The live version from the album "Peter Gabriel plays live" from 1983 may be the best one. A kind of emotional / sincerity much stronger than the studio version. Anyway, that song is like a secret Peter Gabriel is telling us; great artist inspiration and play/singing. Thank you JustJP for your choice ! 🌞🌝
This is one of the greatest Gabriel tracks I think. Its length is absolutely perfect and essential to its structure. Also I don't Gabriel is trying out everything he can; I think the music is how he hears it in his head particularly on this track so it all feelsvvery organic to me rather than a meshing of genres.
Was always interesting to see he sang about N.Y. Being from N.Y. He was far from N.Y.. Occasionally He dropped hints. I saw him in 82.. He did things on stage he never would have gotten away with.. With Genesis. He did what Peter wanted to do. Shock the Monkey was crazy.. But great! My sister met him off stage. She was pregnant. He brought her a bottle of water. Nice guy!
There’s no one absolutely no one like Peter Gabriel. His brilliance is on another level. Which is why early Genesis is so darn good. Love this song! Totally out there Justin, and extremely beautiful.
I have known this song for at least forty years and every time this song always sends me to the edge of my emotions...its such a powerful sounding song.
Not only was it only 3 minutes Each moment was so incredible From detached to euphoric One of my absolute favorite Peter Gabriel songs The “flutish’ part gets me every time
Beautiful song, among my favorite of his. Peter Gabriel's second album is worth listening to as well. Not a filler on there. By the way, liebe schon is a German term of endearment. Kind of like "darling" or 'sweetheart".
mixed feelings about most of this album but this is one of the bright spots. pg's vocal timbre at the end of this song is unlike any other human being. just blessed with those pipes.
Thank you, thank you, thank you ! You did it great again. Humdrum was my introduction into the world of Peter Gabriel as a keyboard player. I discovered his unique game, his magical touch which still remains a mystery to me today. I don't know anything about music theory, his way of building his chords, with basses that are always unexpected to my ear ... I'll never get tired of it! I can't help but urge you to listen to the live version of 1982 "Plays Live". It is stripped of all the arrangements of the studio to retain only the essence, while adding the punch of a slamming drums that stirs your guts, the heady triad-style guitars of which David Rhodes has the secret but also and especially this bass by Tony Levin, bouncy and round with a few pinches of slaps pretty new at the time ... A great moment in my opinion. One of the best (well, to be honest, I think the whole live album is phenomal, but of course, you can't listen to it to avoid the spoils).
Perfect. And, then, plays live, the finest version of ‘On The Air. Love this man/music/this band period. I saw him in 77/78ish 1st solo and have never missed a tour since. He is singular.
I think this is one of the strongest songs on this album…one could picture it fitting in nicely with the material Genesis was writing around this time period (e.g., “Heathaze,” “Evidence of Autumn,” “Open Door,” “Vancouver”)
Not sure of the Genesis material you are referencing here ,cause at the time of this album Genesis were doing Trick of the tail and Wind and wuthering ??????
@@Newfie-zc7ug True. I was speaking broadly re: "time period"...I meant the time period from the late '70s up to Duke-Abacab, when Genesis were drifting away from the hard-core, lengthy progressive rock tracks to shorter, but still compelling work (the tracks I mentioned have in common with "Humdrum" a softer, more introspective quality overall, the closing section of "Humdrum" also evokes to me the spirit of Tony Banks circa "A Curious Feeling"). I admit, though, Peter Gabriel's first solo album did come out earlier than I had recalled! :)
@@gammaanteria.... Hey, no problem my friend, I just didn't know the tunes you referenced. After Peter left ,I followed Genesis up until "And then there were three" After that it was just the hits and of course Phil's solo work. Anyway,it's great to chat to another Genesis fan,with or without Gabriel.
