Genesis – Genesis aka Shapes aka The Mama Album
“Cause you know, I know, it’s time for a change”
Following the double dosed Abacab tour which was capped off by the reunion show with Gabriel and Hackett in Milton Keynes known as Six Of The Best, the band took an eight month break. During this time Phil released his second highly successful second solo album Hello I Must Be Going which is almost as good as Face Value…but not quite in my opinion. Mike Rutherford released Acting Very Strange and Tony released The Fugitive. They regrouped at their now fully functional studio, The Farm, in the spring of 1983 to begin work on their twelfth album which would ultimately be titled just Genesis – reflecting the new collective approach to song writing and a self admitted lack of inspiration. In hindsight they all agree it should probably have been titled Mama or The Mama album. Much like Peter Gabriel’s first three self titled albums, this one would be dubbed “Shapes” by fans based on the album cover, to clarify what they were referring to, vs having to constantly say Genesis Genesis or the Self Titled album or just Genesis. I still call it Genesis Genesis or “the one with the shapes and Mama” for non-Genesis fans. Despite the maligned album cover being a photo of shapes from the game Perfection, the music contained within is actually much more creative and successful (sort of). I do like this album a lot more than when it was released and I think it has aged rather well with the gift of hindsight and time (with one glaring exception).
Again the band worked with engineer Hugh Padgham. I’ve read that Rutherford and Banks at one point discussed taking on a lead vocal as well for this album, which I think I speak for many if not all when I say…thank you for not following through on that threat. This is clearly a situation where second instincts were correct. It is also the first album that was completely written in the studio from jamming and improvisation. Nothing was brought to the table that had been written prior to the sessions. As a result it was the first album since The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway that would have all songs credited to all band members. I’ve always felt that one of the best ways to drive a band apart is to split up the credits. In the end everyone ends up adding to the songs and having one person potentially earn more royalty money based on sales than others due to how the songs are credited very often leads to acrimony and possibly fractured relationships. I don’t know if it would have made a difference for Steve Hackett as his issue had more to do his ideas not being used, and by adding him to the credits for some of the songs he didn’t bring to the fold, probably only pissed him off. However my advice to all of you 50-60+ year olds looking to break into the music business is, give everyone in the band credit on all songs. Split it evenly regardless of who is the original writer of the song. A band is supposed to be a collective so treat it as such and you might just still be together rocking retirement in your 80s.
All right lets dive into this Mother of a record which was released on October 3 1983. Speaking of parents, Mama is the first song on Side 1, aka the good side, which has nothing to do with proper parenting and likely more to do with planned parenthood. The first thing that is clearly evident is the electronic drum machine intro. Genesis had used drum machines on the past few albums but this one is distinctively different. It is highly processed and very powerful and loud and makes an incredibly strong statement from the very first note on the album. It is an eerie song which I believe is about a young dude obsessed with a prostitute. The first verse is just keys and drum machine. Guitars come in during the second verse adding to the atmosphere. Phil’s vocals immediately sound great and then you get the now iconic ha ha…ha ha…ow. They have mentioned in interviews that this was actually inspired by the song “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash which Hugh played them in the studio and Phil latched on to that vocalization while the song was being written. I’m convinced the “OW’s” that Phil sings had its origin in his delivery of the live version of Dodo when he sings “Son, he giving life in his light, Part of the system…OW…OW”. The keyboard note held during the chorus when he sings “Can’t you see ee ee ee me here mama” is awesome in its simplicity. I love that it isn’t until over 4 minutes into the song that actual real drums enter with all the conviction of In The Air Tonight. The tension that builds up over the first four minutes is pretty amazing and the song cruises at this elevated level through the end of the song which is almost 7 minutes long. On this song the band managed to write something that feels totally new but also utilizes all they have learned as a trio with respect to shorter epics. It isn’t that complicated but it works well on every level. When I first heard Mama I didn’t like it. I mean I thought it was a bad song. However over time I’ve come to realize how wrong my impression of it was. This was the first album that was released after I became a fan and I had pretty much absorbed everything they had done to that point at the same time, so it is possible I was expecting something different, which in fact it was. As a minor point I love the final “Don’t Go” that is off beat just as the song ends. It’s one of those minor things that sometimes you key into and it a great little flourish for the listener.
Next is That’s All which as far as mood is concerned is almost the antithesis of Mama. It might also be why it works so well where it is on the album. Again we have electronic drums and Tony’s electric piano. This song was an absolute monster hit in 1983 and deservedly so. It is catchy as hell and clearly has some Beatles influences going on. It is also, however, a bit innocuous. I have a completely split feeling about it. I mean as a fan of pop music I love it. But at the same time it totally doesn’t sound like it should be a Genesis song. Like it should be some other band. So I always end up with a bit of a polarizing feeling about it. The lyrics are OK in their simplicity. They aren’t offensive but you know…they aren’t exactly One For The Vine either, but in the context of the song they work. The solo that leads into the fade is also good…simple but again it works for the song. Despite having heard it a million times on the radio to this day, it doesn’t irritate me the way it should which I guess is a good thing. I don’t have the urge to get up and skip the track which I don’t like doing cause that would be a lot of effort.
