Rush 2112 released

2112 Rush

Released: April 1, 1976 Peak: 61 US, -- UK, 5 CN Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, -- UK, 3.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: progressive rock

Tracks: Click on a song title for more details. 2112 [20:33] I: Overture [4:13] II: The Temples of Syrinx [2:16] III: Discovery [3:25] IV: Presentation [3:41] V: Oracle: The Dream [2:00] VI: Soliloquy [2:19] VII: Grand Finale [2:16] A Passage to Bangkok [3:34] The Twilight Zone [3:19] Lessons [3:52] Tears [3:34] Something for Nothing Total Running Time: 38:42 The Players: Geddy Lee (vocals, bass) Alex Lifeson (guitar) Neil Peart (drums)

Rating: 4.109 out of 5.00 (average of 21 ratings) Quotable: “Widely considered by Rush fans as their first true ‘classic’ album.” – Greg Prato, AllMusic.com Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

The Early Years Rush “formed in Toronto in the late ‘60s, treading a unique path somewhere between heavy metal and progressive rock, it came into its own when Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson replaced original drummer John Rutsey with Neal Peart, an Ontario native with amazing technical chops and a sharp intellect honed by voracious reading (though he was a high-school dropout). The trio made a huge leap forward musically and conceptually, with Peart stepping in as lyricist.” JD “Along with a fondness for science fiction and fantasy (‘By-Tor and the Snow Dog’), the drummer immediately emphasized his two favorite themes: individualism and the glory of the creative spirit.” JD Peart’s first album with the group, Fly by Night, and the band’s self-titled debut “helped create a buzz among hard rock fans worldwide, the more progressive third release, Caress of Steel, confused many of their supporters. The band knew it was now or never with their fourth release.” AM It was “a make-or-break album for the Canadian power trio sometimes dubbed as ‘the biggest cult band in the world.’” RD Peart said in his book Roadshow – Landscape with Drums – A Concert Tour by Motorcycle that after three albums which sold over 100,000 copies, the band was “urged to be ‘more commercial’ and write some ‘singles.’ So, in our contrarian fashion, we recorded and ambitious and impassioned sidelong piece about a future dystopia, along with a few other weird songs.” RJ-40 “They refused to bow to the demands of their record label and were determined to make the music they wanted to make.” RJ-40 The Crucial Fourth Album “1976’s 2112 proved to be their much sought-after commercial breakthrough and remains one of their most popular albums.” AM “Rush’s trademark sound – prog-meets-heavy rock – comes fully into its own on this record.” RD “Both styles are merged together to create an interesting and original approach.” AM “Heavier than Caress of Steel and yet still layered, 2112 was more relatable and accessible, whether at home in front of the stereo speakers or at a venue facing the full might of the band’s PA system.” RJ-42 “2112 is widely considered by Rush fans as their first true ‘classic’ album, the first in a string of similarly high-quality albums.” AM It was when Rush made “grand statements, where the lyrical ambition was matched by the musical muscle, and this Rush was never better than on 2112,” JD an album from the era of “bassist Geddy Lee’s original ‘Donald Duck on helium’ vocal style.” JD “Lee’s vocals are full of passion (though they’re admittedly an acquired taste), and the interaction of his melodic bass and Peart’s busy but propulsive drumming is astounding (think Keith Moon meets John Bonham while jamming with Charlie Mingus on speed). Meanwhile, Lifeson merges the musical invention of Yes’ Steve Howe with the hard-riffing gusto of Zep’s Jimmy Page.” JD Musical snobs continue to scoff at the hubris of Rush’s brand of progressive metal.” JD “Critics dismissed…[2112] as overblown and pretentious.” RD Even Peart has said, “Certainly there are a lot of people who hate all of our early records, and I would count myself among them,” Peart said in 1993. JD “Nevertheless, 2112 has a classic rock ‘n’ roll message and an emotional honesty that later Rush has never surpassed. The album stands as one rock’s greatest for anyone willing to put aside their preconceptions long enough to listen.” JD The Title Piece The title piece, 2112, fills the entire first side of the original LP. It “has stood the test of time well – a meticulously assembled opus that utilizes classical compositional technique to great effect.” RD “Comprised of seven ‘sections,’ the track proved that the trio was fast becoming rock’s most accomplished instrumentalists.” AM “From a sweeping introductory overture that touches upon all of the different moods and musical themes, the song swings into the hard-rocking introduction of the Priests, and then the beautiful, idyllic passage where Anonymous discovers the guitar. A Zeppelinesque contrast between light/dark and lilting/heavy prevails during the debate with the Priests before we enjoy a meditative soliloquy by our crushed hero. Finally, it all wraps up with the aptly titled ‘Grand Finale.’” JD Geddy said, “’2112’ is probably the most important thing we’ve ever written. Without that song, we would not have continued as a band.” RJ-41 The Story The piece “paints a chilling picture of a future world where technology is in control.” AM It “is an exquisitely well-written parable about a society on another planet.” JD “In the year 2062, a galaxy-wide war results in the union of all planets under the rule of the Red Star of the Solar Federation. By 2112, the world is controlled by the Priests of the Temples of Syrinx,” WK “the spiritual/political rulers…[who] subjugate the masses by tending to their physical needs” JD but denying them “self-expression and, by extension, free will or thought.” JD The Priests “determine the content of all reading matter, songs, pictures – every facet of life.” WK When a man discovers a guitar, he presents it to the Priests, naïvely thinking they “will hail his discovery and the incredible sounds he can make with it.” JD They destroy it on the grounds that this “dangerous artifact…contributed to the destruction of ‘the elder race’ (that would be us, back on earth).” JD The man goes into hiding, “despondent that he will never again know the joys of making music. Having tasted freedom, he cannot return to slavery, and he kills himself.” JD “As he dies, another planetary battle begins resulting in the ambiguous ending ‘Attention all planets of the Solar Federation: We have assumed control.’” WK The band don’t view the man as a martyr; instead Peart appears to condemn the man “for failing to fight on (as Rush itself fought on), instead taking the ‘easy way out’ a la Kurt Cobain and so many other rock stars.” JD The story “mirrored the band’s own frustration with the music business.” RD “It’s all pretty melodramatic. So is a lot of great literature! Go mock Homer for The Odyssey, why don’t ya? The underlying message is gripping nonetheless, and it’s made all the more powerful because it’s meant to be heard, not read on the page, where it’s separated from the incredibly moving music.” JD Ayn Rand In the album, Neil Peart credited Ayn Rand with the concept. She was “a Russian-born American novelist and creator of the philosophy Objectivism, wrote a novella entitled Anthem (itself adopted as the title of another Rush song, from the album Fly by Night) from which Peart borrowed the broad strokes of the plot.” WK She put forth the controversial idea that “the most talented individuals…put themselves down and live not for themselves but for the lowest common denominator of the ‘average’ man. “ JD She advocated that “the individual should follow his own path.” RD “Peart saw an obvious parallel between her main characters’ striving for independence in the face of a totalitarian regime and the band’s own predicament.” RJ-41 “Rush, like a lot of great rock bands, comes down on the side of the individual being all that he can be (to steal a good slogan from a completely inappropriate source).” JD The Logo “The now iconic album sleeve design [is] a naked man, alluding to the classical nude depictions of purity, faces the red pentagram of the Federation.” RJ-41 The image was adopted by fans as a logo for Rush in general. It was developed by Hugh Syme. WK The star represented the evil federation in the “2112” piece and the man was the hero. Rush would feature the logo on some of their subsequent albums. Beyond the 2112 Suite “Since the album is named after the suite it is sometimes described as a concept album. Technically it is not, as the songs on the second side are completely unrelated to the plot of the suite.” WK While they “do not match the accomplishments of the title track, they have some worthwhile musical moments.” JD Notes A 40th anniversary edition added a bonus disc with live versions of some of the songs and covers of 2112 songs performed by other artists. The Songs Here’s a breakdown of each of the individual songs.