@@Newfie-zc7ug Oh, those tunes are well worth checking out! Actually, they are all from 1980/Duke sessions, excepting "Vancouver" which is 1978/And Then There Were Three. Most of them were b-sides ("Evidence of Autumn" got released on the studio side of the "Three Sides Live" album in 1982), and of course "Heathaze" made it onto the "Duke" album proper. Yes, great to chat! :)
Ah memories! Always loved the diversity of this album. Had tickets to see Gabriel in concert that year at Newcastle City Hall but got tonsillitis! Gave my ticket to a friend. Never have got to see him live!
Saw him at Newcastle City Hall in 1980. That was a great concert, the first time I heard Biko which was absolutely spine-chilling. I also saw Genesis and Steve Hackett at the City Hall that year so it was a good year for all things Genesis :)
An epic year then! I also saw Steve Hackett in 1980 at Newcastle City Hall! Dragged my girlfriend along, now wife of 39 years, who now recognises and sometimes likes all things Genesis! 😂 Also, I should have said I did see Gabriel with Genesis at the same venue on The Lamb tour plus Watcher of the Skies as an encore. Ah, them were the days.
To tell you the truth, I only remembered the slow intro and I thought you’d not like it again much, but as I heard the rest, I dug it and knew you’d like it. I have the CD but have forgotten it’s eclecticism of the album and even within a single song. Cool. Peace and PG Music
One of my fave pg songs. Has an "Afterglow" feel. Love the lyrics: "Lost among echoes of things not there, Watching the sound forming shapes in the air" which reminds me of his later "And Through The Wire" - "I talk in pictures not in words..."
it's so strange! I was searching for this track today, and here it is! Peter really can't hide his Genesis heritage! Classic Genesis chords and progression in the end!
I'm not sure why, but in Genesis, Peter didn't write many (if any) songs of a personal nature, from a first person point of view, where the person was him. So, in The Lamb, he'd write first-person, but it would still be Rael's perspective. Akin to Moribund the Burgermeister, where it's first person, but not personal. Very well could be that he didn't have enough control of the music to where he didn't feel comfortable making the focus of the lyrics himself. Anyways, that all changed when he went solo, and suddenly his lyrics were almost always from HIS perspective. It's just such an immediate shift - I find it interesting.
I've been waiting for this one, my most favorite PG song. There's such an oneiric quality to its structure. It feels like walking through a dream. I actually wonder if it was conceived in a nocturnal mind movie.
There are so many great ideas here, musical switches. I feel Peter could've made this a nine minute track, developing each of these ideas. It would've been thrilling. He is a genius with lyrics so building this up would be easy for him.
In 1977 we weren’t given the lyrics for this album. Peter was asked about that and said “I want my fans to make an effort and listen and sooner or later they will know them. Bob Ezrin saturated this song in reverb and tape speed techniques which made it virtually impossible to know what he was singing. In fact I never knew these lyrics until about a decade ago when I bought the remasters. Consequently every album he released after had all the lyrics.
Like you, wish this was longer! His first album is so melodic and has shades of Genesis with eclectic styles and is still eccentric enough lyrically to be uniquely Peter Gabriel. I listened to it quite a bit when it came out and it still sounds great. It’s a pretty old saying that “men spend their whole lives trying to get back into the womb” mostly because of their high sex drive, so I think Peter was just agreeing in his own way.
One of my favorite songs on an album with plenty of excellent ones. Love the melodic "echo" keyboards at the start. All the changes are interesting leading to the soaring finish.
I saw Peter Gabriel perform this album at the Bottom Line in NY in 1978. He was dealing with his Genesis past and bridging to his future. This song has a deep emotional feel at the end. This is like a Genesis song suite compressed into 3 minutes. Perhaps my favorite of his solo songs.
Justin I believe you are ready for Brian Eno’s Masterpiece Another Green World If you want some wild early ENO first “Baby’s on Fire” with Robert Fripp will be fun. One of the most explosive guitar solos ever. (Here Come the Warm Jets debut album)
Eno's four '70s rock albums -- "Here Come the Warm Jets", "Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)", "Another Green World" and "Before and After Science" -- would be an EXCELLENT tetralogy to go through, @JustJP !!! (At least, from each of those: "Baby's On Fire", "The True Wheel", "St Elmo's Fire", "King's Lead Hat".)