The first side of the album ends with the dual track Home By The Sea/Second Home By The Sea which for me is probably the last truly great song the band released even though it starts with possibly the most feeble sounding guitar sound one could come up with. I think it was actually a sample Banks grabbed and then manipulated so the resulting sound was likely intentional. This is a truly amazing sounding song. It is moody and the sound of the words are excellent in a Jon Anderson kind of way. I mean I know the song is about a haunted house with spirits forcing a robber to listen to their story, but also kind enough to allow for the protagonist to sit down and be comfortable at the same time…which is nice. I actually don’t really care about the story so much…there really isn’t much of one to begin with…however they succeed cause they sound great in their fractured semi-sensical nature. If I had to describe the lyrics it would be a pissed off Aladdin forcing someone to listen to his woe is me story. That being said I truly love it cause it totally works for the ambience of the song. The last 40 seconds of the song sets the mood for Second Home By The Sea which is right up there with the great Genesis instrumentals. I think the electronic drums are absolutely spectacular and sets the feeling for the entire duration of the song. I’m not sure if there are actually bass pedals but it sure sounds like it to me. The entire 6 minute tune is Tony at his best and the keyboard sound used is stellar. I also think Mike Rutherford absolutely shines on guitar and bass throughout. The song gracefully moves through several distinct sections that just flow perfectly despite having been pieced together from various jams of the song during writing. AND there is a whistle sound as well… Who doesn’t like a whistle sound in a song? You gotta be crazy not to. Anyway it is very difficult to articulate what makes instrumental music great…you really need to hear it cause the song takes you on a multi-layered musical journey that I would go so far as to say is one of the best pieces of music the band wrote as a trio, and definitely from this point forward. It is truly something special and I wish it was 15 minutes long not 6…sometimes I listen to it multiple times in a row because it is just so freaking excellent. Top fucking marks for this song boys!
OK so you flip the album and I mean one can only assume after that display of later career awesomeness, that what’s to follow is going to tear the roof off the sucker! Well as Ellen Foley would say…“Stop Right There!”. What do we have here? Well at this point looking back I’d say it is the “Me Too” musical equivalent of 80s racism in the form of the gem Illegal Alien. To be fair the song was intended to be a humours look at Mexicans trying to get into the USA. When it was released in 1983 as a single I don’t seem to recall it being flagged as anything other than an attempt at humour despite the line about offering up his sister for sex favours to get across the border. As (most of) the world has developed a sense of moral decency for immigration related challenges, Illegal Alien has become something of a pariah in the Genesis catalog. The unfortunate thing about it is that the song is catchy as shit and is actually a pretty entertaining music wise. I don’t recall if it was considered as offensive at the time but if you google most offensive songs of the 80s I guarantee this one is on the list…which is saying something cause there was a LOT of offensive rap happening at the time as well. In hindsight maybe they should have held onto Whodunnit? to replace it. At least they didn’t do a video making fun of it all…oh…nevermind…I doubt it would be a big hit today other than in select locations. Too bad it is so offensive…it’s not actually a bad song if you can ignore the horribly offensive lyrics.
MOVING ON…we have Taking It All Too Hard. Again this is a song a lot of people loathe for being too schmaltzy but I’m a sucker for a sentimental tune. And this one is like a full calorie dose of melancholy. Lyrically it is a bit vague in what it is getting at but I think it is trying to convey a feeling of conflicted emotions about a relationship. I love songs that start with a chorus and end up the better for it. Sometimes you wait minutes for the chorus to arrive, but those odd songs the give it to you right from the get go can be equally as satisfying. This is one of those songs. Despite the verse being really beautiful, had the song started with it, it totally wouldn’t work. The backing vocals are gorgeous and the song just gently moves through a chorus/verse/chorus/verse/chorus structure. It isn’t complicated, the music is delicate and sweet. Anyway…they say she comes on a pale horse…but I’m sure I hear a train…sorry…wrong song…Like it or not It’s only knock and know all but I like it.