2112: I. Overture Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: 2112 (1976), All the World’s a Stage (live, 1976), Chronicles (compilation, 1990), Retrospective I (compilation, 1997), The Spirit of Radio: Greatest Hits (compilation, 2003), Icon 2 (live, 2011), Rush 50 (box set, 2025) Peak: 6 CL, 8 DF (as part of “2112”) Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.63 streaming (as part of “2112”) About the Song: “The band’s first instrumental track (discounting the Biblical quotation right at the close of the piece) is an absolute stormer! This piece [was] the last to be written for the overall composition.” RJ-43 Rush “take the classical music idea of an overture as a piece designed to get an audience’s attention and proceed to hit their listeners straight between the ears, laying out the musical landscape that is to come…‘Overture’ perfectly encapsulates what ‘2112’ is all about – loud, aggressive, precise and, above all, wondrously exciting music.” RJ-43 Hugh Syme, who designed the covers for Rush albums, also played on the album, specifically the ARP Odyssey synthesizer on the “Overture.” RJ-43 Geddy said, “We knew we wanted to start the song with a kind of sound that had the imagery of soaring through space, moving through time.” RJ-44

2112: II. The Temples of Syrinx Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: Feb. 1977 (single), 2112 (1976), All the World’s a Stage (live, 1976), Grace Under Pressure Tour (live, 1984), Chronicles (compilation, 1990), Retrospective I (compilation, 1997), The Spirit of Radio: Greatest Hits (compilation, 2003), Icon 2 (live, 2011), Rush 50 (box set, 2025) B side: “Making Memories” Peak: 6 CL, 8 DF (as part of “2112”) Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.63 streaming (as part of “2112”) About the Song: “No other track captures the frustration and determination of Rush at this point in their career.” RJ-44 This is “the band’s heaviest track to date.” RJ-45 Furious and passionate, and one of the first songs to be written for the album, all three players pound their instruments to their limits.” RJ-44 However, “it is Lee’s vocal performance that astonishes the most.” RJ-45

2112: III. Discovery Rush

Writer(s): Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: 2112 (1976) Peak: 6 CL, 8 DF (as part of “2112”) Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.63 streaming (as part of “2112”) About the Song: At this point in the “2112” narrative, the protagonist finds an abandoned guitar in a cave and starts playing it. Alex Lifeson played the song on a Fender Stratocaster he borrowed from a friend. It was recorded with no edits or overdubs. RJ-45 Lifeson “gives a convincing impression of the situation the narrator finds himself in, soon constructing a pretty little instrumental…Lee’s gentle vocals bring the scene to life.” RJ-45

