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Rating: The big day had arrived!
The new album by the fabulous GENESIS, 'ABACAB', was on record store shelves. A year earlier, at just fourteen, I had purchased 'Duke' (my first "serious music" album) and was thrilled!
During the wait for 'ABACAB', I got to know all the previous works of GENESIS, becoming an exaggerated fan, as one can be at that age. And finally, the new work of the greatest pop group of the millennium was ready to be listened to by us mere mortals. I received a call from my brotherly friend, (also a Genesis fan to the core), who had just bought the album and invited me to rush to his house to listen to it together.
A mishap prevented me from getting there right away, so he listened to it once alone and I understood afterward why he had that glum face when he greeted me… At first, I thought… what happened? Did the stylus on the turntable break? Is the record skipping? No, technically everything was fine.. unfortunately… the problems were much different…
And thus began the ordeal… We already knew the album title; it didn’t seem too "Genesis-like" but it could easily have been the name of some imp frequently peeking from the magical atmospheres of their music, surely it was something like that… Here comes the music!... Here comes ABACAB!
The first drum beats began and I realized I had made a huge mistake… I had already heard that sound that would accompany us for years… the crazy Phil Collins, after the success of 'In the Air Tonight' and his cursed album 'Face (slap... ) Value', had killed Genesis by engulfing them in his raucous and pounding sound.
But the worst was yet to come… the glimmer of light during ME AND SARAH JANE and DODO, were only the prelude to horror when we arrived at the (notes?) of WHO DUNNIT? and KEEP IT DARK, where the invader that is Phil Collins is truly unbearable. . . but where were Rutherford and Banks??? Maybe they were taking a pee break at that moment… there is no other plausible explanation. I exchanged a glance of dismay with my friend, but are these the Genesis?
But let's check the cover, is it sure to say that name??? It wasn't a prank, and it was all true, we were witnesses to the complete dissolution of one of the greatest pop bands. And we continued to hurt ourselves! NO REPLY AT ALL was exactly what was missing, so we were indeed complete! The horns of Earth, Wind, and Fire on a Genesis album? Be my guest, at this point…
In MAN IN A CORNER, good Phil Collins reminds us (but we really didn't need it), once again who was the author of this mess, since it could be a B-side of the aforementioned In the air tonight. LIKE IT OR NOT and ANOTHER RECORD…. they aren't even worthy of mention, "neither meat nor fish" pieces that form the epilogue to a musical jumble where the reins have been lost and were put there just to fill space on the record.
In conclusion, I say that 'ABACAB' was simply the collapse of a legend. The GENESIS no longer existed, the little progressive that remained with 'DUKE' had been brutally erased in favor of a pseudo-renewal dictated by Phil Collins on the wave of his solo success, ending up transforming GENESIS into a "support band" for personal use and consumption.
After 24 years, I still struggle to answer some simple questions about this album, I’ll mention just two:
But to whom was it addressed?
Was it necessary to fall so low just for the sake of change?
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Abacab (06:57)
Look up on the wall, there on the floor,
Under the pillow, behind the door.
There's a crack in the mirror.
Somewhere there's a hole in a window pane.
Do you think I'm to blame?
Tell me, do you think I'm to blame?
(When we do it) you're never there.
(When you show it) just stop and stare.
(Abacab) he's in anywhere.
(Abacab)
If you're wrappin' up the world
'Cause you've taken someone else's girl,
When they turn on the pillow,
Even when they answer the telephone,
don't you think that by now...
Tell me, don't you think that by now.
(When we do it) you're never there.
(When you show it) just stop and stare.
(Abacab) he's in anywhere.
(Abacab) doesn't really care.
Do you want it? You got it. Now you know.
Do you want it? You got it. Now you know.
It's an illusion. It's a game,
or reflection of somewone else's name.
When you wake in the morning,
Wake and find you're covered in cellophane,
Well, there's a hole in there somewhere.
Yeah, there's a hole in there somewhere.
Baby, there's a hole in there somewhere.
Now there's a hole in there somewhere.
(When we do it) you're never there.
(When you show it) you stop and stare.
(Abacab) he's in anywhere.
(Abacab)
02 No Reply at All (04:39)
Talk to me, you never talk to me.
Ooh, it seems that I can speak.
I can hear my voice shoutin' out.
But there's no reply at all.
Look at me, you never look at me.
Ooh, I've been sittin, starin', seems so long.
But you're lookin' through me
Like I wasn't here at all.
No reply. There's no reply at all.
Dance with me, you never dance with me.
Ooh, it seems that I can move.
I'm close to you, close as I can get.
Yet there's no reply at all.
There's no reply at all.
Be with me. Seems you're never here with me.
Ooh, I've been tryin' to get over there.
Oh, but it's out of my reach.
And there's no reply at all.
There's no reply at all.
I get the feelin' you're tryin' to tell me;
Is there somethin' that I should know?
What excuse are you tryin' to sell me?
Should I be readin' stop or go?
I don't know.