I have not seen this even though it's 2 years old ... HUMDRUM is my fav PG song followed by San Jacinto then Solsbury Hill Aaaaand your wearing my YES FRAGILE T- shirt .... hat I got at the show ..... yes I'm old LOL
I think it's exciting that he was able to succinctly craft so much into such a short song, without the need other writers might have felt to stretch it out. As the second song on the 8-track cassette after the whimsical "Moribund the Burgomeister" it was the moment where I realized I'd (blindly) bought an exceptional album. (And it perfectly leads right into "Modern Love.") Oddly, I prefer the misheard lyrics that I had in my mind during the final section to the actual ones that I discovered years later when I saw them transcribed.
I absolutely love Here Comes The Flood, as much as any Peter song, but the "Out of woman comes a man..." ending of this song, and perhaps even more the Plays Live version... is pure genius. And I guess this ended the first side of the original ending, but I still hear it leading into Down the Dolce Vita and Here Comes The Flood, where it fits very well on the Canadian cassette release order.
Loved this song from first listen. Disappointed he left Genesis but he was free to explore new Avenues. Saw his first tour of this album at San Jose state College. Crowd of 300. The best concert I've been to. Very intamit with a small crowd.
A commenter below pointed out that "Liebeschön" means "sweetheart" or "darling". The word is key to 'understanding' the song, in my opinion (actually you kinda have to FEEL it; "empty your mind" that you may hear!). The eclectic nature of the song's structure and sudden changes reflects the sudden mood swings provoked by jealousy when your wife is being seduced by another man: "Hey Valentino you want me to beg? You got me cooking I'm a hard boiled egg". The couplet "Empty my mind I find it hard to cope / Listen to my heart don't need no stethoscope" reflects the intensity and loudness of Gabriel's emotions as he passes through the horror phase, the can't-sleep-at-night phase, that jealousy delivers. The transition out of jealousy, which is a low emotion, is via cosmic forgiveness, the necessary product of unconditional love. This is tenderly and yet powerfully captured in the song's closing section, which emotionally - not intellectually/rationally - examines eternal patterns such as dark-light and male-female, only to bring it all back down again to the very intimately sung "Liebeschön": "my darling". One of my favourite songs of all time. Thank you so much for doing a reaction to it!
Evening Justin. Dave from London. Just JP is my Salvation Station! Thanks so much for all your brilliant videos this week. After the vaudeville whimsy of Excuse Me, this atmospheric song is one of my favourites from the Car album. Good call on The Lamb vibe; I feel it especially on this track. Masses of musical ideas packed in here, and that majestic finale is like bathing in a warm pool (no Lamia please; they creep me out!)
@@newplbob thanks... Been a long time since I used my French... But outro? When did that come about? I can give into a pass but there is no way I missed " outoductilon" in Webster's.
The live version is slightly longer (on his first live album Peter Gabriel Live - 1983) the outro is extended at the end and he repeats the final few lines before ending in the same way.
Hi Jp , in 1989 Peter Gabriel formed .. real world records ..where he signed the band.... afro Celt sound system ..who would go on to become a major band in the world of fusion world music .Peter himself sang on the song .."when your falling"( great track ) . ..Sinead o Connor also guest appeared on the song...." release " .....Robert plant also guest appeared on the track..." life begin again" if you like your rhythms and a cornucopia of instruments this is the band for you .!! ! I really enjoy your channel 👍
@@gaiaeternal5131 hi there is a video on RU-vid of Peter and ACSS performing their song " when you're falling "on letterman they are having a blast .great performance .👍
Thanks, Patrick for the ref to ACSS on Letterman. Great performance of this song. Iorla sings by PG's side and with Simon Emmerson was involved in his OVO show at the Millennium Dome (O2) in London (which I saw)
Such a good one. Tremendous imagery. A very, sweeping, cinematic, nocturnal New York feel to it. My favorite off the album. I think I even put it ahead of "Here Comes the Flood" only because I prefer the one from Fripp's solo album a bit more. Both are great.
