Every great band worth its salt has at least one album in their discography that is a hidden gem. Generally, these pearls nestle among the works that precede what will shortly become the masterpiece album, the historic album, and the artistic maturity of the band that will bring them worldwide fame...

For example, the Beatles' "Revolver" (1966) album preceding "SGT Pepper" of 1967, or in the case of Pink Floyd, "More" of 1969, not exactly preceding "Dark Side", but possessing in embryo all the elements of that change of direction that would lead them to their masterpiece.

In the case of Genesis, "Foxtrot," the 1972 album, which precedes "Selling England By the Pound" of 1973.

"Foxtrot" is the third studio album by Genesis and provides the measure of what will be the turning point in their music, as the musicians themselves have often stated in various interviews. It could have been their swan song if it weren't for, above all, their tour in Italy; as they themselves have always affirmed, which convinced them that they had a much larger and interested audience for their music than was present in their home country and more than they themselves expected.

It is an album that marks the end of the "adolescence or childhood" of their musical journey, if you will, of Genesis before the mature, aware, and sophisticated "magnum opus" of "Selling England".
A refined but still raw work, it manages to focus on what will be the dominant themes of baroque-progressive, distancing itself from the previous much more instinctive and "wild" albums.
The sound of the initial keyboards of “Watcher Of The Skies” (a track born during rehearsals at an Italian concert) perfectly introduces the atmosphere of the album, where alongside tracks that still echo the previous period (Trespass, Nursery Cryme) such as “Watcher Of The Skies” and “Get’em Out By Friday”, there is room for more immediate and free tracks like “Time Table” and “Can-Utility And The Coastliners” that open new horizons, and whose classic beauty makes them unique pearls, elevating the musical dignity of the entire "pop" music. The second side of the album opens with a piece by Hackett, "Horizons," which, although starting from "Bachian" atmospheres, has over time become one of the most beautiful pieces of modern music ever composed for guitar; just the prelude to the suite "Supper's Ready", a compositional and executive apotheosis that marks the summit of Genesis' art, giving the launch beat for the subsequent "Selling England by the Pound".

What to say, a milestone in modern music.
With "Foxtrot" and "Selling England," Genesis raised the level of "pop music" a few notches, until then considered made of little, by people who combined little technical skill with the fact that they had never studied music and thus considered "inferior" compared to other contemporary genres. Well, many had to reconsider; after all, in hindsight, we are talking about artists of the caliber of Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel and their musical "youth" 

A little-known curiosity regarding the album cover art by Paul Whitehead. You have probably seen this cover hundreds of times, but I bet you never noticed how enthusiastic the fourth horse (the one on the far right, ridden by the hunter with the green face) is to be so close to the fox...:-)

Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos

01   Watcher of the Skies (07:22)

Watcher of the skies watcher of all,
his is a world alone no world is his own.
He whom life can no longer surprise,
raising his eyes beholds a planet unknown.

Creatures shaped this planet's soil,
now their reign has come to an end.
Has life again destroyed life,
do they play elsewhere, do they know
more than their childhood games?
Maybe the lizard's shed its tail,
this is the end of man's long union with Earth.

Judge not this race by empty remains.
Do you judge God by his creatures when they are dead?
For now, the lizard's shed it's tail,
this is the end of man's long union with Earth.

From life alone to life as one,
think not your journey's done.
For though your ship be sturdy,
no mercy has the sea.
Will you survive on the ocean of being?
Come ancient children hear what I say,
this is my parting council for you on your way.

Sadly now your thoughts turn to the stars.
Where we have gone you know you never can go.
Watcher of the skies watcher of all,
this is your fate alone, this fate is your own.

02   Time Table (04:47)

03   Get 'em Out by Friday (08:36)

JOHN PEBBLE OF STYX ENTERPRISES
"Get `em out by Friday!
You don`t get paid till the last one`s well on his way.
Get `em out by Friday!
It`s important that we keep to schedule, there must be no delay."

MARK HALL OF STYX ENTERPRISES (OTHERWISE KNOWN
AS "THE WINKLER")
"I represent a firm of gentlemen who recently purchased this
house and all the others in the road.
In the interest of humanity we`ve found a better place for you to
go-go-go-go-go."

MRS BARROW (a tenant)
"Oh no, this I can`t believe,
Oh Mary, they`re asking us to leave."