Be with me. Seems you're never here with me.
Ooh, I've been tryin' to get over there.
Oh, but it's out of my reach.
And there's no reply at all.
There's no reply at all.
I get the feelin' you're tryin' to tell me;
Is there somethin' that I should know?
What excuse are you tryin' to sell me?
Should I be readin' stop or go?
I don't know.
Maybe deep down inside,
I'm tryin' for no one else but me,
too stubborn to say, "The buck stops here.
I'm not the one you're lookin' for."
But maybe deep down inside, I'm lyin'
To no one else but me.
Oh, but my back is up. I'm on my guard
With all the exits sealed.
Listen to me, you never listen to me.
Oooh, and it seems there's no way out.
I've been tryin' but we cannot connect.
And there's no reply at all.
There's no reply at all.
There's no reply at all.
No reply at all.
Is anybody list'nin? Oh, there's no reply at all...
03 Me and Sarah Jane (05:59)
The fires are burning in another land.
Don’t start counting, don’t start counting.
Colder and colder, the ice is moving closer and it gets me down.
Going round and round and down the same old track, pack on my back.
Going swiftly nowhere, heart in my ear, beating like a drum.
Where will you go?
All by yourself. Hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah.
And now I’m standing on the corner, waiting in the rain,
But then in sunlight without warnin’, I invent a name.
Me and Sarah Jane, we had a special thing goin’. Me and Sarah Jane.
It was a time of love and laughter. It wouldn’t come again.
We had our round of joyful laughter. Then began the pain.
Me and Sarah Jane, we had a special thing goin’.Me and Sarah Jane.
Sarah Jane.
Searching for a clue, traces on the sand.
First, I’m flying, going round, round, round.
Then, I’m sliding, going down, down, down.
Doesn’t matter - where I start, I always end up,
Crawling through those same old crowded rooms.
Me and Sarah Jane, we had it coming, all the pain.
Walkin’ down the streets and finding nothing is the same.
And now the city lights are dimmin’ one by one,
It costs too much money to keep them on.
Me and Sarah Jane, in silence walk along the shore,
Tears of joy and mocking laughter, words lost in the wind.
The tide was risin’ but there we stayed,
We had no fear of dying, we weren’t afraid.
04 Keep It Dark (04:31)
Found that man reported missing,
He wandered in his home.
It don't seem to bad if you consider
Just what he's been through.
Seems he met up with a gang of thieves,
Who mistook him for a man of means,
They locked him up then found he had no money,
So they let him go again.
Now he's back at home and happy
Just to see the kids.
I wish that I could really tell you
All the things that happened to me
And all that I have seen.
A world full of people their hearts full of joy,
Cities of light with no fear of war,
And thousands of creatures with happier lives,
And dreams of a future with meaning and no need to hide.
Oh, keep it dark.
It seems strange to have to lie,
About a world so bright.
And tell instead a made-up story,
From the world of night.
I wish, that I could really tell you,
All the things that happened to me
And all that I have seen,
A world full of people their hearts full of joy,
Cities of light with no fear of war,
And thousands of creatures with happier lives,
And dreams of a future with meaning and no need to lie,
No need to hate,
No need to hide.
Oh, keep it dark.
05 Dodo / Lurker (07:29)
DODO :
Too big to fly, dodo ugly so dodo must die,
Doggo with fear on its side, cant change, cant change the tide.
Dog baiter, agitator, asking questions, says he wants to know why.
Aint no reason that money cant buy.
Mink he pretty so mink he must die, must die, must die.
Sun he giving life in his light,
Part of the system,
Friend to man, friend to the trees,
No friend to the snowman.
Where does he go, what does he do?
Does he meet with the mole, the stream, the cloud
And end up at the bottom of the sea.
Fish he got a hook in his throat,
Fish he got problems
Where does he go, what does he do?
Does he hope hes too small, to poor a haul,
Wholl end up being thrown back in the sea.
Im back in the sea.
Caretaker, horror movie,
Only one eye, only needs one boot,
Sweet lady, she knows she looks good
Vacuum coming for the bright and the brute.
Big noise, black smoke
So pig-headed couldnt see the joke.
But it aint funny
Ask the fly on the wall
Its only living
It dont matter at all, at all, at all.
Pimp, he make you drool and grunt,
He got an answer.
One he got a dream of love,
Deep as the ocean.
Where does he go?
What does he do?
Will the siren team with davy jones,
And trap him at the bottom of the sea?
Im back in the sea.
Im back in the sea.
Im back in the sea.
LURKER :
Meanwhile lurking by a stone in the mud
Two eyes looked to see what I was and
Then something spoke and this is what
It said to me.......
Clothes of brass and hair of brown
Seldom need to breathe
Dont need no wings to fly
Ooh and a heart of stone
And a fear of fire and water
Who am i?
Clothes of brass and hair of brown
Seldom need to breathe
Dont need no wings to fly
And a heart of stone
And a fear of fire and water
Who am i?
06 Who Dunnit? (03:24)
Was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Was it A or was it B?
