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Rating:
What's wrong if a record sells a lot? Nothing, it would seem. But you can be sure that some critic will come along and discover the obvious, deciding to label it as "commercial," as if there are records made with the specific intent not to sell, as if an artist remains one only as long as they're known only to their relatives.
Now, if Peter Gabriel is an old fox and decides to place two catchy tracks in a splendid 1986 album called "So", with the logical consequence of selling like hotcakes, is it fair to say that all of a sudden he has transformed into a chart phenomenon and therefore compare him to the quintessential plastic stars, from Madonna to Michael Jackson? I'd say definitely not. For "Sledgehammer", one of the aforementioned "hits," I declare myself a member of the gullible club since it captivated me from the first listen. It's a perfect 60s soul miniature that surely has Otis Redding turning in his grave, but it's built and orchestrated so well that it makes you want to forgive any trace of plagiarism. In particular, the instrumental interlude with the flute "twists" is irresistible. More ordinary is the dry and nervous electro-funk "Big Time", which nevertheless still outshines the dance music of the era (which still had some human semblance back then...).
Setting aside these two flashy but somewhat misleading episodes, we delve into the true nature of "So," which is predominantly dark and desperate as is typical for the author. Compared to the excellent previous album "IV", at times a festival of tribal percussion, this is a more closed, more Western Peter Gabriel, but underneath he harbors an African fire, ready to flare up in the wild duet with Youssou 'N Dour at the end of the rhythmic yet sweet "In Your Eyes", one of the album's gems, but also in the downpour of percussion and keyboards that pins us to the ground without any defense, soaking us drop by drop under the treacherous rain of "Red Rain", a nightmare so well executed that it doesn't even make you want to escape, or in the cry of pain of "That Voice Again", supported by powerful bursts of drums and percussion, an anguished appeal that seems to originate from the entire so-called Third World. Peter Gabriel's voice, just as it can perfectly interpret these wild and hopeless lamentations typical of distant worlds, also conveys the more moderate and familiar resignation of an unemployed man, the protagonist of the fascinating "Don't Give Up", a chilling ballad, undoubtedly one of the album's peaks. To Gabriel's vehement protest, "grown strong in a proud land" where he was made to believe he "could never fail," contrasts Kate Bush's good fairy-like voice, which with all her feminine wisdom consoles the poor fellow by reminding him what truly matters ("Don't give up... because you have friends... because you have us" and so on). It's true that Kate Bush's sensual chirping could cheer up even a catatonic, but the value of the message remains, and the song, written during the height of Thatcherism, is dramatically relevant. Another abyss of sadness, and another masterpiece: "Mercy Street". Muffled percussion, a dark and murky bass like a nocturnal sea, an obsessive triangle from start to finish, but above all a melody so moving it first gives you goosebumps, and immediately after, tears. It's the story of a tormented soul: loneliness, broken dreams, faith as refuge. For very sensitive souls, as long as they are not in depression.
At the end of a record to be framed, here's the short but intense "We Do What We're Told": a timid start with some clear notes scattered, then a central progression to a sacred music choir (a taste of the future masterpiece "Passion"?) and a final faded in a burst of flutes. Creativity through the roof, plenty of finesse, impeccable sound, with Tony Levin's emphatic bass prominently featured. Give us many more "commercial" records like this one.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Red Rain (05:38)
Red rain is coming down
Red rain
Red rain is pouring down
Pouring down all over me
I am standing up at the water's edge in my dream
I cannot make a single sound as you scream
It can't be that cold, the ground is still warm to touch
Hey - we touch
This place is so quiet, sensing that storm
Red rain is coming down
Red rain
Red rain is pouring down
Pouring down all over me
Well I've seen them, buried in a sheltered place in this town
They tell you that this rain can sting and look down
There is no blood around see no sign of pain
Hey - no pain
Seeing no red at all, see no rain
Red rain is coming down
Red rain
Red rain is pouring down
Pouring down all over me
Red rain
Putting the pressure on much harder now
To return again and again (red rain)
Just let the red rain splash you
Let the rain fall on your skin (red rain)
I come to you defences down (oh)
With the trust of a child
Red rain coming down
Red rain
Red rain is pouring down
Pouring down all over me
And I can't watch anymore
No more denial
It's so hard to lay down in all of this
Red rain coming down
Red rain is pouring down
Red rain is coming down all over me
I see it
Red rain coming down
Red rain is pouring down
Red rain is coming down all over me
I'm bathing in
Red rain coming down
Red rain is coming down
Red rain is coming down all over me
I'm begging you
Red rain coming down
Red rain coming down
Red rain coming down
Red rain coming down
Over me in the red red sea
Over me
Over me
Red rain
02 Sledgehammer (05:16)
You could have a steam train
If you'd just lay down your tracks
You could have an aeroplane flying
If you bring your blue sky back
All you do is call me
I'll be anything you need
You could have a big dipper
Going up and down, all around the bends
You could have a bumper car, bumping
This amusement never ends
I want to be your sledgehammer
Why don't you call my name
Oh, let me be your sledgehammer
This will be my testimony
Show me 'round your fruitcage
'Cause I will be your honey bee
Open up your fruitcage
Where the fruit is as sweet as can be
I want to be your sledgehammer
Why don't you call my name
You'd better call the sledgehammer
Put your mind at rest
I'm going to be the sledgehammer
This can be my testimony
I'm your sledgehammer
Let there be no doubt about it
Sledge, sledge, sledgehammer
I've kicked the habit
Shed my skin
This is the new stuff
I go dancing in