Liebschen is a German term of endearment like darling or sweetheart, but it's in the form of a diminutive that more literally means "little lovely". So I think he may be referring to his child, the result of his desire for his wife, and was perhaps born by Ceasarian section which left a scar on the mother.
Please do Down the Dolce Vita and Here Comes the Flood together. They are played as 1 song. I don't think they are related thematically, but they build one to the next perfectly.
I can't help but reflect on the format of the vinyl LP: two discrete sides, requiring the listener to get up and flip it. Humdrum was a great side one closer.
Peter definatly had to find his way one the first album. To me also..it has shades of the lamb...in particulair moribund which could easily have been off the lamb...genesis actually helped peter a little with the early sessions...and Robert fripp reserved his usual style which will be evident on scratch. What you have heard will change to a more stripped down aspect. I think Gabriel 1 is a magnificent album..full of diversity... Great reaction Thanks
Welcome to the world of Larry Fast yeah this song really influenced my later high school years it just created such a profound feeling very emotional I mean even if I didn't know what the song was about you know there wasn't a lyric sheet that came with the record until CD came out or the revamped CD came out in the early 2000s all right I'm glad you just heard that one for the first time those songs which were so important Tamiya bringing you know it's amazing I just sometimes wonder there were just so many great songs even though in the grand scheme of things you could almost say that there wasn't that much great music there was a lot of really bad music but when you look back he realize oh my god there was just so much it was really good when you add it all up and there were those songs that just change your life in so many different ways there were these songs that almost created their own emotional states I guess it's just like when an artist has the pallet and he paints a certain picture it's in a certain tone and that's what happens with music as well but it is funny how many distinct only different emotions come from different songs I realize it's all subjective it would be amazing if only we could prove it everybody got the exact same distinctive emotional response from a song I guess most likely that wouldn't be the case so that means that every person is somehow creating their own emotional response two different songs so there in lies the mystery weather a particular song has a universal emotional response that everybody feels or it just is different for each person I mean I realize I can change sometimes it fades you don't have that same initial reaction maybe the song is one you become tired of maybe someone just loses touch with their feelings I know I do a lot but it does make you wonder it says if there's some Conjuring of some other dimensions something really almost metaphysical perhaps that's why music is so controlled because it has the possibility of having so much power over people by just having such a profound influence on their emotional state I mean you just have to ask yourself why isn't there funny really really outstanding music peeing recorded and released in these times? My completely crackpot Theory would be one or I proposed that there are people out there doing all they can to keep that from happening somehow you know there's music for people try to put out something that might become a hit and they go within the confines of the structure of some kind of pop rock music something that they think is going to girl really incredible units and get AirPlay and all that kind of stuff and you can really tell it's just so obvious and then you have people like Peter Gabriel and the few iconoclast out there who don't subscribe to that hardly at all if at all they just explore and take risks and get in touch with their feelings inspired by being focused in that space wherever that is whatever that is and as you can see we are also lucky that they were working in creating these miraculous works of art the thing we have to realize is that it didn't have to happen at all and yet it did happen how lucky for all of us Alright Justin check you on the next draw from my man
Just a little toe script sorry Justin I didn't go through and try to reconstruct all the Google typos I just get involved with bringing the narrative so I guess he'll be a little guesswork with my comment I'll try to remember to go through next time thanks man thanks for your understanding on that
Specifically the 2 Genesis feeling touches in this song, bring back memories of "Stagnation". Despite the various metamorphoses that this song has, they all flow very well, and yes... it would have to be longer.
Gabriel stretching his legs. Finding his own way now. Pushing aside expectations. I just like his voice. I saw this tour. He just wore dark sweat pants and a hoodie. No more mask and costumes.
Wow, I never really twigged that "Humdrum" touches on some of the same subjects as Peter's later song "Blood of Eden" from _Us_ (1992). Lots of musing on the similarities between a romantic relationship and the betrayal in the Garden of Eden.
