genesis archive - The Genesis Archive thanks @peterpyser Genesis radio shows - The Complete Guide To Live Genesis Radio Shows thanks @misteranderson Genesis the movement - Genesis - The Movement thanks @abzach Genesis discography - ~A Genesis Discography thanks @abzach Table Top Genesis - Tabletop Genesis thanks @bob_32_116 Album thread from 2007 (that I didn't find) - The River of Constant Change: The Genesis Album-by-Album Thread Some interesting stuff Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @Giant Hogweed Banks Synths Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @Parachute Woman Genesis A History Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @The Zodiac Peter Gabriel Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Steve Hackett Genesis - The Album by Album Thread John Mayhew Genesis - The Album by Album Thread thanks @Funky Meadows Phil Collins Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
Easy reference guide Genesis - A History - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread From Genesis To Revelation - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Liner notes Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 1 When The Sour Turns To Sweet Genesis - The Album by Album Thread without strings Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 2 In The Beginning Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 3 The Fireside Song Genesis - The Album by Album Thread without strings Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 4 The Serpent Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 5 Am I Very Wrong Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 6 In The Wilderness Genesis - The Album by Album Thread rough mix Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 7 The Conqueror Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 8 In Hiding Genesis - The Album by Album Thread without strings Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 9 One Day Genesis - The Album by Album Thread without strings Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 10 The Window Genesis - The Album by Album Thread alternate Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 11 In Limbo Genesis - The Album by Album Thread alternate Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 12 Silent Sun Genesis - The Album by Album Thread without strings Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 13 A Place to call my own Genesis - The Album by Album Thread new mix Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Other Early Tracks Patricia (In Hiding demo) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread A Winter's Tale (single) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread A Winters Tale (alternate -with studio banter) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread That's Me Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Image Blown Out Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Build Me A Mountain Genesis - The Album by Album Thread On The Trail Of The One Eyed Hound Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Let Us Now Make Love Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Jackson Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Trespass - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread inside gatefold Genesis - The Album by Album Thread sleeve Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 1 Looking For Someone Genesis - The Album by Album Thread live at BBC Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 2 White Mountain Genesis - The Album by Album Thread live in'76 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 3 Visions Of Angels Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 4 Stagnation Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Stagnation (BBC sessions) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 5 Dusk Genesis - The Album by Album Thread demo Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 6 The Knife Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Road To Nursery Cryme - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Live in 1971 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Nursery Cryme - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 1 Musical Box Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread live at the bbc Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread F# or Manipulation Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread live Genesis - The Album by Album Thread live 74 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 2 For Absent Friends Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 3 Return Of The Giant Hogweed Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 4 Seven Stones Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 5 Harold The Barrel Genesis - The Album by Album Thread piano and guitar Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 6 Harlequin Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 7 Fountain Of Salmacis Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread live '78 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Belgian Pop Shop live 1972 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Twilight Alehouse live '72 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Peel Sessions Fountain of Salmacis Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Harlequin Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Return Of The Giant Hogweed Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Harold The Barrel Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Happy The Man Genesis - The Album by Album Thread live in Rome Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Foxtrot - Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 1 Watcher Of The Skies Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread live Genesis - The Album by Album Thread single Genesis - The Album by Album Thread b-side Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 2 Time Table Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 3 Get Em Out By Friday Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 4 Can Utility and the Coastliners Genesis - The Album by Album Thread track 5 Horizons Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Genesis - The Album by Album Thread Supper's Ready (live) Genesis - The Album by Album Thread live in 72 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread live in 73 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread live in 73 Genesis - The Album by Album Thread
I think I will just comment a little on each section. To do the whole thing in detail would be overkill. Are you going to review the whole thing or do it in sections?
"Supper's Ready" is really a bunch of snippets with joining interludes, so to discuss it in sections seems appropriate. What's so very special about SR is it's overall dramatic and emotional arc. That's worth a discussion in of itself.
Yes I think it would be great to do a section a day but that may break it up too much I suppose. You make the call.