2112: IV. Presentation Rush

Writer(s): Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: 2112 (1976), All the World’s a Stage (live, 1976), Icon 2 (live, 2011) Peak: 6 CL, 8 DF (as part of “2112”) Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.63 streaming (as part of “2112”) About the Song: “A sonic blast of power chords, heavy bass and drums” RJ-45 signifies the appearance of the Priests. Lifeson throws “everything he’s got into his solo, including spectacular wah-wah pedal abuse, some rapid flurries of notes and a suitably anguished tone.” RJ-46

2112: V. Oracle – The Dream Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: 2112 (1976) Peak: 6 CL, 8 DF (as part of “2112”) Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.63 streaming (as part of “2112”) About the Song: This “is another change of place and pace with a deeply atmospheric, slow chord sequence, drenched in reverb reflecting the narrator’s dismay at the rejection” RJ-46 by the Priests when he presents them with the guitar. When he falls asleep, he “is transported into a dream of his planet’s history, an ancient, freer world constructed…[in] a time which, after the Priests have fallen from power, will come again.” RJ-46

2112: VI. Soliloquy Rush

Writer(s): Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: 2112 (1976), All the World’s a Stage (live, 1976), Icon 2 (live, 2011) Peak: 6 CL, 8 DF (as part of “2112”) Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.63 streaming (as part of “2112”) About the Song: The story returns to the cave where the narrator found the guitar. His “mood is one of deep despair, again using the sonic contrasts of quiet passages and savage distortion to describe his depressed state.” RJ-46

2112: VII. Grand Finale Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: 2112 (1976), All the World’s a Stage (live, 1976), Icon 2 (live, 2011) Peak: 6 CL, 8 DF (as part of “2112”) Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.63 streaming (as part of “2112”) About the Song: This is another instrumental to close out the “2112” suite. It “has a more optimistic feel due to its greater use of major chords. Its chugging nature and driving rhythm suggest a hoped-for, positive future.” RJ-46 Geddy said, “The ending of that story was purposely ambiguous. What happens in that ending is either liberation or the invasion of another totalitarian state. Its for the listener to decide which.” RJ-47

A Passage to Bangkok Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: 3/28/81 (single), 2112 (1976), Exit…Stage Left (live, 1981), Chronicles (compilation, 1990), Time Stand Still (compilation, 2010), Rush 50 (box set, 2025) Peak: 16 CL, 41 UK, 23 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 24.51 streaming About the Song: “The Middle Eastern-flavored A Passage to Bangkok” AM is a nod to the 1924 novel A Passage to India by E.M. Forster. RJ-47 The song is “about the marijuana trade” JD and “a tacit acknowledgement of the chemical assistance the band indulged in during the early stages of their recording career.” RJ-47 Musically, it is “a curious amalgam of heavy rock, tongue-in-cheek humor and catchy commerciality.” RJ-47 It “is fun, melodic, powerful, inventive,” RJ-47 and “has an upbeat feel within its driving rhythmic structure, appealing chorus, and a vague whiff of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Kashmir’ as an influence.” RJ-47

The Twilight Zone Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: June 1976 (single), 2112 (1976), Icon (compilation, 2010) B side: “Lessons” Peak: 33 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 8.33 streaming About the Song: This “was a last-minute composition required to get the album’s running time up to an acceptable level.” RJ-47 It “is a musical imagining of an episode from the landmark sci-fi television series of the same name by Rod Serling.” RJ-48 “Like the show itself, this is the strangest track on the album; at times light-hearted, at other times heavily atmospheric and tense.” RJ-48 Producer Terry Brown called it “a little gem with a very strong lead guitar motif from Alex. Ged’s verse vocals are up in the stratosphere and then the chorus slips into an eerie flanged vocal that is in the ‘zone.’ This is all held together by Neil’s very concise, driving percussion closing with the airy guitar.” RJ-48

Lessons Rush

Writer(s): Alex Lifeson Released: June 1976 (B side of “The Twilight Zone”), 2112 (1976) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 6.76 streaming About the Song: “The opening recalls ‘Making Memories’ with its briskly strummed, major key, acoustic guitar introduction, relaxed bass and drums contributions. The chorus is a muscular affair of crashing power chords, aggressive drums, and a very active bassist thrashing out an excellent contrasting section of music.” RJ-48 “The music quietens for the second verse while maintaining its pace and energy already established. Another heavy chorus leads into a fabulous, grinding chord groove, with Lifeson again giving it his all, which continues as the mood switches back to the acoustic blend. This turns into a playout with the guitarist clearly enjoying himself as the song powers along into the fade.” RJ-48

Tears Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee Released: 2112 (1976) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 5.62 streaming About the Song: The 2112 album was the first to feature an outside musician. WK “Tears” was “the first Rush song to feature an outside musician.” WK Syme, who also designed the album logo, played on “Overture” and here contributed “a multi-tracked Mellotron string and flute part.” WK He would later do more keyboard work for the band. Unfortunately, Syme’s effort “turns this earnest, if somewhat mawkish, composition into a syrupy mush.” RJ-48 “The delicate introduction is pretty, and Lee sings his composition with sincerity, but by the time the chorus arrives, the Mellotron has assumed control of the mix, which spoils the overall effect.” RJ-49 “Simple guitars, sparse bass and gentle drums are all that’s needed to support the vocals.” RJ-49

