Used to be a show called "jeux sans frontieres" international tournament between cities or towns from different countries they would compete in silly games usually on ridiculous sets and in funny costumes but all took it very seriously! In the UK the game was called "it's a knockout".So you have the line" games without frontiers,war without tears",the repeated refrain in the background is"je sans frontieres" and he finally says "it's a knockout" ,to a 57 year old Brit it's obvious but I get how in the US or even younger Brits get confused.
I also think of this show every time I listen to this song because of the name. Here in Germany it was called "Spiele ohne Grenzen" which means exactly games without frontiers. But I admit that I had no clue if he meant this show or not.
The experience of Peter Gabriel isn’t complete without listening to “Biko”, about the black human rights activist murdered while in police custody during apartheid in South Africa. If you listen to the official song you’ll hear a crowd singing at the beginning and end. This is the actual crowd recorded during Biko’s funeral. Peter’s song helped to bring worldwide attention to what was happening there. Beyond that anything from the Secret World Live tour is fantastic. Also “Father, Son”, “Here Comes The Flood”, “Signal to Noise”, “Kiss of Life”, the list goes on and on.
Soon after its release, a copy of "Biko" was seized by South African customs and submitted to the Directorate of Publications, which banned the song and the album on which it featured for being critical of apartheid, calling it "harmful to the security of the State. Miami Vice played the song in one of their episodes in 1985 not knowing the song was in the program it was shown in South Africa which caused uproar across the country
Great song Mel. Thanks for sharing! Maybe you will get round to reacting to some Eurythmics too? Am sure you will love them. Annie Lennox is one of the best British female voices ever!
Totally agree! Kate’s my favourite female vocalist ever, Peter one of my favourite male vocalists... they’ve made some amazing music together. Love their collaborations!
This period of Peter's music from late 70's to early-mid 80's takes me back to my high school days when his music was played constantly on our rock station. That was before Bon Jovi was considered "Classic Rock"...!
That and the one here are my faves. The original video of Games is available (though butchered in the version shown here), but the one for Solsbury only survives in a few excerpts.
Peter is the Best!!! Even now he's in ...I think Uganda helping Black folks down there as he has done for many years.....so he always has some deep meaning in his songs about Western Societies!!!!
Peter Gabriel has remained one of the most gifted and innovative music artists of the past 50 years. His early music was way ahead of its time, and his more recent music is as relevant as any he’s ever made. Check out his songs “Mercy Street,” “I Have the Touch,” and “Digging in the Dirt.”
This is the first time that Kate Bush sang on a Peter Gabriel song. She sings the part that sounds like "She is so popular", but in reality, she is singing in French "jeux sans frontières", that is "games without frontiers".
This song was written during the height of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. It's about how nuclear missiles can reach the other side of the world and obliterate entire nations, cultures, regions. That's what "without frontiers" means -- national boundaries don't define who can attack who in wars anymore. Russia could launch a wave of nuclear missiles at whatever nation it wants across the world. That's also what "war without tears" means, because no one in the aftermath of the attack will be left in the target areas to weep for their lost loved ones.
Also a play on words. At that time there was a game show in the UK called 'It‘s a Knockout' the French version of the show was called 'Jeux sans Frontiers‘ transl. 'Games Without Frontiers‘
Partly right, the song is against totalitarian governments of either flavour that's why the lines about Adolph(Hitler) and Enrico(Mussolini) are also included.
@@nancymclaughlin6790 There’s a TV movie called Threads from 1984 based on what it would be like if the bomb was dropped on my hometown, Sheffield. US and USSR were parking A-Bombs in Europe back then and as a kid, dying this way was a true fear
@@nancymclaughlin6790 ...Every nation was terrified, the crazy USA and equally crazy CCCP were on the brink of world destruction more than once. A Russian submarine Captain who refused to launch missiles saved the world. One of many close calls. I grew up in Australia being told we could be nuked anyday..stupid duck and cover lessons in school, the movie The Day After shown twice a year in school...So yes, others had it the same.
Always loved this song by Gabriel. You got a good vibe from this. Interestingly, so many listeners thought that the refrain was "She's so popular" when it first aired on the radio. There were different visuals used earlier on and that might have contributed to that interpretation. Sledge Hammer was also great (as you reference). In Your eyes is also a great tune; Big Time, Down to Earth (from the movie Wall-e; picks up a gospel vibe), and Rhythm of the Heat for a wild percussion ride.
"killing foes for peace, bang, bang, bang; bang, bang, bang" Genesis and Peter were anti-war and pro-peace, but with justice. It is in all their music.....including Phil Collins.
I agree with some of the previous posters..."Biko" is not only haunting and beautiful, it shined such a light on the situation on South Africa that, imho, Peter Gabriel did more to end apartheid than any other artist. By calling attention to this one individual, government inquiries were launched and massive demonstrations were built. This is a most amazing man, and a truly great artist. Thanks for sharing!
@@janetcw9808 Solsbury Hill is in England. Peter sat on the hill after leaving Genesis wondering if he was wrong to leave the band. This song was the result of an epiphany he had... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solsbury_Hill_(song)
Another great song from this album, is"Biko", a eulogy to the African anti-apartheid activists imprisonment. Also, for a Sledgehammer type of vibe, try Steam.
Jamel, I found you during the pandemic. You really helped get me (and I imagine a lot of us) through that stressful time. But you are awesome in good times, too! You are hands down my favorite reactor. You helped me realize why I like watching people react to the songs I grew up with and have heard hundreds of times - it's like watching someone fall in love with a song for the first time and I get to experience that all over again. It brings me joy. Thank you for reacting to Peter Gabriel. This is one of my favorites by him and PG can do no wrong in my book.