Then comes Just A Job To Do which at this point gets me thinking the band are going to keep us on our toes on side two trying to figure out if we like it…Second Home By The Sea is feeling like it is an ocean away by now. OK I’m being unfair. Just A Job To Do is another oddity for me. Whenever I think about the song or reference it to people who don’t want to be talking to me, I always think that I don’t really like it. The people I’m talking to are usually thinking who the fuck is this guy and why is he talking to me about Genesis…I’m the a cashier. However, whenever I listen to it I totally enjoy it. I really don’t think there is anything wrong with it. It is a tad Genesis 3.0 by numbers I guess but It is upbeat and Phil sings it well. The guitar and keyboard line in the verses are a bit samey throughout but truth be told for the most part the singer shouldn’t have to compete with the musicians in a song. The one major issue I have is other than a pastiche of a 50s gangster tale…it doesn’t really say anything. I mean usually a song has some semblance of relevance or something people can relate to even if it is a general feeling. This one seems like it was written for a movie that doesn’t exist or maybe Kevin Costner commissioned it for The Untouchables…anyway it feels a bit throwaway due to the seemingly irrelevant lyrics. I don’t know…I’m shitty with lyrics and I suck at understanding metaphors and symbolism…maybe the song is about the fall of the Roman Empire. That being said as far as words to sing they are pretty good actually. So, lyrics vs vocalizations…you pick what is more important. I usually like to sing based on how words sound and I’m not so worried about what they mean, so despite the assessment I’m not actually bothered that much. I think the bridge of this song is fantastic and is significantly responsible for the success of the song. A bridge can make or break a song and this one is brilliant in chordal change and mood in its minor key shift. I firmly believe this song could have been a big hit single instead of the one aimed at offending immigrants.
Homestretch of the album that some of the band members have cited as the worst side of music they ever produced (though I’m guessing based on that, they’ve never heard We Can’t Dance…sorry sorry I know some people love it…be nice…bad Darrin). Again Silver Rainbow is another one of those songs I find I straddle the fence between love and not so love. There is something weirdly infectious about it. I’m not sure the beginning of it has an actual time signature. At least I can’t make it out. It is probably the most synthetic sounding song on the record, more so than even Mama. Half of the song makes me want to check my record to see if maybe someone melted it with hot knives. Then it comes into focus. The verses are quite good and the chorus is fine as well. Not stellar but fine. I think the song is actually strongest with respect to vocals and drums. I believe Mike loved his guitar part enough to almost let it be mixed out of the song. Anyway the song moves at a nice pace with some weird chords here and there. Tony plays it a bit safe, truth be told, on both piano and synths. There is also a nice little bass riff at the end which makes you realize, while wishing maybe the could have said Beyond the silver rainbow 5 or 10 less times, that the bass is almost unnoticeable through most of the song. I’m still never quite sure where I stand completely on the song, but if I was forced at gunpoint to decide, which would be a pretty weird thing to have happen, I would probably go with liking it extra medium – just like my t-shirts.
I’ve mentioned before that Genesis have a propensity for nailing their album closers. It’s Gonna Get Better does a very respectful job at keeping that tradition alive. It’s not the best album closer they’ve ever done but it isn’t the worst either. I’m actually a big fan of this one. I love Phil’s delivery in and out of falsetto. It is actually somewhat similar in structure to Taking It All Too Hard in that again it starts with the chorus, but to my ears it is the better song. The verses are much more interesting. It is a bit of a struggle song with a message of hope though not really clear in story, which is fine. It also has one of my all time favourite bridges in any song by any band. The “If its gonna get better” section that leads to the “it’s time for change” part is absolutely magnificent and ends the album on a tentatively hopeful note. Again Phil’s falsetto is probably the best in this song of any he sang with the band. I really hope people find beauty in this one cause after Second Home By The Sea it is my favourite song on the album. Interestingly there is an alternate version of this song which was released as the b-side of the Mama 12” single and is about a minute longer. It has some slightly shuffled lines of lyric which accommodates an additional verse. It is very good though slightly jarring if you haven’t heard it cause you think you know it until you find yourself singing lyrics you thought were there but are different. I don’t know if the long version improves on the “original” being the short version…which in fact might not be the original version at all. My feeling is the album version is better as it has a better flow, though I could just be more used to it at this point.
So what exactly is Genesis (the album)? From my perspective I think it isn’t nearly as bold a change as Abacab, though it does apply significant changes to more synthetic sounds. It retains some Prog influences, but it is also a much more lighthearted pop album in places as well. I think the two don’t always sit as well together as they had on Duke or Abacab, especially on the second side. Over time I’ve actually grown to like it a lot more than when it came out and the things that bothered me about it at that time have mellowed with age so in the end I actually find that I have a very nostalgic feeling about the album. When it was released I was also really into new wave music so my loyalties were split between that and Prog rock. This one kind of fits in there nicely, like Grace Under Pressure but not as good. Time and place and context for everything I guess.
The album reached number 1 in the UK and number 9 on the Billboard charts and stayed in the charts for an astounding 51 and 49 weeks respectively despite being savaged in some of the reviews. Four singles were released from the record globally; Mama, That’s All, Illegal Alien and Taking It All Too Hard with Home By The Sea in a few countries as well. It is the first album since The Lamb to not include any non-album studio track as b-sides, only album cuts and remixes.
Recommended Listening – Mama, Home By The Sea/Second Home By The Sea, Taking It All Too Hard, Silver Rainbow, It’s Gonna Get Better
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