Something for Nothing Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Neal Peart Released: 2112 (1976), All the World’s a Stage (live, 1976), Retrospective I (compilation, 1997), Rush 50 (box set, 2025) Peak: 18 CL, 25 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 8.48 streaming About the Song: Neal Peart developed the idea for this “album-closing rocker” AM from the phrase “Freedom isn’t free,” which he saw graffitied on a wall. WK Although it isn’t part of the “2112” suite, “Something for Nothing” is “a neat conclusion for the themes explored on side one.” RJ-49 “The words are straightforward, and the music is the same. The message to the listener is that the power and responsibility for improving their lives lies with themselves.” RJ-49 “Rush re-exert their aggressive energies and provides an anthem which, more than any other of their songs to date, exemplifies their approach to their craft.” RJ-49 “Something for Nothing” “rocks along magnificently with energy and attack. Lee’s voice is at times at the outer limits of his range, but he sings with a compelling conviction, especially when he gathers his strength for the coda chorus.” RJ-49

Resources/References: AM Greg Prato, AllMusic.com JD Jim DeRogatis (1/27/2002). “The Great Albums” RD Robert Dimery (2006). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Quintet Publishing Limited: New York, NY. Page 362. RJ Richard James (2024). On Track…Rush 1973-1982. Sonic Bond Publishing: United Kingdom. WK Wikipedia Related DMDB Pages: First posted 7/1/2011; last updated 6/17/2026.

 

Genesis The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway released

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Genesis

Released: November 18, 1974 Peak: 41 US, 10 UK, 15 CN, 80 AU, 13 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.1 UK, 2.0 world (includes US and UK), 5.55 EAS Genre: progressive rock

Tracks, Disc 1: Click on a song titled for more details. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway [4:55] Fly on a Windshield [2:47] Broadway Melody of 1974 [1:58] Cuckoo Cocoon [2:14] In the Cage [8:15] The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging [2:45] Back in N.Y.C. [5:49] Hairless Heart [2:25] Counting Out Time [3:45] The Carpet Crawlers [5:16] The Chamber of 32 Doors [5:40] Tracks – Disc 2: Lilywhite Lilith [2:40] The Waiting Room [5:28] Anyway [3:18] Here Comes the Supernatural Anaesthetist [2:50] The Lamia [6:57] Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats [3:06] The Colony of Slippermen (The Arrival/A Visit to the Doktor/The Raven) [8:14] Ravine [2:05] The Light Lies Down on Broadway [3:32] Riding the Scree [3:56] In the Rapids [2:24] It [4:58] Total Running Time: 95:17 The Players: Peter Gabriel (vocals, various instruments) Steve Hackett (guitar) Mike Rutherford (bass, 12-string guitar) Tony Banks (keyboards) Phil Collins (drums, percussion)

Rating: 4.194 out of 5.00 (average of 20 ratings) Quotable: “Sooner or later, every progressive-rock band has to do its double-LP concept/opera/extraganza, and for Gabriel’s Genesis, it was The Lamb.” – Jon Pareles, Blender magazine Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

The “Difficult” Album “Any band that lasts long enough eventually makes one: the Difficult Album.” WH Especially in the case of progressive rock bands, they eventually have to do the “double-LP concept/opera/extravaganza and for Gabriel’s Genesis, it was The Lamb.” JP “Whether it’s overly long, pretentious, too ambitious, marked with creative difficulties or all of the above, there’s always that one album in a band’s catalogue that exposes the tensions surging under the surface.” WH “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway belongs in the same realm as The Wall, Quadrophenia, The White Album, Tales from Topographic Oceans and any other grand, complex work that creaks and groans under its own weight.” WH “It’s unlike anything else in the Genesis discography in that it’s a full-fledged rock opera double album, with all the intricacy that denotes.” WH The Plot Lamb is “a surreal odyssey” JP that follows Rael, “a half-Puerto Rican juvenile delinquent…living in New York City.” WK He “is swept underground to face bizarre creatures and nightmarish dangers in order to rescue his brother John” WK “and ascend to adulthood.” WK Phil Collins said, “It’s about a ‘split personality.’ In this context, Rael would believe he is looking for John but is actually looking for a missing part of himself.’” WK “Several of the story’s occurrences and places were derived from Peter Gabriel’s dreams, and the protagonist’s name is a play on his surname.” WK Gabriel “saw the album as a chance to continue indulging his love of theatrical costumes, so he cast himself as Rael, including crazy eyebrows, leather jacket and, yes, brownface. That’s an unavoidable problem and Gabriel should 100 percent bear the weight of it, but the album on its own stands apart from the stage show, even though the show contained a heavy amount of visuals that helped make the story (marginally) more comprehensible.” WH Aside from that, “it’s actually a surprisingly progressive depiction since Rael’s Puerto Rican heritage isn’t used to define him in a stereotypical way and is never mentioned in the lyrics (aside from one cringe-inducing mention of ‘chocolate fingers’). He’s a person of color who represents the everyman on a universal quest, and that’s good.” WH Thematically, the album addresses “urban alienation, Freudian paranoia, ironic mythology, childish wordplay and an overriding concern with whether innocence can be maintained into adulthood.” WH “The individual songs also make satirical allusions to everything from mythology to the sexual revolution to advertising and consumerism. You can read the full story of Rael, as written in the album’s liner notes by Peter Gabriel, here. That blog also breaks down the lyrics of all the songs from the album and how they fit into the story. The Writing Mike Rutherford initially proposed that the band do an album based on Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s The Little Prince. It caused friction when Gabriel insisted on The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, a project in which he wrote the story and lyrics largely by himself, WK with some exceptions noted under comments about individual songs. Gabriel’s first wife was having difficulties with her first pregnancy so he was largely absent from writing the music, which was primarily handled by the rest of the band. WK In some cases, such as “The Lamia” and “The Supernatural Anaesthetist,” other band members suggested tweaks to the lyrics to make them better fit the music, “an action Gabriel did not take kindly to.” WK The Reception “There are some nicely creepy set pieces,” JP but “the piece’s length,” AM which has “filler [that] stretches on and on,” JP “makes it something of an acquired taste.” AM Lamb will exhaust you, and often try your patience, with enough seemingly throwaway bits to make the whole enterprise look pointless at times.” WH An article in New Yorker even called this “The Ulysses of Concept Albums.” WH “Lamb is not for everyone (not even, it seems, for most of the members of Genesis, who don’t seem to really care for it that much) but it was an album Genesis had to make, in some shape or form.” WH It “has some deeper richness to it if you’re willing to put up with its faults.” WH “Some of the songs here represent the apex of the Peter Gabriel era” WH and “most serious fans regard this as the best record the group ever cut.” AM Enossification Brian Eno contributed some synthesized vocal effects to several songs, including “In the Cage” and “The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging.” His work is credited in the liner notes as “Enossification.” Peter Gabriel was a fan of Eno and thought he “could enhance the adventurous aspect of the sound.” WK He was working on his album Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) while Lamb was being mixed at Island. Because Genesis had little money to pay him, Eno negotiated with the band to have Phil Collins play drums on his song “Mother Whale Eyeless.” WK Reissues The Genesis box set Archive 1967-75 features a full live performance of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. The Songs Here’s a breakdown of each of the individual songs.