When I 1st saw that watching others "react" to songs and videos was a thing...I was like "more dumb social media degenerate $#!+"....boy was I wrong. It's like introducing & recommending the music you love to a friend...you love sharing the feeling you get from great art with others....even in cyberspace
A drummer at heart ("At age 10, he purchased a floor tom-tom." - wikipedia). The rhythms are always so interesting in his solo work. * his choice of collaborating musicians is also stellar!
The song also refers to a UK TV programme at the time "it's a Knockout". People competing in silly games to represent their town. You had to be there!!!
Not just UK TV, a lot of countries had versions, the winners going on to compete in Jeaux sans Frontiers, the internationals. In which we nearly invariably lost, to the sound of Stuart Hall laughing.
This is an interesting song and album from a production and drums perspective. Gabriel and drummer Jerry Marotta decided not to use any cymbals (including hi-hats) on the record. The rhythmic feel is so different than anything else from its time, especially anything that entered the pop realm. It’s a very musical exploration.
@@JasonSmith-jr7jh Fripp didn;t produce this album (Gabriel's 3rd - he did the previous one) though he does play guitar on some tracks. Steve Lillywhite produced this album with Hugh Padgham (first time Padgham and Phil worked together). Everything I've read says that Gabriel himself laid down the "no cymbals" rule.
@@russellmaddox2437 Thanks for setting me straight. I just deleted my reply. Too much false information out there, and I'm just adding to it! Most of what I remembered wrong (Fripp produced Melt?) has been stuck in my brain for 40 years. It took me hours to find my old Jerry M modern drummer cover issue. The Peter Gabriel edict: "I don't want any 'metal' on the album" seemed very 'Frippian'. Robert DOES hate ride cymbals, though! Fripp Interview from Bruford and the Beat (VHS)1981.
In the UK when this came out, everyone knew what Jeux sans frontiers meant because it was the Euro edition of a physical game show called It's a Knockout.
@@Lwize I feel you...when i went to a record store i asked do you have that song she's so popular and they knew what i was talking about, they must of heard that question a million times lol
i saw Peter Gabriel Live, in 1980 at the Empire Theatre, in Liverpool uk.. Fans applauded, as did i, when he walked out on stage. Dressed in a black suit, white t shirt, wearing no shoes or socks. Holding an Acoustic guitar, singing solsbury hill. Wow..! what a show we got given that night. i must admit i do feel privledged on having seen this incredible artist live. Still remember it now. i was 19 then. 60 now.
For another, even more powerful (imo) Cold War-themed classic, I urge you to check out Laurie Anderson's "O Superman", ideally with video. Stopped me dead in my tracks the first time I encountered it.
Driving alone on a dark night with a good sound system that song is an 'experience'. It feels like it's putting me in a trance and communicating directly to me.
omg you brought me back to when I was 15! I was groom at a racetrack in NJ in the Summertime and this would play on WNEW FM on the transistor radio hanging from my horse's stall. Wow, I was right back There! Steel Rock, I miss you so much. She was a lovely mare.
This got me on the Peter Gabriel train before he hit it Big Time in the 80s, didn't even know he was the 1st singer in Genesis at the time. He just made unique music & videos at the time.
Never seen the video before, and this song has been a feature in my life since I was a child...trippy @_@ I love this reaction so much! Very feel good.
Going down the rabbit hole with Peter Gabriel because his songs were unique and well-crafted. Here's two more PG songs to listen: Hear that voice again and I don't remember.
"Jeux Sans Frontières..." or "Games Without Borders" was a European based franchise of game shows. The roots of the show came from France with the first version of it called "Intervilles..." or "The Beautiful Games." It was created to be a friendly, but serious competition between different towns within the region. Since it was town vs town, every town that competed wanted their town to be recognized as the best. This meant that the competitors would play their hearts out to win. The fact that this show had the ability to bring out the best in anyone who took part in it would be the driving force behind it's popularity spreading all over Europe. Peter Gabriel was obviously infatuated with how amazing of an idea it was...but then again...who wouldn't be? When you pit towns against each other in competition with the reason in mind of bringing them closer together...that is GENIUS in EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD!!! We need a modern version of this today, and it should be a worldwide thing rather than being limited to only one continent.
Very astute interpretation of the song. I agree and hadn't thought of it until seeing the video. I loved this song from back in the day. Up until the inet, I never knew he was saying games without frontiers in French.
One of his you should check out is "I Grieve". He wrote it thinking about 9-11, and worried, since his daughter at the time was in New York at the time. It's about going through the grieving process, but realizing that it also circles back to learning to live your life anew in the aftermath.
Thanks for what you do. I've been watching your reactions for more than a year now and your positivity and playfulness and sincerity are addictive!!! Thanks, brother!
Appreciate your response videos. Great song describing how we're conditioned to relate to one another. I won't succumb. Gabriel was right on.... He's an amazing lyricist and musician. ❤️
The tv show on which it was based has its genesis in post WW2 Europe and just like the Eurovision Song Contest was an attempt to bridge cultural divides in Europe and bringing the continent, which had suffered from two major conflict within the first half of the 20th century. But where as the ESC has thrived over the years Games Without Frontiers has been relegated to the past now despite efforts to revive it.
It’s been a while. Great to see you again my Brother. I saw a little bit of the “stink face”. What a great song…an emotional song for me. Thank you for keeping great music alive. Peace out.