It's true that SR is a suite with designated sections, and it's fair to say I love this section, I don't like that bit, etc., but I think we need to keep in mind that they are not individual tracks. Frankly I think one section per day is dragging things out too much. In the spirit of the song title, I say "Bog in, don't wait." Maybe give a bit more time for discussion of the whole thing than you would for a shorter song.
I think doing SR in sections is overkill and I've no interest in participating, but if that's what you want to do, have at it. Can Utility & The Coastliners - Though I'm tempted to call it filler, I really can't. The first side of Foxtrot is so long, there was no 'filling' required. Besides, its a nice song, though as I referenced earlier in the thread, used to pitch me fits because of heavy distortion (on the LP) in the final passage. Horizons - Oh hey its that song a buddy of mine and I used to play on open mic night. He did it, not me - my finger picking abilities were too substandard. But its a nice little instrumental that transitions nicely into the epic that was to follow.
"Supper's Ready" Released 6 October 1972 Recorded August 1972 Length 22:54 (CD version) 23:06 (Vinyl and Digital versions) Label Charisma/Virgin (UK) Atlantic (U.S.) Songwriter(s) Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Producer(s) David Hitchcock "Supper's Ready" is a song by the band Genesis. A recorded version appeared on their 1972 album Foxtrot, and the band performed the song regularly on stage for several years following this. Live versions appear on the albums Live at the Rainbow recorded in 1973, Seconds Out recorded in 1977, the compilation Genesis Archive 1967-75, and the box set Genesis Live 1973–2007. A reworked version also appears on Steve Hackett's 2012 album Genesis Revisited II and its accompanying live albums Genesis Revisited: Live at Hammersmith and Genesis Revisited: Live at Royal Albert Hall. In an interview, Peter Gabriel summed up "Supper's Ready" as "a personal journey which ends up walking through scenes from Revelation in the Bible....I'll leave it at that". He was also quoted in the book I Know What I Like by Armando Gallo as saying that the song was influenced by an experience his wife had of sleeping in a purple room, and the nightmares it gave her.[1] AllMusic has described the song as the band's "undisputed masterpiece".[2] Nearly 23 minutes in length, the song is divided into seven sections. A number of musical and lyrical themes do re-appear throughout. The melody of the verse in section I reappears as a flute melody between sections II and III. The melody of the chorus in section I reappears with new lyrics in the coda to section VI. The song that comprises the majority of section II reappears briefly in instrumental form at the beginning of section VI, and then returns to form the body of section VII, with new lyrics. One commentator regarded the structure of "Supper's Ready" as a variation of sonata form—a musicological analysis by Nors Josephson proposes that "section VII may be viewed as a Lisztian, symphonic apotheosis" of the "cyclical fanfares that originated in section II."[3] On the other hand, the individual components of "Supper's Ready" are much closer to traditional rock songs than they are to classical pieces, even if they contain elements of both. The song undergoes multiple changes in time signature, key signature, Leitmotif, instrumentation, and mood.[4] The song's writing is credited to the whole band (Banks/Collins/Gabriel/Hackett/Rutherford). In various interviews, Banks mentioned that he composed several of the musical progressions whilst still a university student; Gabriel authored most or all of the lyrical content, as well as the "Willow Farm" section; Collins apparently contributed much to the arrangements and segues from one section to another. In Olivier Lecart's book Genesis, Mike Rutherford hints that he was responsible for the unique rhythm of "Apocalypse in 9/8". I: "Lover's Leap" (0:00 – 3:47) This section features a gentle arpeggiated guitar backing (with Hackett, Banks and Rutherford all playing 12-string guitars), soft electric piano (Hohner pianet), bass pedals, cello and flute, and a section with folky three part vocal harmonies (which omit the third note of the chord). The only percussion used is triangle, cymbals, and bells. Lyrically it tells of a man returning home after a long time to be greeted by his lover, and mentions supernatural imagery ("six saintly shrouded men"), which Gabriel claims relate to a genuine spiritual experience which occurred with himself, his wife Jill and producer