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...