For those of you that don't know, I recently repeatedly listened to the entire Peter Gabriel Discography and have been continuing to wear it out ever since. After three or four listens, (to all 15 cd's), I decided to put what I thought to be the best of what I hadn't heard into a playlist. What follows is a list of my personal favorites, live versions of songs I had only heard studio versions of, studio versions of songs I had only heard live versions of, different mixes of songs, etc...If you kind of like Peter Gabriel and want to get past his most popular work and listen to the "Best of the Rest", well I couldn't imagine a better starting place... AH
"Burn You Up, Burn You Down", from the album "UP". Mr. Gabriel has always had a funky side, and this gets things of to a good start. "Up", is a very good album all the way through, I would put it on equal footing with his best selling work "So". http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/burn_you_down
"Growing Up", also from the album "Up", had only heard/seen the song on the "Growing up Live concert DVD" before making my way through the complete 15 cd Peter Gabriel discography. Has a good hook in the chorus, and on the keys that gets stuck in your head. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/growing_up
"Cloudless", from the "Long Walk Home, Music from the Rabbit-Proof Fence Soundtrack" sounds like "Sky Blue", redone for the soundtrack. Really like the African voices in the beginning. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/cloudless
"I have the Touch", going a lil old/new school at the same time here. Originally on the "Security" album, this is a remix that was on 2003's "Hit & Miss" double cd greatest hits package.I like this version better, the guitar hook added on the front sounds great. Every time I hear this song I think about Chris Watkins, Absolut Vodka, and the haunted house we did for charity while I was in school. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/i_have_the_touch
"The Tower that Ate People" , a lil bit of electronica here. From the soundtrack of 2000's Ovo Millennium Dome Show. Nicholas likes this one, which make it really cool. The effect on the voice is crazy, as are the keyboards, I would like to see this one performed live. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/the_tower_that_ate_people_steve_osborne_mix
"Lovetown" , from the soundtrack of the 1994 movie Philadelphia. Also appears on 2003's "Hit & Miss" double cd greatest hits package. Like the mellowness, voice sounds great, video is crazy good. I'll try and post it later. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/lovetown
"Downside Up", First heard/saw on this song on the "Growing up Live concert DVD". It's crazy when he and his daughter are upside down singing. This studio version first appeared on the "Ovo" Soundtrack. Like the whistling at the beginning, brings back memories of "Games without Frontiers". Chorus will get stuck in your head I promise. "...All the strangers look like family, all the family looks so strange...". A live version is on 2003's "Hit and Miss" double cd greatest hits package. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/downside_up
"Sky Blue", from the "Up" album. Worth a listen just to hear the Blind Boys of Alabama at the end. Very mellow, very melodic... http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/sky_blue
"Birdys Flight", originally released on 1985's Birdy Soundtrack, later became, "Across the River", on 1994's "Secret World Live". The percussion at the end is incredible. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/birdys_flight
"Don't Leave", from the "Up" Album. Great, great guitar hook, awesome bass line, this one will also get stuck in your head. It did me anyway, I walked around for two weeks with that 30 second guitar hook in my head before I finally broke down and dug through 15 cd's to find it! Chorus reminds me of San Jacinto. (see later in this post) http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/dont_leave
"Across the River", see Birdy's Flight above. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/across_the_river
"Come Talk to Me", from 1992's "Us" album, the bagpipe/keyboard, whatever the hell it is, sends chills down my spine on a regular basis. The percussion adds to the feel of the song as opposed to just being there for the sake of being there. Apparently this was written in an attempt to reestablish communication with one of his daughters. Again, the African voices sound great. Also appears on 1994's Secret World Live. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/come_talk_to_me
"Slow Marimbas", originally released on 1985's Birdy soundtrack, later released on, 1994's "Secret World Live". Nothing like a song title that tells you what it is. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/slow_marimbas
"I Grieve", from the "Up" Album. Radical ending that is nothing like the rest of the song. I would love to hear the guitar hook from "Don't leave" be the beginning and the end of this song be the end of a new song... http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/i_grieve
"The Heat", released on 1985's Birdy soundtrack, the full version was released on 1982's "Security" album as "The Rythm of the Heat". A live version of "The Rythm of the Heat" also appears on 1983's "Plays Live". http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/the_heat_from_the_rhythm_of_the_heat
"Secret World", first exposed to this song on the "Growing Up live" DVD. Wish there was a live version of it somewhere. The part where he spins around and shakes the tambourine is one of my favorite highlights of the DVD. Great bass line, (Tony Levine is awesome!) voice sounds good. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/secret_world
"Exposure", goes to show that PG was funky well before he ever dreamed of doing "Sledgehammer". From his second solo album released in 1978, commonly referred to as the "Scratch" album (from the picture on the cover). http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/exposure
"I Don't Remember", From 1980's "Melt" album. Maybe my favorite song lyrically. Also released on 1983's "Plays Live" album. Also reminds me of Chris Watkins, Absolut Vodka, and the haunted house we did for charity in school...he was my roommate and we simply wore out that "Plays Live" album... "Empty stomach, empty head, empty heart and empty bed"..."Stop staring at me like a bird of prey, I'm all mixed up, I got nothing to say". http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/i_dont_remember
"San Jacinto", from 1982's "Security" album, also appears on 1983's "Plays live". Song about a native American "Vision Quest". Not really a "Best of the Rest", it is included here largely on subject matter alone. Well, that and the fact that it is a great song. Again, Chris Watkins, Absolut, haunted house....Intro is outstanding, it sucks you right in. "...Red paint, eagle feathers, coyote calling it has begun...". http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/san_jacinto
"Ngankarrparni(Sky Blue Reprise)", from the "Long Walk Home Music from the Rabitt-proof Fence" Soundtrack. Yet another rendition of Sky Blue. It is the third version of this song that shows up in PG's Discography. http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/ngankarrparni_sky_blue_reprise
"The Rhythm of the Heat", from 1983's "Plays Live". Still love the percussion at the end of this song, particularly live. Also appeared as "The Heat" on 1985's "Birdy" Soundtrack.(See entry about "The Heat" earlier in this post.) http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/the_rhythm_of_the_heat
"Shaking the Tree", from the album of the same name (best of 1976-1990). Only appears here and on 1994's "Secret World Live". Not really a "Best of the Rest" but included in the playlist because it only appears on a greatest hits and a live album. The rhythms this man comes up with...are just,....well,....unreal. On the live album he introduces his band during this song and when he introduces his drummer he says...."Shaking two trees".....I just love it... http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/shaking_the_tree
"Make Tomorrow",This is the last song from the "Ovo" soundtrack, I just found it haunting and it seemed like a fitting end to things... a lil long at over 10 minutes, but the others singers voices sound great. Great lyrics as well..."all the children of your children's children, do you ever think what their going to find?..." http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/peter_gabriel#/track/make_tomorrow_423777
Other Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_gabriel http://www.petergabriel.com/