John Anthony. According to Gabriel, during a late-night conversation, his wife began speaking with a completely different voice. Gabriel held up a makeshift cross out of a candlestick and another household item, and Jill reacted violently; (in Armando Gallo's book, 'I Know What I Like', Gabriel mentions that his wife had reacted badly to sleeping in a room with purple walls, purple being 'very high in the colour spectrum'). Jill was eventually calmed down and taken to bed, but neither Peter nor John Anthony slept that night. On another occasion, also late at night, Gabriel looked out of the window of his wife's parents' house to see what he perceived to be an entirely different lawn, across which seven shrouded men were walking. Gabriel recounted that these experiences led him to contemplate notions of good, evil, and the supernatural, and eventually inspired the lyrics to "Supper's Ready". Hackett, however, has a different explanation: "I believe there’d been some drug taking going on. I believe she [Jill] was having a bad trip at one point, and that Pete and a friend managed to talk her round and get her out of the horrors or whatever it was. So that’s a part of what the song was about, but in a way there’s a kind of redemption implication that goes with that."[5] In the programme given out at Genesis concerts at the time, "Lover's Leap" was explained as: "In which two lovers are lost in each other's eyes, and found again transformed in the bodies of another male and female."[6] This segment was performed as part of an acoustic medley on the group's 1998 Calling All Stations tour with Ray Wilson on vocals. II: "The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man" (3:48 – 5:43) Banks composed the chord progression whilst still at University. When performing the song live, Gabriel would don a "crown of thorns" headpiece at this point. The piece segués into the next with a "Lover's Leap" reprise. The programme describes this section as follows: "The lovers come across a town dominated by two characters; one a benevolent farmer and the other the head of a highly disciplined scientific religion. The latter likes to be known as "The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man" and claims to contain a secret new ingredient capable of fighting fire. This is a falsehood, an untruth, a whopper and a taradiddle, or to put it in clearer terms; a lie." III: "Ikhnaton and Itsacon and Their Band of Merry Men" (5:44 – 9:42) This section is much more dynamic than the previous two, with lively drums, an elegiac electric guitar solo, and a lot of interplay between the guitar and organ (including a section with fast organ and guitar arpeggios, Hackett employing the "tapping" style of playing). The lyrics refer to a battle of some sort, presumably involving Ikhnaton. The programme spells "Itsacon" as "Its-a-con". It describes this section as follows: "Who the lovers see clad in greys and purples, awaiting to be summoned out of the ground. At the G.E.S.M's command they put forth from the bowels of the earth, to attack all those without an up-to-date "Eternal Life Licence", which were obtainable at the head office of the G.E.S.M.'s religion." IV: "How Dare I Be So Beautiful?" (9:43 – 11:04) This is a slow and gentle section, the only instrumentation being treated acoustic piano chords, each chord being faded-in on the recording, thus losing the piano's characteristic attack and sounding more like an organ (it was done on Hammond organ live). The title is a catchphrase used by the band's early music-business contact, Jonathan King. The lyrics deal with the aftermath of the preceding battle, and referring to the Greek myth of Narcissus, who turned into a flower. The programme describes this section as follows: "In which our intrepid heroes investigate the aftermath of the battle and discover a solitary figure, obsessed by his own image. They witness an unusual transmutation, and are pulled into their own reflections in the water." V: "Willow Farm" (11:05 – 15:36) Live in concert, Gabriel would appear in his "flower mask" (by Gabriel's own admission, partly inspired by the BBC children's programme The Flower Pot Men). This section features vaudeville-style sections, the Mellotron Mark II's "combined brass" tape set, sped-up vocals, and musique concrète noises of trains and explosions. Lyrically, it has a Python-esque quality, dealing with elements of the absurd in the English psyche, "there's Winston Churchill, dressed in drag, he used to be a British flag, plastic bag, what a drag!" and numerous elements of word play, boarding schools, agricultural depravity and