We go dancing in
Oh, won't you show for me
I will show for you
Show for me
I will show for you
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I do mean you
Only you
You've been coming through
Going to build that power
Build, build up that power
I've been feeding the rhythm
I've been feeding the rhythm
Going to feel that power build in you
Come on, come on, help me do
Come on, come on, help me do
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you
I've been feeding the rhythm
I've been feeding the rhythm
It's what we're doing, doing
All day and night
05 In Your Eyes (05:29)
Love
I get so lost sometimes
Days pass
And this emptiness fills my heart
When I want to run away
I drive off in my car
But whichever way I go
I come back to the place you are
All my instincts
They return
The grand façade
So soon will burn
Without a noise
Without my pride
I reach out from the inside
In your eyes
The light, the heat
In your eyes
I am complete
In your eyes
I see the doorway
To a thousand churches
In your eyes
The resolution
In your eyes
Of all the fruitless searches
Oh, I see the light and the heat
In your eyes
Oh, I want to be that complete
I want to touch the light
The heat I see in your eyes
Love
I don't like to see so much pain
So much wasted
And this moment keeps slipping away
I get so tired
Working so hard for our survival
I look to the time with you
To keep me awake and alive
And all my instincts
They return
And the grand façade
So soon will burn
Without a noise
Without my pride
I reach out from the inside
In your eyes, in your eyes
In your eyes, in your eyes
In your eyes
The light the heat
In your eyes
I am complete
In your eyes
I see the doorway
To a thousand churches
In your eyes
The resolution
In your eyes
Of all the fruitless searches
Oh, I see the light and the heat
In your eyes
Oh, I want to be that complete
I want to touch the light
The heat I see in your eyes
In your eyes, in your eyes
In your eyes, in your eyes
In your eyes, in your eyes
06 Mercy Street (06:20)
looking down on empty streets, all she can see
are the dreams all made solid
are the dreams all made real
all of the buildings, all of those cars
were once just a dream
in somebody's head
she pictures the broken glass, she pictures the steam
she pictures a soul
with no leak at the seam
let's take the boat out
wait until darkness
let's take the boat out
wait until darkness comes
nowhere in the corridors of pale green and grey
nowhere in the suburbs
in the cold light of day
there in the midst of it so alive and alone
words support like bone
dreaming of mercy street
wear your inside out
dreaming of mercy
in your daddy's arms again
dreaming of mercy street
swear they moved that sign
dreaming of mercy
in your daddy's arms
pulling out the papers from the drawers that slide smooth
tugging at the darkness, word upon word
confessing all the secret things in the warm velvet box
to the priest-he's the doctor
he can handle the shocks
dreaming of the tenderness-the tremble in the hips
of kissing Mary's lips
dreaming of mercy street
wear your insides out
dreaming of mercy
in your daddy's arms again
dreaming of mercy street
swear they moved that sign
looking for mercy
in your daddy's arms
mercy, mercy, looking for mercy
mercy, mercy, looking for mercy
Anne, with her father is out in the boat
riding the water
riding the waves on the sea
07 Big Time (04:29)
I'm on my way, I'm making it
I've got to make it show, yeah
So much larger than life
I'm going to watch it growing
The place where I come from is a small town
They think so small
They use small words
-But not me
I'm smarter than that
I worked it out
I've been stretching my mouth
To let those big words come right out
I've had enough, I'm getting out
To the city, the big big city
I'll be a big noise with all the big boys
There's so much stuff I will own
And I will pray to a big god
As I kneel in the big church
Big time
I'm on my way-i'm making it
Big time big time
I've got to make it show yeah
Big time big time
So much larger than life
Big time
I'm going to watch it growing
Big time
My parties all have big names
And I greet them with the widest smile
Tell them how my life is one big adventure
And always they're amazed
When I show them 'round my house, to my bed
I had it made like a mountain range
With a snow-white pillow for my big fat head
And my heaven will be a big heaven
And I will walk through the front door
Big time
I'm on my way-i'm making it
Big time big time
I've got to make it show-yeah
Big time big time
So much larger than life
I'm going to watch it growing
Big time big time
My car is getting bigger
Big time
My house is getting bigger
Big time
My eyes are getting bigger
Big time
And my mouth
Big time
My belly is getting bigger
Big time
And my bank account
Big time
Look at my circumstance
Big time
And the bulge in my big big big big big big big
08 We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37) (03:21)
milgram's 37
we do what we're told
we do what we're told
we do what we're told
told to do
we do what we're told
we do what we're told
we do what we're told
told to do
one doubt
one voice
one war
one truth
one dream
09 This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds) (04:18)
excellent birds
flying birds
excellent birds
watch them fly, there they go
falling snow
excellent snow
here it comes. watch it fall
long words
excellent words
I can hear them now
this is the picture, this is the picture
this is the picture, this is the picture
I'm sitting by the window
watching the snow fall
I'm looking out
and I'm moving, turning in time
catching up. moving in
jump up! I can land on my feet. look out!
this is the picture, this is the picture
this is the picture, this is the picture
looking out. watching out
when I see the future I close my eyes
I can see it now
I see pictures of people, rising up
pictures of people, falling down
I see pictures of people
they're standing on their heads, they're ready
they're looking out, look out!
they're watching out, watch out!
they're looking out, look out!
they're watching out, watch out!
I see pictures of people
I see pictures of people
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By Rockardo
Peter’s face reveals a new serenity and, above all, shows an image that is finally not distorted or disguised.
'Sledgehammer' pays a strong tribute to the soul and black music Gabriel was drawn to during his adolescence.