Hmm, not bad. Was a little concerned that first minute that the song would continue that way, minimalist.. But once the whole ensemble kicked in, a big lift. Gentle, lilting, and had a nice sweeping feel to it as it moved between verses. Not bad at all.
Along with "Moribund the Burgermeister", "Solsbury Hill", "Modern Love" and "Here Comes the Flood", "Humdrum" is one of the tracks that caught my attention on this Peter Gabriel debut album, however I prefer the version on his double album Plays Live in 1983.
Peter Gabriel toured for this album and I saw them on this tour in 1977 at The Roxy in L.A. Imagine this: he had no previous material to draw from. The concert was this album in its entirety. They also did one song that ended up on his second solo album and he did a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Ain't That Peculiar". The ONLY previous material performed was "Back In NYC" from "Lamb". It was the encore, so Gabriel had time to switch into jeans/white t-shirt/black leather jacket and sing as "Rael" one more time. If any concert I ever saw could be rated #1 overall it was this one. Gabriel's first solo tour, with freakin' Robert Fripp on stage with him, and Tony Levin as well, a man whose phenomenal ability I didn't have a clue of yet. Of course Levin became part of the reformed King Crimson with Fripp only a few years later. And spending the whole day waiting in line to get in, playing monopoly in lawn chairs on Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood? Priceless. I remember Humdrum being absolutely mindblowing. Blessings.
@@leoscone4036 2 SHOWS a night for three straight nights. What was it - 44 years ago! Can you imagine that? I hope my math is wrong. 44 years ago? I probably don't have another 44 years ahead of me so why not enjoy the 44 behind me - yeah that's the spirit!
@@vdggmouse9512 Yup, 44 years. That's why it's so cool having these folk who are listening for the first time. This music stands the test of time better than we will! Blessings.
Love your insights about the tracks on this album. Working your way through the tracks sooner or later you'll get to Here Comes The Flood, which I think you've reacted to before, so my suggestion is, when you get to it, react to the version Peter recorded for Fripp's Exposure album. I know it may be blocked, because it's Fripp, but worth trying. I believe Peter preferred the simpler production on Exposure to the over produced version on Car.
I’m thinking now that I’m hearing this he could be talking about his time in Genesis. That one part sounds like “The Lamia” on the Lamb album. And he’s reflecting back a bit. That’s my 2 cents thanks for reading.
This is my favorite song on the album. As you say, it could be longer, especially the final movement, but it has it all. This is a song that would have fitted Genesis like a glove going forward but alas it was not to be.
Once again you're very perceptive on the why. Peter was being stiffled in Genesis and as he put it, to get anything through it had to go through Genesis the Machine. His late period struggles with the band showed the beginning of this fracturing especially on the Lamb where he wrote all the lyrics and removed himself from the committee process. If you listen to the words of Solsbury Hill it hints at this. "I will show another me" and "I was feeling part of the scenery, I walked right out of the Machinery" And lastly "my friends would think I was a nut". That last line is him leaving Genesis at their peak. His leaving also had to with his first wife Jill having a very difficult pregnancy with their first child.
Ah, the tyranny of a 20 minute LP side. I agree with you that Peter had so many (too many?) ideas percolating in his creative mind at this new stage in his career.
I agree the song feels too contracted for its musical themes and ideas. It has perhaps the best musical moment on the album as the lush strings and gorgeous vocal melody comes in at the end. A very mixed album where Gabriel was not clear on the direction he wanted to take - that would come with the third album.
Mattew 16:19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." The lyric "As below, so above" may refer to this Bible quote. It's actually a plot point in the Kevin Smith film "Dogma" which would allow 2 fallen angels passage back into Heaven due to Catholic law of plenary indulgence. Great film, excellent cast, the 2 former angels are Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
Sorry I hope you can understand I just forgot to go through and correct all the Google typos I was just so focused on trying to get the narrative out there that I didn't remember do my own little spell check afterwards thanks for your understanding on that alright man good reaction by the way