MR PEBBLE
"Get `em out by Friday!
I`ve told you before`s good many gone, if we let them stay.
And if it isn`t easy,
You can squeeze a little grease and our troubles will soon run away."

MRS BARROW
"After all this time they ask us to leave,
And I told them we could pay double the rent.
I don`t know why it seemed so funny,
Seeing ashow they`d take our money.
The winkler called again, he came here this morning,
With four houndred pounds and a photograph of the place that he has
found.
A block of flats with central heating.
I think we`re gonna find it hard."

MR PEBBLE
"Now we`ve got them!
I`ve always said that cash cash cash can do anything well.
Work can be rewarding
When a flash of intuition is a gift that helps you excel-sell-sell-sell."

MR HALL
"Here we are in Harlow New Town, did you recognice your
block across the square, over there,
Sadly since last time we spoke, we`ve found we`ve had to raise
the rent again, just a bit."

MRS BARROW
"Oh no, this I can`t believe
Oh Mary, and we agreed to leave."

.....

18/9/2012 TV FLASH ON ALL DIAL-A-PROGRAM SERVICES
This is an announcement from Genetic Control:
"It is my sad duty to inform you of a 4ft restriction
on humanoid height."

EXTRACT FROM CONVERSATION OF JOE ORDINARY IN LOCAL
PUBORAMA
"I hear the directors of Genetic Control have been buying all the
properties that have recently been sold, taking risks oh so bold.
It is said now that people will be shorter in height, they can fit
twice as many in the same building site
(they say it`s alright),
Beginning with the tenants of the town of Harlow,
In the interest of humanity they`ve been told they must go,
Told they must go-go-go-go."

SIR JOHN DE PEBBLE OF UNITED BLACKSPRINGS INTERNATIONAL
"I think they`ve reached a new deal
A dozen properties - we`ll buy at five and sell at thirty-four,
Some are still inhabited,
It`s time to send the winkler to see them, he`ll have to work
some more."

MEMO FROM SATIN PETER OF ROCK DEVELOPMENTS LTD
Land in your hand you`ll be happy on earth
Then invest in the Church for your heaven.

04   Can-Utility and the Coastliners (05:45)

05   Horizons (01:43)

(Instrumental)

06   Supper's Ready (22:50)

"LOVER'S LEAP"

Walking across the sitting-room, I turn the television off.
Sitting beside you, I look into your eyes.
As the sound of motor cars fades in the night time,
I swear I saw your face change, it didn't seem quite right.
...And it's hello babe with your guardian eyes so blue
Hey my baby don't you know our love is true.

Coming closer with our eyes, a distance falls around our bodies.
Out in the garden, the moon seems very bright,
Six saintly shrouded men move across the lawn slowly.
The seventh walks in front with a cross held high in hand.
...And it's hey babe your supper's waiting for you.
Hey my baby, don't you know our love is true.

I've been so far from here,
Far from your warm arms.
It's good to feel you again,
It's been a long long time. Hasn't it?

"THE GUARANTEED ETERNAL SANCTUARY MAN"

I know a farmer who looks after the farm.
With water clear, he cares for all his harvest.
I know a fireman who looks after the fire.

You, can't you see he's fooled you all.
Yes, he's here again, can't you see he's fooled you all.
Share his peace,
Sign the lease.
He's a supersonic scientist,
He's the guaranteed eternal sanctuary man.
Look, look into my mouth he cries,
And all the children lost down many paths,
I bet my life you'll walk inside
Hand in hand,
gland in gland
With a spoonful of miracle,
He's the guaranteed eternal sanctuary.
We will rock you, rock you little snake,
We will keep you snug and warm.

"IKHNATON AND ITSACON AND THEIR BAND OF MERRY MEN"

Wearing feelings on our faces while our faces took a rest,
We walked across the fields to see the children of the West,
But we saw a host of dark skinned warriors
standing still below the ground,
Waiting for battle.

The fight's begun, they've been released.
Killing foe for peace...bang, bang, bang. Bang, bang, bang...
And they're giving me a wonderful potion,
'Cos I cannot contain my emotion.
And even though I'm feeling good,
Something tells me I'd better activate my prayer capsule.

Today's a day to celebrate, the foe have met their fate.
The order for rejoicing and dancing has come from our warlord.

"HOW DARE I BE SO BEAUTIFUL?"