social conformity. The lyrics also reference Foxtrot's cover artwork ("the fox on the rocks") and a song from Nursery Cryme, Genesis' previous album ("The Musical Box"). The programme describes "Willow Farm" as follows: "Climbing out of the pool, they are once again in a different existence. They're right in the middle of a myriad of bright colours, filled with all manner of objects, plants, animals and humans. Life flows freely and everything is mindlessly busy. At random, a whistle blows and every single thing is instantly changed into another." "Willow Farm" was originally a stand-alone song, with music and lyrics by Gabriel. At one point, while "Supper's Ready" was being written and assembled, Banks or Gabriel had the idea of including "Willow Farm" in the middle of it. Banks commented that this jarring, fast-paced piece prevented "Supper's Ready" from seeming too much like a repeat of their earlier epic "Stagnation".[7] After the vocal section of "Willow Farm" ends, there is a reflective interlude, not definitely belonging to either "Willow Farm" or the following "Apocalypse In 9/8". It starts with bass pedal, electric guitar, organ and Mellotron drones, then proceeds with soft guitar and flute. VI: "Apocalypse in 9/8 (Co-Starring the Delicious Talents of Gabble Ratchet)" (15:36 – 20:50)[edit] At this point, the drums enter, with the rhythm section striking out a pattern using the unusual metre of 9 beats to the bar (expressed as 3+2+4).[8] The lyrics employ stereotypical apocalyptic imagery, alternating with an organ solo from Banks (played in 4 4 and 7 8 time signatures against the 9 8 rhythm section), then switching to a climactic vocal from Gabriel, and the Mellotron "three violins" tape set. Banks has said that his approach to writing the solo was to parody the style that Keith Emersonhad developed with Emerson, Lake & Palmer.[citation needed] In live performances, during the organ solo, Gabriel would don a bizarre "Magog" outfit with geometrical headdress which can be seen on the cover of the band's Genesis Live (1973) album. This headdress seems to be associated with the mention of Pythagoras-he of the Pythagorean theorem fame (Euclidean geometry). "Gabble Ratchet" is a reference to the Hounds of Hell;[9] they are usually portrayed as geese, which explains the sound effect heard during this section (18:48–18:53 on Foxtrot). They are also known as "Gabriel's Hounds". The programme for the 1972/3 tour refers to this section as "co-starring the delicious talents of wild geese".[10] The programme describes this section as follows: "At one whistle the lovers become seeds in the soil, where they recognise other seeds to be people from the world in which they had originated. While they wait for Spring, they are returned to their old world to see Apocalypse of St John in full progress. The seven trumpeters cause a sensation, the fox keeps throwing sixes, and Pythagoras (a Greek extra) is deliriously happy as he manages to put exactly the right amount of milk and honey on his corn flakes."[6] This segment was performed as a standalone once in 1978 and on the first leg of the 1986 Invisible Touch Tour as part of the "In the Cage"/"...In That Quiet Earth"/"Supper's Ready" medley. VII: "As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs (Aching Men's Feet)" (20:51 – 22:54)[edit] "As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs" is a folklore variation of the logical tautology that "X = X"[11] and in this context is a reference to certainty and faith—being absolutely convinced of the ultimate victory of good over evil and that God and Heaven do indeed exist. "Aching Men's Feet" is a play on "making ends meet".[citation needed]"Apocalypse" segues into this part via a slower section that reprises the lyrics from "Lover's Leap" in combination with the chord progression from "The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man", backed by a pressed snare drum roll and tubular bells. During live shows, a flash charge would be fired and Gabriel would discard his Magog costume to reveal himself in shining white apparel that glowed when exposed to black light. During one gig, he attempted flying on a kirby wire, and was nearly strangled.