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Rating: "And she dreamed that every time she played/everyone would scream to hear her again/all she had to do was walk into the spotlight/and everyone would start crackling."
These are some verses taken from "Duchess" a song about the rise and fall of a singer, written by Tony Banks. It is very indicative of understanding the new direction this group has decided to take; now the relationship with music and the audience must be more direct, immediate, and engaging. In 1980, there is no more room for prog; there is only a need for simplicity before everything degenerates into the complete stagnation of the second half of the decade. From this idea comes "Duke," a work that abandons the melancholic atmospheres of the previous LP and allows the fans of the group to enjoy new material that proves to be completely novel in sound. It is a prog rock that has evolved and has completely lost the reason for self-celebration (even though Genesis never indulged in unnecessary virtuosity like some of their peers) and returns to pathways much more fitting for simple rock.
The initial idea was to create a single side of music with a great suite, the "Duke's Suite," but this idea was soon wisely abandoned, and the old suite was then disassembled into its parts, explaining why the first three tracks, "Behind The Lines", "Duchess" and "Guide Vocal" dissolve into each other in a very beautiful effect. The concluding part, almost entirely instrumental, constitutes the beautiful finale of "Duke's Travels" and "Duke's End." So it begins with "Behind The Lines," and here there are the first surprises, Banks' joyful keyboard work is supported by Collins' strong rhythm on the drums; it's a long introduction devoid of any solo virtuosity. The music is almost chaotic and overflowing, introducing the sung part that, surprise, is almost soul music with Phil singing impeccably about the end of his marriage, "The time is now/we must keep our feelings/but I'm looking right through you/and your heart is empty." The song then fades into the second major novelty of the album, the drum machine, which coolly and steadily introduces Tony's piano leading us to "Duchess." The piece isn't particularly beautiful but is effective, especially because it represents a completely new construction for the group; the subsequent "Guide Vocal" is a precious atmospheric interlude written by Banks, very beautiful and with an enigmatic text, "I am the one who has led you this far/all that you know is all you feel".
Rutherford's first contribution to the work is the noisy "Man Of Our Times," a song with a repetitive rhythm that resembles a sort of mechanical workshop or steam engine, a decidedly irritating track that anticipates the awful "Keep It Dark" on the next "Abacab." "Duke" still maintains some typically Banksian frescoes, "Heatheze" and "Cul-De-Sac" are two typical tracks by the mild Tony, two dreamlike and dreamy songs that find their right place in this album. The opening of the second side is marked by the disco-rock rhythm of "Turn It On Again," a song with a devastating effect on all radio stations, a simple track led by Mike's guitar, great for live performances but in the studio version, it clearly seems like what it is, a hit piece and nothing more. The whole is completed by some not-so-exciting episodes, the lackluster "Misunderstanding," and the decent "Please Don't Ask Me" and "Alone Tonight." The end of the "Duke" is instead stunning, two energetic and compelling instrumentals, the first "Duke's Travels" reprises the sung part of "Guide Vocal" to then give space to Tony's sole moog sound that opens to "Duke's End" which is nothing but the reprise of the main theme of "Behind The Lines."
A work that ultimately proves to be very successful but with the additions of "Evidence Of Autumn" and "Open Door" it would have become even more beautiful. It's a shame that the three weren't satisfied and with the subsequent "Abacab" they will attempt to create something different, a complex and sophisticated form of pop-rock that, however, fails to fully maintain the promising premises of "Duke."
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Behind the Lines (05:30)
I held the book so tightly in my hands
I saw your picture, heard you call my name
There was something strange, I could not look away
I wanted to be there, I wanted to go
You gave me no warning, you gave no reason
But I was with you, right by your side
Just give me the strength and I can help you
They can try their hardest, they don't frighten me
It's written in the book
It's hotter than I've known before
But I feel so cold and I don't know why
But if the fire within your heart can beat the storm
Then I really believe you could make it right
The time has come now, we must show our feelings
But I'm looking right through you and your heart is empty
Whatever happened to you, it's too late to change now
There's nowhere you can run to, no place to hide
Ah, you let me down
...but wait a minute, I don't understand
It's getting stronger, so grab my hand
Don't wanna leave you, don't wanna go
But I'm losing all control
Can't you see me, I'm slipping away
I can only stay if you've the will to keep me here
It's written in the book
Oh, so many times since hten I've read those words
Just waiting to see you, can you see me?