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: 11 CL, 9 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 11.79 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: The title track” WK “ranks with Genesis’ most majestic moments.” JP It was the last song Tony Banks and Peter Gabriel, who’d been friends since school, wrote together while in Genesis together although Gabriel says he only wrote the lyrics. WK The song’s title is the first line sung “after a fluttery Tony Banks intro that gets looser as the drums break down.” WH To play the unusual sequence of notes in the piano introduction, Banks had to cross his hands over. WK The song plunges “straight into the narrative, introducing the protagonist, Rael,…and also a lamb that is literally lying down on Broadway, in case you thought that was just a metaphor.” WH “This song is like the album in microcosm, a bunch of things stuck together that kind of work but also feel kind of ramshackle and random and weird. Better settle in.” WH Listeners will notice a clear difference in Gabriel’s singing style. WHHis “voice and the backing behind him shifts throughout, from long bellowing to nasally whining to that sarcastic version…in the outro.” WH That ending actually borrows music and lyrics from The Drifters’ “On Broadway.”

Fly on a Windshield Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: 28 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 3.59 streaming About the Song: “Fly on a Windshield” grew out of “a group improvisation sparked by Rutherford's idea of Egyptian pharaohs going down the Nile, which Hackett compared to Maurice Ravel’s Boléro. Banks described the part where the entire band comes in, signifying the moment a fly hits the windshield of a car, as ‘probably the single best moment in Genesis’s history.’” WK In his in-depth analysis of the album, blogger W.A. Hughes is more critical. He says, “This track does a good job integrating the synth into a heavy, pulsing texture, but there’s not much development here and the lyrics seem mostly like an excuse for Gabriel to throw in as many pop culture references as possible in a Dylanesque tangle rather than follow up on the scene he just set.” WH In regards to how it fits in the overall concept, “Rael’s lost in a miasma here and with all of what’s about to follow, you probably won’t remember much of this piece. Like the title track, though, there’s some important musical foreshadowing happening here, with melodies that will come back later at crucial moments, and the soft delivery of ‘needles and pins’ makes a nice change from the harsher vocals that came before.” WH

Broadway Melody of 1974 Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 2.89 streaming About the Song: This is “filler music that’s probably more useful as a scene changing vamp than an actual tune.” WH It flows straight from “Fly on a Windshield” “although the two pieces were written independently and only connected later on.” WK

Cuckoo Cocoon Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: 19 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 2.67 streaming About the Song: Steve Hacket wrote the vocal melody and the two opening chords of “Cuckoo Cocoon.” The music was done with his brother John a few years earlier, although John is uncredited. WK In terms of the story, at this point “Rael is trapped in a mysterious dark hole somewhere and muses on what might be going on. He’s not scared yet, and part of what makes the track work is the lyrics, which actually reflect a normal thought process for once instead of Gabriel’s idea of edginess (‘The only sound is water drops / I wonder where the hell I am? / Some kind of jam?’).” WH “Unlike the brutal ‘Fly on a Windshield,’ the tone here is softer, gentler, a throwback to Trespass in a way…Some truly beautiful piano work from Tony and watery overlay on the vocals gives it a nice Sunday-morning-breakfast vibe.” WH

In the Cage Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: 22 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 3.03 streaming About the Song: Banks wrote nearly all the music for “In the Cage,” presenting it to the band when it was almost finished. Brian Eno contributed vocal effects to this and other songs on the album. WK “Phil Collins dominates on this track as well and would go on to do an admirable job manning vocals in a later live performance.” WH “The indulgent keyboard solo in the middle” WH plugs seamlessly “back into the main melody” WH although “a left-field reference to ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head’ [is] one of many pop culture references that pop up out of nowhere throughout Lamb).” WH Here’s “where all of the bombastic arrangements and amped up drama work in the band’s favor, creating a truly exhilarating, pounding, mesmerizing little number, depicting Rael’s growing fear and claustrophobia.” WH “It all culminates in a semi-religious moment of epiphany when the cage finally breaks and Rael sees his brother, John, whom he will chase after for the rest of the album.” WH