[citation needed] From this point to the end, drums, deep bass pedals and Mellotron brass are present, as are Blakean lyrics which reference The New Jerusalem (The Crystal City of God that is established after the death of the Anti-Christ) and the Second Coming of Christ with reference to the biblical Revelation19:17: "There's an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky, Come! Be gathered together to the great supper of God." After completing the lyrics in this section, Gabriel would pick up and raise an active blacklight tube, holding it near himself, upraised with both hands, as though it were a sword. Gabriel would be the only one lit onstage at this point and would actually appear to be glowing from the combination of blacklight, his reflective white costume and fluorescent makeup. Gabriel considered this effect to be a theatrical way of symbolizing the victory of good/light over evil/darkness. The piece fades out on overdubbing cascading electric guitar parts. On the original recording this section is in the key of A, but because of Gabriel's inability to properly recreate the vocal performance onstage from either hoarseness or tiredness, the band regularly had to change the key to G. The program describes this section as follows: "Above all else an egg is an egg. 'And did those feet ............' making ends meet. Jerusalem = place of peace."[6] This segment was performed as a standalone twice in 1978 and on the first leg of the 1986 Invisible Touch Tour as part of the "In the Cage"/"...In That Quiet Earth"/"Supper's Ready" medley. The final song on A Trick of the Tail, entitled "Los Endos", quotes from this segment near the very end. As the band fades out, Collins can be heard singing "there's an angel standing in the sun" twice in succession, followed by "free to get back home" as the last notes disappear. These are the only lyrics heard in the song, which is otherwise instrumental; this quote has generally been omitted from live versions (except for Steve Hackett's Genesis Revisited: Live at the Royal Albert Hall and Genesis Revisited: Live at Hammersmith in 2012). Live performances of "Supper's Ready" were preceded by Peter Gabriel telling a story. At the Rainbow Theatre on 20 October 1973 (as released on the Genesis Archive 1967–75 set), Gabriel told a story about "Old Henry" featuring him whistling "Jerusalem" before announcing that "supper was ready". On the 1976 tour for A Trick of the Tail, Mike Rutherford told a story to introduce the song. On the following year's tour for Wind & Wuthering, Phil Collins would tell Peter Gabriel's "Romeo and Juliet" story from "The Cinema Show" to introduce the song. In these stories, Juliet wore a "I Love Gary Gilmore" T-shirt and instead of saying "time for 'The Cinema Show'", Juliet said "I want to go because I'm hungry and 'Supper's Ready'". During the 1982 tour, Collins told a story before the song. Often this story would tie in to the song itself, but on some occasions he told a Romeo and Juliet story instead. At the 1982 Genesis reunion show, Gabriel told a story about a woman on a subway train (which he had told during the Foxtrot tour, and which had appeared on the Genesis Live album cover), slightly altered to segue into "Supper's Ready". After 1982, only fragments of this song were played live by Genesis. During the first leg of the Invisible Touch tour in 1986, the band played the last two parts ("Apocalypse in 9/8", "As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs"). During the We Can't Dance tour in 1992, Collins suggested they play "Supper's Ready" in its entirety, but was voted down by Rutherford and Banks. Finally, on the Calling All Stations tour in 1998, Genesis performed an acoustic medley containing the first section. The song was played live during the Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound, A Trick of the Tail, Wind & Wuthering, ...And Then There Were Three... (only played twice), Three Sides Live encore, Invisible Touch, and Calling All Stations tours. ----------------------------------------------------- This song is almost a thing of mythical wonder in the Genesis catalog and many consider it the crowning achievement of their whole catalog. As I stated earlier in the thread, I used to lose interest in this song back in the day. I have grown to love and appreciate it a lot, and it certainly is an excellent piece of writing. I think I like too much of Genesis' catalog to be so bold as to say it's my favourite, and I grew up listening to a lot of long tracks, so the length of it really doesn't mean much to me. Here is the whole track and we'll break it down, because like any large supper, it is best to attack it a section at a time. So far as responding to the song, go about it however you wish.... we may well move on to the next album tomorrow, but first lets see what happens with this song. I see many possibilities, but can't predict the future. Cheers Mark
Crikey! Have you been up all night?! Thank heavens for copy and paste - imagine if people still had to use pens!