Wandering through the chaos the battle has left,
We climb up a mountain of human flesh,
To a plateau of green grass, and green trees full of life.
A young figure sits still by a pool,
He's been stamped "Human Bacon" by some butchery tool.
(He is you)
Social Security took care of this lad.
We watch in reverence, as Narcissus is turned to a flower.
A flower?

"WILLOW FARM"

If you go down to Willow Farm,
to look for butterflies, flutterbyes, gutterflies
Open your eyes, it's full of surprise, everyone lies,
like the fox on the rocks,
and the musical box.
Oh, there's Mum & Dad, and good and bad,
and everyone's happy to be here.

There's Winston Churchill dressed in drag,
he used to be a British flag, plastic bag, what a drag.
The frog was a prince, the prince was a brick, the brick was an egg,
the egg was a bird.
(Fly away you sweet little thing, they're hard on your tail)
Hadn't you heard?
(They're going to change you into a human being!)
Yes, we're happy as fish and gorgeous as geese,
and wonderfully clean in the morning.

We've got everything, we're growing everything,
We've got some in
We've got some out
We've got some wild things floating about
Everyone, we're changing everyone,
you name them all,
We've had them here,
And the real stars are still to appear.

ALL CHANGE!

Feel your body melt;
Mum to mud to mad to dad
Dad diddley office, Dad diddley office,
You're all full of ball.

Dad to dam to dum to mum
Mum diddley washing, Mum diddley washing,
You're all full of ball.

Let me hear you lies, we're living this up to the eyes.
Ooee-ooee-ooee-oowaa
Momma I want you now.

And as you listen to my voice
To look for hidden doors, tidy floors, more applause.
You've been here all the time,
Like it or not, like what you got,
You're under the soil (the soil, the soil),
Yes, deep in the soil (the soil, the soil, the soil, the soil!).
So we'll end with a whistle and end with a bang
and all of us fit in our places.

"APOCALYPSE IN 9/8 (Co-Starring the delicious talents of Gabble Ratchet)"

With the guards of Magog, swarming around,
The Pied Piper takes his children underground.
Dragons coming out of the sea,
Shimmering silver head of wisdom looking at me.
He brings down the fire from the skies,
You can tell he's doing well by the look in human eyes.
Better not compromise.
It won't be easy.

666 is no longer alone,
He's getting out the marrow in your back bone,
And the seven trumpets blowing sweet rock and roll,
Gonna blow right down inside your soul.
Pythagoras with the looking glass reflects the full moon,
In blood, he's writing the lyrics of a brand new tune.

And it's hey babe, with your guardian eyes so blue,
Hey my baby, don't you know our love is true,
I've been so far from here,
Far from your loving arms,
Now I'm back again, and babe it's gonna work out fine.

"AS SURE AS EGGS IS EGGS (Aching Men's Feet)"

Can't you feel our souls ignite
Shedding ever changing colours, in the darkness of the fading night,
Like the river joins the ocean, as the germ in a seed grows
We have finally been freed to get back home.

There's an angel standing in the sun, and he's crying with a loud voice,
"This is the supper of the mighty one",
Lord of Lords,
King of Kings,
Has returned to lead his children home,
To take them to the new Jerusalem.

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Other reviews

By Peppe Weapon

 'Supper’s Ready' is perhaps the highest expression of Genesis’ creativity, ranking among the legendary suites of that era.

 If you love Genesis and don’t have this album, buy it immediately, and to those who haven’t... Foxtrot might be the beginning of it all!


By joe strummer

 Supper’s Ready is the most beautiful song ever made by Genesis, so intense, coherent, and immense as to touch deeply.

 It’s impossible to get tired of this dazzling and always fresh music.


By Breus

 "'Supper’s Ready' contains in a nutshell everything Gabriel and company had to say and would say later, offering a testament of what I would call intuitive rather than technical ability."

 "'Foxtrot' still has some greenness too much to be their creative peak. However, it represents the key to their maturity..."


By theJOKES

 Spread a beach tarp on the sand, look at the sky, and press PLAY... the notes of the album will do the rest!!!

 'Supper’s Ready' confirms the band’s ability to impress listeners with changes in rhythm and masterful combinations of instruments.


By STIPE

 As soon as the record started, I saw behind me men on horseback with dogs chasing a fox.

 Now the dogs weren’t even trying to catch the fox. She was calmly on the ice and began to dance very gently and gracefully.