Poll: Favourite side of 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway'?

aka the auto changer?

 

Side 3, for it contains many resemblances to Renaissance-era music and has the best sound to my ears, overall. Side 2 drags while 1 and 4 are amazing, but can't live up to 3.

 

I only like the songs from "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" to "it". I skip the rest.

 

After many years of struggling with the fourth side of this nearly perfect album, I finally figured out what sinks Side 4 for me (and no, it isn’t “it”): the pacing.

Basically, far too much action is compressed into the space of “The Colony of Slippermen” (and yes, I realize it’s in three parts), leaving the remainder of the album to drag out just one or two pretty straightforward events.

As far as I can tell, in “The Colony of Slippermen,” the following events take place:

Rael meets the Slippermen
Rael becomes a Slipperman
Rael reunites with John, also now a Slipperman
Rael and John go to Doktor Dyper
Doktor Dyper castrates them
They are given their *****es in plastic tubes
Rael’s *****-tube is stolen by a raven for some reason
John again abandons Rael
Rael chases the raven through a tunnel and ultimately to a river
The raven drops the *****-tube into the water below

After this, it takes no fewer than five songs for the following to occur:

Rael observes the skylight opening overhead, beckoning him back to—he thinks—his former life. He is given the choice to enter the light or to save John. He chooses the latter, only to see that John’s face is now his own. The end.

And “Riding The Scree” is just awful; the worst song on the album by far, and far worse than the historically, err, unappreciated “The Waiting Room” (the only other song on the album I dislike).

 

Sides 2 & 3 are the best for me. Back in NYC, Carpet Crawlers, Chamber of 32 Doors, The Lamia. Wow.

 

Nothing wrong with that.

 

1,3,2,4

 

I wonder how Peter came up with those lyrics given his background.

 

From something he read in a book, I'd guess.

 

Yeah but there is nothing inherently trustworthy about a countryman vs a townman. It's a just a stupid stereotype.

 

Side 1, followed by side3 for me. I think this album stretches it a bit for me. The story line in particular. I saw them perform The Lamb in it's entirety
back in '74 or '75? (not sure), but after awhile it dragged a little. The only non Lamb tune they did was Watcher which was the encore. For me personally
I would have preferred some of the Lamb material mixed with other stuff. Still not a bad show though.

 

One of the things that is most misunderstood about The Lamb is that it was conceived as a Live Performance album from the beginning.

That's why it was the storyline, that's why it had the stage design, the elaborate costumes, about 1450 slides, etc

That's why there're many instrumental pieces, specially in comparision with previous albums. And specially on sides 3 and 4

On The Waiting Room Peter changed his 'Rael' costume to a 'Death' one. A silhouette of him behind the white screens appears
The Supernatural Anaesthetist is an almost instrumental piece, giving Peter time to change to 'The Lamia' costume
Silent Sorrow is other instrumental. This time Peter changes to 'Slipperman' costume
After Slippermen, there's Ravine. Another instrumental piece, allowing Peter to change to 'Rael' costume again

So that's why there're several instrumental passages and pieces, more than any other Genesis album

 

Love it all, but Side 4 has always been my favourite. Where the raven flies, there’s jeopardy.

 

In the cage is on Side 1.

(I vote Side 1.)

 

Side 3.

 

This album really needs to be experienced in its entirety in 1 sitting ...preferably on a nice Couch

 

Have never listened to it all the way through!

 

If you own it why not?

 

It's interesting. Just a month ago, I viewed this album as very forbidding and wondered how to approach it. At first I just went with listening to a few songs at a time. Then eventually I dived straight into listening all the way through. Now the album is getting to the point where I feel like it's an old friend. Remember TLLDOB is a very forbidding piece of music! I can see why it almost broke up the group. Can you imagine writing all this music? It's aint The Wiggles.

 

1 without even checking track lists

 

The Quietus | Features | Anniversary | Moment In Time: Genesis' The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway Revisited

 

3

 

Nah, don't own it either. The only Genesis I have is the old live one.

 

side 1
side 3
side 2
side 4

All very close!

 

Great historical review 40 years on