If I'm not mistaken, during final mix sessions Tony Stratton Smith heard the song, burst int tears and announced the band they made it. That was their consecration. Taste is personal, of course. But I never found any other side-long "epic" that was built as well as this one. Many sections flow seamlessly into the next ones with elegant transitions, to the point you can't really take 'em apart. Had tapes being long enough, that would be true of the infamous out of tune crossfade in the middle. I think it's easy to overlook the complexity and artistry the guys put the whole thing together with. Because it flows so well. So many different moods, yet no striking contrast but a narrative journey. The beginning is strangely abrupt, yes. But it's the first time I pay attention to it, because someone else mentioned here. With or without Horizons, I've always being totally fine with the tale jumping right into it, without any intro. Even though I have to admit it's atypical for the classically influenced taste of the guys to start a long song like this. But again, it makes more sense when the theme is reprised at the end, I guess. It's like returning to the very beginning, without any padding inbetween. As the most educated music critic would say... "Great stuff!".
The first half We start with Lover's Leap which is mainly 12 string guitars and vocals. Gabriel's vocal comes straight in to the song and he sings of returning to a loved one after a long time away. It is very pretty musically and lyrically and creates a lot of atmosphere. Around the 2:30 mark the electric piano comes in and has a sound and feel reminiscent of Riders On The Storm. At the change over point the track drops back down to just the guitar. We ease into a beautifully majestic melody after the fireman looks after the fire. It is hard to describe how majestic this section is. Hackett is putting his volume swells in. And then it drops out to a held organ chord and we hear children's voices. There is a return to the Lover's Leap melody and then a pensive change with Gabriel describing a scene preparing for battle. On the announcement of battle, the band kicks in and there is a lot going on here. Collins is playing an almost stumbling beat and Hackett is letting loose. This all culminates in a beautiful flourish that involves Hackett playing his almost patented double hand tapping, doubled with Banks on the keyboard. We drop back down to a slightly more reflective section after that. It isn't so much slow reflecting or ambient or anything like that. We have reflection on the fact that they won the battle and it's time for rejoicing. We then move into some more volume swells from Hackett and we get a more mellow section that fades out. We ease back into the song with some tentative chords and Gabriel is observing the aftermath and scanning the area he sees "A young figure sits still by a pool He's been stamped "Human Bacon" by some butchery tool He is you" And then we see Narcissus turn to a flower. This leads us into Willow Farm, which somewhat makes me think of The Teddy Bear's picnic lol. This is a cool little track and as previously discussed was used as a single. It has a vibrant bouncy playful feel and lightens the mood of the track quite well. This fades down to a doubled keyboard and synth pad that holds and modulates with Hackett making some cool guitar noises.
lol it seems like a pretty reasonable breakdown. Thought I may as well use it, as it puts all the info in one spot
I need to have it in poster form to be distributed around town. Bus stops for starters. An electronic version would mean a Gen-head would simply hold their smartphone at a specific link and it would open up for them.
The second half It starts at 3:08 ... and I think i finally hear the tape oddity that everyone is talking about lol ... I had just assumed it was an effect. We have a moody gentle piece with the flute that bounces into a stabbing bouncy section and I am guessing the famous Magog costume would be worn during this section. It builds a lot of tension and Gabriel puts a quite aggressive vocal here. We have Banks chording and playing a nice arpeggio like lead break. The song moves into a section that sounds like a ship struggling at sea and then moves into another lead break that has a halting and stumbling kind of feel to it. The crescendos into some sound fx that kind of sounds like people talking. Gabriel has a very attacking aggressive vocal come in and we then move into a nice flowing chordal sequence ... There is a reprieve that comes in with the flute playing the melody and then we head back into a reprise of the opening section, which in turn merges into a reprise of the second section and the grandiose nature of this section is really what makes the whole song (for me) The ending is so spectacular, and for me, real .... This is quite magnificent. I hope I went through that ok .. it is a monster to try and go through.
