Sunday 11 November 2012

Supper's Ready (Genesis, 1972)

Let's begin, then. They sometimes ask me which is my favourite song ever. Of course, it is impossible to choose one single track, but if ever I were obliged to answer such a question, I'd probably say: "Supper's Ready", the 23 minute 'suite' from Genesis' album "Foxtrot". 

Peter Gabriel singing "Supper's Ready"
 
This is where it all began, many years ago, this is the first time I experienced that kick inside me, the one you feel when you fall in love. Even today, when I'm specially tired or depressed, this is the music I listen to... and I'm in Wonderland again. Why is that? I found three main reasons: 1) The musical themes and ideas are all strong and perfectly found, they'e all so different and still they work together like a winner team; 2) The architecture of the song, a musical cathedral, where the transition from one theme to another is always surprising and the themes themselves come back whenever you don't expect so; 3) The lyrics are mysterious, sometimes puzzling, but full of powerful characters (do you remember Narcissus?), intriguing cross-references and mixed feelings.
 
Someone told me he adored "Supper's Ready" because it was such a strange thing, but it was actually rock'n'roll, another one pretended this suite was the prog itself and a very young progfan admitted he discovered this song's beauty via Peter Gabriel's fancy dresses... well, I don't know and I'm sure every listener has his own good reasons to like this song, these are mine, tell me yours...

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