The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: 24 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.82 streaming About the Song: This is one of the few instances where the lyrics were written first. Banks said, “I just started playing these two chords, a dopey kind of riff really ... I just keep one note going through the whole thing and just change the chords underneath it, letting it build. Then what Pete did on top was kind of wild and he didn’t really make any use of the melodic content of the piece, but I think it works very well.” WK “It’s hard to really determine what qualifies as ‘weirdest song on the album’ when you’re already dealing with magical cocoons, celestial lambs and ominous moog noises, but this is…odd. It kind of sounds like something off of a children’s record, with whistles and echoes and wacky voices, as Rael travels through a magical factory, catching another glimpse of his brother in the process. You might think that awkward title would be impossible to fit in a song but Gabriel manages it, and this is, perhaps strangest of all, one of the catchier Lamb tunes that will probably stick with you after a first listen.” WH

Back in N.Y.C. Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: 21 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.33 streaming About the Song: “Back in N.Y.C.” sees “Genesis adopt a more aggressive sound than before.” WK “Peter is angry! Peter is screaming! Peter is swearing! Peter is…cuddling a porcupine? All joking aside, this is a great song.” WH It has “a unique fusion of edgy vocals, relentless synth, and a bridge that’s so good it makes up for…some of the worst lyrics in Genesis’ entire catalogue (‘No time for romantic escape / When your fluffy heart is ready for rape’? ugh).” WH In fact, the lyrics “are filled with unusually violent imagery, such as gasoline, razors, fires and blood.” WH In the story, “Rael is either transported back to his New York youth or just remembering it.” WH His “entire character is about the struggle between two personalities: the aggressive tough guy punk and the lost, sensitive child underneath, with John representing a kind of ideal self. Again and again, we’ll see examples of Rael bouncing from one extreme to another. But first we have to see him shave a farm animal.” WH Mike Rutherford said it was a group composition that emerged from improvisations but Banks says it was he and Rutherford alone who wrote the song. WK

Hairless Heart Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 3.50 streaming About the Song: “Hairless Heart” grew out of a guitar melody by Steve Hacket. Tony Banks then composed the rest as backing. WK The instrumental piece is essentially Banks playing scales at different speeds “played multiple times with different effects and a zither vibrating somewhere.” WH The results, though, are “positively mind-blowing.” WH “and does a good job capturing that sense of majesty that many…come to prog for in the first place.” WH He wasn’t happy about the title, which is a reference to a lyric in “Back in N.Y.C.,” because, as he said, “shaving hair off the heart, it’s a horrible concept!” WK It is a weird vibe that the song soundtracks “a boy grooming a heart into a lamb’s fur.” WH

Counting Out Time Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: single (11/15/1974), The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: 23 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 2.41 streaming About the Song: Peter Gabriel wrote this before the concept of Lamb had come about. It is one of the few songs not written collaboratively by the band. WK The guitar solo by Steve Hackett “was filtered through an EMS Synthi HI-Fli guitar synthesizer.” WK It is “one of the few tracks that can stand alone reasonably well as that dreaded creature, the ‘pop single.’” WH “Rael, for no real reason, reminisces about that one time he tried to get his girlfriend off using a dodgy sex manual from a bookstore: needless to say, it did not go well. It’s a fun song on its surface, and you certainly won’t find many bands willing to use the phrase ‘erogenous zones, I love you” as their chorus. But the goofy electric banjo or whatever that is that comes in before the final verse (‘Taake it away, Mr. Guitar!’) might be a little too much to take, especially considering the heaviness surrounding it on the album.” WH

The Carpet Crawlers Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: single (4/18/1975), The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: 12 CL, 19 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 19.33 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: Peter Gabriel wrote some lyrics for “The Carpet Crawlers” before it had any music. Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford then “put together a chord sequence in D, E minor and F-sharp minor with a roll from the drums flowing through it.” WK “Gabriel spent ‘hours and hours’ on an out-of-tune piano at home developing the song, and his wife recalled his fondness for the track.” WK She said he wrote the main melody. WK The beginning of the song reprises “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.” WK This “is probably the biggest single success to come from the whole of Lamb, lasting as a live Genesis staple well after Gabriel’s departure and serving as a sort of bridge between the pop and prog factions within the group.” WH It’s “a pretty sweet jam, building up masterfully yet again and letting Gabriel change vocal costumes multiple times, from mystical to murky to ecstatic.” WH “It’s a rare example of a song where the verses are louder than the chorus and shows that not all of the band’s sonic adventures were trips up their own arses. They could deliver the goods, even when the plot was slipping hopelessly away from them.” WH

The Chamber of 32 Doors Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 2.00 streaming About the Song: “Carpet Crawlers” “ends so well that it seems like a shame to pivot directly into this monster, which features what feels like nine or ten dramatic pitches, blathering Blake-esque descriptions of fantasy people and a bizarre country section with the lines ‘I’d rather trust a man who works with his hands’ (yes, really) that’s unintentionally pretty funny, mainly for the WTF factor.” WH The song details “Rael’s fruitless attempts to travel through the Chamber only to end up right where he started.” WH “There’s a quick appearance from Rael’s parents that doesn’t have any real impact on the plot. With all the Freudian angst going on, it seems a little strange that Mom and Dad don’t get involved.” WH