Or was it X or Z?
Was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Was it A or was it B?
Or was it X or Z?
Was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Was it A or was it B?
Or was it X or Z?
Was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Who dunnit?
I didn't, I, I didn't do it....
Oh but we know, we know, we know...
So was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Was it A or was it B?
Or was it X or Z?
Was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Was it A or was it B?
Or was it X or Z?
Was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Was it A or was it B?
Or was it X or Z?
Was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Was it you or was it me?
Who dunnit?
I, I, I didn't, I didn't do it...
But we know, we know, we know...
Yeah we don't know, we don't know, we don't know...
We all know, we all know, we all know...
07 Man on the Corner (04:25)
See the lonely man there on the corner,
What he's waiting for, I don't know,
But he waits everyday now.
He's just waiting for something to show.
And nobody knows him,
And nobody cares,
'Cos there's no hiding place,
There's no hiding place - for you.
Looking everywhere at no one,
He sees everything and nothing at all - oh.
When he shouts nobody listens,
Where he leads no one will go - oh.
He's a lonely man, there on the corner,
What he's waiting for, I don't know,
But he waits everyday now.
He's just waiting for something to show - oh.
Nobody knows him,
And nobody cares,
'Cos there's no hiding place,
There's no hiding place - for you and me.
Are we just like all the rest,
We're looking too hard for something he's got
Or moving too fast to rest.
But like a monkey on your back you need it.
But do you love it enough to leave it - ah.
Just like the lonely man there on the corner,
What he's waiting for, I don't know - oh.
But he waits every day now.
He's just waiting for that something to show - oh.
Who's the lonely man there on the corner,
What he's waiting for, I don't know.
But he's there every day now.
And he's just waiting for something to show - oh.
Who's the lonely man there on the corner,
What he's waiting for, I don't know.
Oh but he waits every day now.
He's just waiting for that something to show.
08 Like It or Not (04:52)
Ah, don't you know, I've been on my own
But I'm coming home.
And I'd like you to be there,
I feel a little cold in the air,
And you're not anywhere.
You're just another face, I used to know.
But there is still a chance to hold on to our love,
'Cos I gave you everything, everything I had.
Ooh, like it or not
You have done it this time
And like it or not, I've had enough.
Ooh, like it or not
There's a lot I could say
'Cos I've got a lot on my mind.
It won't be very long
You're just another face
That I once used to know
And I gave you everything,
But what have I got to show? Oh Oh
Oh, like it or not
You are out on the street
And like it or not
That's where you will stay.
Oh, like it or not
There's another thing darling,
Well I just could not stand another day
'Cos if you want to know,
That there is still a chance to hold on to our love
'Cos I gave you everything
Everything I had - Everything I had.
It's been a long, been a long long time
Since I held anybody, since I loved anyone.
Oh it's been a long, been a long long long time
But if I'm right or if I'm wrong, does it matter anyway?
It's been a long long long long time
Since I held anybody, since I loved anyone.
Ooh it's been a long long long long time
But if I'm right or if I'm wrong, does it matter anyway?
Ooh it's been a long long long long time
Since I held anybody, since I loved anyone.
Oh it's been a long, been a long long long time
I'm right, if I'm wrong, does it matter anyway?
It's been a long long, long long long time
Since I held anybody, since I held anyone.
09 Another Record (04:20)
It's funny you know,
'Cos there's an old rock 'n' roller
He's got nowhere to go.
Did you ever think of taking him in?
Somebody help him, somebody please.
Put another record on
'Cos he likes that song.
It's funny you know,
Ooh he never done nothing, done nobody wrong,
Did he think about changing his name,
But I'm gonna tell him it's the same old game.
Put another record on
Round and round and round and around - oh
Ah - see him smile.
Well lately I've seen him
Walking down the street, kinda moving his feet,
Everyone I know looks the other way
Somebody help him, somebody say -
Put another record on
Round and round and round and around - oh
Ah - see him smile.
It's funny you know,
'Cos there's an old rock 'n' roller
He's got nowhere to go.
Did you ever think of taking him in?
Somebody help him, somebody please.
Just put another record on
Put another record on
Put another record on Cos you know we like it
Put another record on Cos you know we like it...
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Other reviews
By London
You begin to tolerate it after many listens, but nothing more.
The first result of this experiment is the much maligned and criticized Abacab.
By paolo1968
"It is with this work that Banks & co. decide to definitively break with the past."
"The lyrics also surprise, deliberately detached and abstract, free of the romanticisms of the past."
By Giammotto
Phil Collins was not only the rhythmic soul but the glue holding Genesis together during a time of strong internal tensions.
"Abacab" is a catchy and rocking song with an exceptional 'old school revisited' instrumental coda that highlights the album's blend of synths and rhythm.
By paolofreddie
Weak, feeble, pointless, soulless! Abacab!
Abacab is an album that would have done better to remain in the drawer, a mostly mediocre work, a stab in the music, an album unworthy of the name 'Genesis.'