02 Duchess (06:25)
Times were good
She never thought about the future, she just did what she would
Oh, but she really cared
About her music, it all seemed so important then
And she dreamed that everytime that she performed
Everyone would cry for more
That all she had to do was step into the light
And everyone would start to roar
And on the road
Where all but a few fall by the wayside, on the grassier verge
She battled through
Against the others in her world, and the sleep, and the odds
But now everytime that she performed
Everybody cried for more
Soon all she had to do was step into the light
For everyone to start to roar
And all the people cried: "You're the one we've waited for!"
But time went by
It wasn't so easy now, all uphill and not feeling so strong
Yes, times were hard
Too much thinking about the future and what the people might want
And then there was the time that she performed
When NOBODY called for more
And soon everytime she stepped into the light
They really let her know the score
But she dreamed of the times when she sang her songs
And everybody cried for more
When all she had to do was step into the light
For everyone to start to roar
And all the people cried: "You're the one we've waited for!"
03 Guide Vocal (01:34)
I am the one who guided you this far
All you know and all you feel
Nobody must know my name
For nobody would understand
And you kill what you fear
I call you for I must leave
You're on your own until the end
There was a choice but now it's gone
I said you wouldn't understand
Take what's yours and be damned
05 Misunderstanding (03:14)
There must be some misunderstanding
There must be some kind of mistake
I waited in the rain for hours
You were late
Now it's not like me to say the right thing
But you could've called to let me know
I checked your number twice, don't understand it
So I went home
Well, I'd been waiting for this weekend
I thought that maybe we could see a show
Never dreamed I'd have this feeling
Ah, but seeing you is believing
That's why I don't know why
You didn't show up that night
There must be some misunderstanding
There must be some kind of mistake
I was waiting in the rain for hours
You were late
Since then I've been running around trying to find you
I went to the places that we always go
I rang your house but got no answer
Jumped in my car, I went 'round there
I still don't believe it
He was just leaving
Oh, there must be some misunderstanding
There must be some kind of mistake
There must be some misunderstanding
Yes, there must be some kind of mistake
(There must be, there must be, oh-oh) misunderstanding
(There must be, there must be, oh-oh) misunderstanding
(Yes, there must be, there must be, oh-oh) misunderstanding
(Yes, there must be, there must be, oh-oh) misunderstanding
06 Heathaze (05:00)
no cloud
the sleepy
calm sunbaked earth
thats cooled by gentle breeze
and trees
with rasping leaves
only endless days without a care
nothing must be done
silent as a day can be
far off songs of others
on their chosen run
as they do
all those things they feel give life
some meaning
even if they're dull
it's time to stop this dreaming
must rejoin the real world
as revealed by orange lights
and a smoky atmosphere
the trees and i are shaken by
the same wind but whereas
the trees will lose their withered leaves
and i just can't seem to let them loose
and they come refresh me
those hot winds of the south
oh, i feel liken alien
a stranger
in an alien place
now the light is fading fast
chances slip away
time will come
to pass
then there'll be night
and addicted to a perfume poison
betrayed by its aftertaste
oh, we shall lose their wonder
and find nothing in return
many are the substitutes
but they're powerless on their own
beware the fisherman
who's casting out his line
into a dried-up riverbed
but dont try to tell him
'cause he wont believe you
throw some bread to te ducks instead
it's easier that way
i feel like an alien
a stranger
in an alien place
the trees and i are shaken by
the same wind but whereas
the trees will lose their withered leaves
and i just can't seem to let them loose
and they come refresh me
those hot winds of the south
i feel like an alien
a stranger
in an alien place
07 Turn It On Again (03:51)
All I need is a TV show
That, and the radio
Down on my luck again
Down on my luck again
I can show you, I can show you
Some of the people in my life
I can show you, I can show you
Some of the people in my life
It's driving me mad
Just another way of passing the day
I, I get so lonely when she's not there