Lilywhite Lilith Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: 23 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.67 streaming About the Song: "Lilywhite Lilith" was built on two song fragments written by Phil Collins. One was from the 1969 song “The Light” which Genesis never recorded and the other came later on. WK “This is a pleasantly upbeat little rock tune that almost feels like it could stand on its own, still flecked with distinctive Genesis weirdness, like the way Peter’s voice spikes up on the chorus or the mix of grinding guitars and wispy keyboards. Then, rather abruptly, this melody disappears, replaced by a motif from ‘Fly on a Windshield.’” WH In the story line, Rael “was lost and confused…in a ‘Chamber of 32 Doors,’ begging for help.” WH Now he gets it “in the form of a mysterious old blind woman who takes him out of the darkness to a throne room.” WH Then “Lilywhite Lilith is suddenly gone, and Rael is left to face another terrifying ordeal.” WH “The lack of an ending is really the only mark against this song, since it’s otherwise very listenable, and adds some more action to the proceedings after the stultifying ‘Chamber.’” WH

The Waiting Room Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.31 streaming About the Song: “The Waiting Room” developed as a ‘basic good to bad soundscaping’ jam while it was raining outside Headley Grange. When the band stopped, a rainbow had formed. Collins remembered Hackett playing ‘these dark chords, then Peter blows into his oboe reeds, then there was a loud clap of thunder and we really thought we were entering another world or something. It was moments like that when we were still very much a unified five-piece.’ Banks regretted not recording the improvisation as it took place, as he felt the band were unable to recreate the tone of the original in their later renditions.” WK Blogger W.A. Hughes calls the song, “which is all weird noises and undulations…a bargain basement version of ‘On the Run,’” WH from Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. He even accuses Genesis of “trying to rip off one of the best-known and most popular prog bands of all time, even if it doesn’t really serve any purpose other than being tedious.” WH

Anyway Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 2.41 streaming About the Song: “Anyway” developed from a song named ‘Frustration,’ which Banks wrote before Genesis was formed.” WK Gabriel does “a jaunty recitation with a little bite to it, held up by some pretty rad guitars, especially the soaring jam at the end.” WH “Narrative-wise, there’s nothing really going on here, as Rael goes on a stream-of-consciousness rant about mortality, but there’s at least one good line (‘Anyway/they say she comes on a pale horse/but I swear I hear a train’) and strong work from Hackett to help it stand out, as well as some ghostly piano bookend bits.” WH

Here Comes the Supernatural Anaesthetist Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.40 streaming About the Song: “These last few songs are supposedly about Rael’s encounter with Death.” WH The second half of this song is “a pretty decent instrumental rock-waltz…way better than the silly beginning, with stupid lyrics.” WH

The Lamia Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 2.16 streaming About the Song: “The music for ‘The Lamia’ was primarily written by Banks. After he brought it to the band, Gabriel wrote the lyrics, and Banks brought it home to write the vocal melody.” WK Conceptually, the song “ is kind of like a mini-rock opera in itself, with Gabriel oddly switching tenses from first to third person and an entire story playing itself out over the whole song. Basically, Rael finds himself in a pool filled with snake women…They seduce him and bite his flesh, which essentially gives him an orgasm, but his blood kills them instantly…Then he eats their bodies (?) and peaces out as the room grows cold and the ‘water turns icy blue.’” WH “If you can get past the intentional ickyness, the song is an effectively disturbing portrayal of sexual fears/moral panic, specifically the idea that sex will corrupt you and make you a monster (which, unfortunately, dominates the next few songs).” WH “The strange, evocative lyrics, sing-song melody and dramatic flair actually do all work together the more you pay attention, and the amazing guitar solo from Hackett at the end kicks it up a whole star rating all on its own.” WH

Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.39 streaming About the Song: “Genesis goes ambient.” WH “By now you should be well used to these ‘scene change’ ditties which are only there to kill time, and this one is in the middle: not as bland as ‘The Waiting Room’ but not as dramatic as ‘Hairless Heart’ either. It smacks of Brian Eno’s interest in experimental ‘music for airports,’ though in a good way, even if no one is going to put this at the top of their Prog Genesis list.” WH There ae also some “biblical vocal effects that rise in the middle, making this feel like we’re at least building up to something. And are we ever…” WH

The Colony of Slippermen Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.30 streaming About the Song: “The Colony of Slippermen” is divided into three parts – “The Arrival,” “A Visit to the Doktor,” and “Raven.” The riffs preceding the latter song were recycled from the unrecorded 1969 Genesis song “The Light” which was also used for “Lilywhite Lilith.” WK “Slippermen” also elements of an untitled song from the group they simply called “Chinese Jam.” WK “The synthesizer solo was developed as a joke, parodying traditional rock forms, but when played back the band found it sounded stronger than they had intended.” WK Blogger W.A. Hughes asserts, however, that it definitely “feels like the band has become a bad parody of itself.” WH The music is “confusingly busy as it jumps from one section to another.” WH “Gabriel introduces his most infamous character, the warty, debauched Slipperman. Apparently, everyone who encounters the Lamia (or ‘tastes love’) gets deformed and bulbous, including Rael, though he doesn’t realize this until he sees someone else who has gone through the same thing.” WH “Rael meets his brother again and the two of them are ushered to a Nazi castrationist named Doktor Dyper, also voiced by Gabriel, to get their ‘windshield wipers’ removed, which apparently de-slippermanizes them.” WH “Then a blackbird comes down and steals Rael’s severed penis, dropping it down a cliff into a river. John…refuses to help Rael go get it, so our hero has to chase it himself, but he’s too late and watches it float out to sea helplessly.” WH

