That Voice Again: Peter Gabriel - Album by Album

Jared, gd0, benjaminhuf, you're welcome, thanks for the interest and posts

In U.S. history, from University of Rochester. Believe it or not I actually quoted PG in my Ph.D dissertation (using the lyric to 'Lead a Normal Life' as an epigraph to a chapter on the role of naturalistically-landscaped grounds in the reform of care for the insane at nineteenth-century asylums). So, that explains why you have a PG album-by-album thread with footnotes

 

I certainly believe it! ..might be the most thought out well structured album by album thread creations in here to date! Will serve people interested in this artist in here for years to come....

 

Jared: Thanks, that's cool. Are you now a prof.? I'm in the art history biz. Piled higher and deeper myself. Didn't think to quote Nat King Cole, but I should have. Maybe "smile through your feel and sorrow, smile and maybe tomorrow, you'll see tenure shining through, for you..."

Nice live version of Steam from Italy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFTIrijbBrs

I'm a sucker for a good pop song--one that grooves and makes you think at the same time, and so I love this one.

Here are the lyrics:

Stand Back!
Stand Back!

What are those dogs doing sniffing at my feet
They're on to something, picking up
Picking up this heat, this heat

[Chorus 1:]
Give me steam
And how you feel to make it real
Real as anything you've seen
Get a life with this dreamer's dream

You know your culture from your trash
You know your plastic from your cash
When I lose sight of the track
You know the way back
But I know you

You know your stripper from your paint
You know your sinner from your saint
Whenever heaven's doors are shut
You kick them open but
I know you

[Chorus 2:]
Give me steam
And how you feel to make it real
Real as any place you've been
Get a life with the dreamer's dream

Stand back!
Stand back!
Can't you see I've lost control I'm getting indiscreet
You're moving in so close 'til I'm picking up
Picking up this heat, this heat

[Chorus 1]

You know your green from your red
You know the quick from the dead
So much better than the rest
You think you've been blessed
But I know you

You know your ladder from your snake
You know the throttle from the brake
You know your straight line from a curve
You've got a lot of nerve
But I know you

[Chorus 2]

Everybody nosedive
Hold your breath, count to five
Backslap, boobytrap,
Cover it up in bubblewrap
Room shake, earthquake
Find a way to stay awake
It's going to blow, it's going to break
This is more than I can take

Oh yeah, I need steam
Feel the steam all around me
Ah you're turning up the heat
When I start to dream aloud
See you move your hands and feet
Won't you step into this cloud of steam
This steam

[Chorus 1]

Help me yeah
Ready to steam out the log jam
Stir crazy from the freezer to the boil
Water's bubbling, it's b..b..b..bubbling
like it's coming to a boil
Give me steam, lady
Give me steam around me now
Aah coming alive
Said give me some steam

 

I meant to address not jared but "ere"....anyway, here's the video version of Steam. Still cool, even though the computer animation (c. 4 years before Toy Story, I think) seems a bit out of date.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aphQNGOz7v8&feature=related

Free high quality download of Steam is available here, I think:

http://www.petergabriel.com/

 

I got a Target copy of Security last night in the mail, and just played it on headphones, man what an awesome aural experience... Just had to share...

 

I'd have contributed but a) it's difficult to be involved when time zones aren't conducive to "live" discussion and b) I've been on a bit of a Beatles bender recently and just couldn't face diving headlong into PG's catalogue. It deserves more than just the occasional "yep, love that song too" contribution. I'm sorry I missed out and sorry I couldn't contribute.

 

oh you still can, please post your indepth thoughts when you have the time....also, I dont think we're really in a "live" discussion, seems that way i guess. i only post this time of day when you brits are live anyway....

but when you get on a gabriel dive, chime in...it'll only spur a bit of dialogue when you do, always a good thing IMO...

 

Just came across this interview with PG right as Passion was wrapping up, conducted at Real World studios in Box (not Bath):

 

thank you Ere