I, I, I, I
You're just another face
That I know from the TV show
I have known you for so very long
I feel you're like a friend
Can't you do anything for me
Can I touch you for a while
Can I meet you on another day
When we will fly away
I can show you, I can show you
Some of the people in my life
I can show you, I can show you
Some of the people in my life
It's driving me mad
It's just another way of passing the day
I, I get so lonely when she's not there
I, I, I, I
Turn it on
Turn it on, turn it on again
Turn it on
Turn it on, turn it on again
(I can see another face) Turn it on
(I can see another face) Turn it on, turn it on again
(I can see another face) Turn it on
(I can see another face) Turn it on, turn it on again
(I can see another face) Turn it on
(I can see another face) Turn it on, turn it on again
(I can see another face) Turn it on
(I can see another face) Turn it on, turn it on again
(I can see another face) Turn it on
(I can see another face) Turn it on, turn it on again
(I can see another face) Turn it on
(I can see another face) Turn it on, turn it on again
(I can see another face) Turn it on
(I can see another face) Turn it on, turn it on again
09 Cul-de-sac (05:05)
Wake up now
This is the time you've waited for
Far below
Where shadows fester as they grow
An army thousands strong
Obsessed by right and wrong
They sense their time is coming near
So they turn towards the light
From their region of the night
Marching on and on
They're nearly there, it won't be long
You know you're on the way out
It's just a matter of time
You thought you'd rule the world forever
Long live the king, and don't spare the loser
After all
You're not what you thought you were at all
You're just a natural fact
Another cul-de-sac
On nature's hard unfeeling trail
Now all those dreams of old
Will be stories left untold
Cut off in your prime
Extinct until the end of time
You know you're on the way out
It's just a matter of time
You thought you'd rule the world forever
Long live the king, but don't spare the loser, now
Now the host emerges, and a shadow starts to fall
Not one knows what hit them, none can see at all
Even as the end approaches still they're not aware
How can you fight a foe so deadly when you don't even know it's there?
And now that the job is almost done
Maybe some escape, no, not even one
You know they're on the way out
It's just a matter of time
You thought you'd rule the world forever
Long live the king, and don't spare the loser
10 Please Don't Ask (04:02)
Oh, please don't ask me how I feel, I feel fine
Oh, I cry a bit, I don't sleep too good, but I'm fine
When can I see you?
When can I touch you?
Again and again I ask myself, was I wrong?
Oh, but time's a healer and heaven knows I've been strong
Maybe we could try
Oh, maybe we would work this time
Oh, I can remember when
It was easy to say I love you
But things have changed since then
Now I really can't say if I still do
But I can try
'Cause I know that the kids are well
Yes, you're a mother to the world
Oh, but I miss my boy
I hope he's good as gold
But enough of me, tell me, how are you, you look good
Well you lost some weight, I can see, your hair looks nice, you look good
Maybe we should try
But don't say it, 'cause I know why
But you know, I can remember when
It was easy to say I love you
But things have changed since then
Now I really can't say if I still do
But I can try
'Cause I know that the kids are well
Yes, you're a mother to the world
Oh, but I miss my boy
Oh, I hope he's good as gold
11 Duke's Travels (08:39)
I am the one who guided you this far,
All you know and all you feel.
Nobody must know my name
For nobody would understand,
And you kill what you fear,
And you fear what you don't understand.
I call you for I must leave,
You're on your own until the end.
There was a choice but now it's gone,
I said you wouldn't understand,
Take what's yours and be damned.
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Other reviews
By Grasshopper
A masterpiece, yes, but of indecision, uncertainty, instability, an eccentric album like a March day, a continuous alternation of lights and shadows.
Phil Collins has taken the helm of the commercial turn, but it’s Tony Banks... who reveals himself as a master of pop songs.
By MiciaTigre
The music became more modern, the electronic drums had more prominence, the lyrics lost much of their original mysticism to become more concrete.
Please Don’t Ask is a touching love ballad dedicated to a separated wife who gains custody of the son.