Ravine Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.97 streaming About the Song: “Ravine” “was another piece improvised by the band, with Hackett using a fuzz box and wah-wah pedal to emulate the sound of wind.” WK Blogger W.A. Hughes says, “I’m not really sure what the best music to listen to after watching your genitals drift down a river is, but this probably isn’t it. Creepy theremin-style stuff has its place, certainly, and the general vibe is very eerie, but this is another two minutes of nothing that could have been shortened to an outro, or a segue into the next song.” WH

The Light Lies Down on Broadway Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: 39 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.24 streaming About the Song: “The Light Dies Down on Broadway” reprises the verses from “The Lamia” and the chorus from the album’s title cut, although the latter are arranged at a slower tempo. WK It’s neat and theatrical, but it also underlines the duality theme, with one song representing the tough-guy vision of ‘home’ Rael longs for and the other representing whatever this weird nightmare land full of horny snake people is.” WH Banks and Rutherford did write words for “The Light Lies Down on Broadway” when Gabriel couldn’t up with a piece to link “Ravine” and “Riding the Scree.” WK It was the only song on the album with lyrics from someone other than Gabriel, although he did tell them what action needed to take place during the song. WK It makes for “the most coherent plot of all the songs here, in a way that feels dramatically fulfilling, like we’re watching a musical.” WH “Kudos to Banks and Rutherford for putting some narrative heft back into the story.” WH “There’s a real sense of grandeur here that would have made for a great finale.” WH “After a series of random events in which Rael had had little to no agency, our hero finally, finally, finally gets a big moment where he has to actually make a choice, and the encounters from the previous track feel like they have actually led to something.” WH “It almost brings everything together.” WH “Opening with some more eerie music that actually works, this song has Rael discover a portal back to New York, though he doesn’t entirely trust it (‘Is this the way out/of this endless scene/ or just an entrance/ to another dream?’). He’s about to go through when he notices John has fallen into the river, and has to choose between saving himself or helping someone who has been totally useless to him for the whole album…It doesn’t take him long to decide, though…and the portal closes for good as he dashes after his brother.” WH

Riding the Scree Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.10 streaming About the Song: Other than a brief vocal by Pete Gabriel, “Riding the Scree” was entirely played by Tony Banks, Phil Collins, and Mike Rutherford on bass and guitar. WK “It was a particularly difficult track for Banks to play on stage due to its irregular meter with multiple time signature changes, so he played the solo in 4/4 time and hoped to end up with the rest of the band at the end.” WK The song’s “keyboard regalia and odd time signature” WH make for a good first half of the song, but the “latter half is marred by misdirection and a woefully bad Frank Zappa impression from Pete.” WH “It’s not funny or particularly inspired, just random, confusing and alienating.” WH As far as the word “scree,” it is defined in Merriam-Webster as “an accumulation of loose stones or rocky debris lying on a slope or at the base of a hill or cliff.” WH In the context of this song, the lyrics are about “Rael getting down to the water to save John, because things were apparently moving way too quickly.” WH

In the Rapids Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: 36 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.05 streaming About the Song: According to Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford is the sole composer on “In the Rapids,” WK “probably the slowest song about rushing rapids ever written.” WH It is “a beautiful, short ballad with some tender vocals in the lower register for Peter, an unusual and powerful sound for him.” WH “There’s no goofy wordplay here, just a sober and earnest crescendo.” WH “Because it’s essentially just a long verse, there’s no resolution, just a bigger and bigger swell as Rael catches up with John and holds him close, united with him at last. But wait! ‘Something’s changed!’ Rael exclaims. ‘That’s not your face! It’s mine! IT’S MIIIIINEEE!’” WH

It Genesis

Writer(s): Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford Released: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) Peak: 23 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.19 streaming About the Song: “Genesis were unable to come up with ideas that they liked for a finale, so they settled for a piece Banks and Hackett wrote as an instrumental as the music for the closing track.” WK “After all of the build-up and ordeals both we and Rael have been through, not to mention the band, you’re probably going to end the whole experience by simply saying ‘Wait. That’s it?’” WH It “doesn’t call back to any of the previous motifs” WH and “vaguely resembles the Charlie’s Angels theme.” WH “We’re supposed to feel the joy of Rael finally accepting himself.” WH “At least there’s a triumphant scream (‘It is RAEEEL!’) to signify some sort of high point for Rael’s character development, and a somewhat happy ending, if you consider vanishing into a cloud of purple mist to be happy.” WH Peter Gabriel said the lyrics were about forming “substance from negatives.” WK The final lyric, “It’s only knock and know all, but I like it” was a play on the Rolling Stones’ “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It).” WK

Resources/References: AM AllMusic.com review by Bruce Eder WH W.A. Hughes (2017). “Classic Genesis Album Review: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (Part 1) and (Part 2) AP Andy Phillips (3/19/2020). The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway: The Full Inner Gatefold Story and Lyrics” JP Jon Pareles, Blender magazine. (10/07), pp.118-9. WK Wikipedia Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/4/2010; last updated 9/13/2025.