peter gabriel
A few years ago I sat down drilling a new pattern of fingerpicking, when all of a sudden something very familiar came from the strings all by itself. A special tune and rhythm I first heard way back in -77, fell in love with but never thought about trying to play myself, because of it's complicity and orchestration. Could it be possible, after all these years? It could. In about an hour the song got a finger-picking skin. The *harmonies* are rather simple and few; it's the unusual melody skeleton and the rare syncopes that makes it one of the most intelligent rock songs ever written ... jeez, he must have intended nobody to cover it :-D
It's the first release from Gabriel after the departure from Genesis, first as a successful single early -77, then appearing as second track on his debut studio album "Peter Gabriel" (nicked "I" or "Car" after the cover, to separate it from his following 3 more self-titled albums).
That departure started already with the tour "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway", which Gabriel paused from due to his wife's difficult pregnancy. To keep the tour going, the band tried out various substitutions, and landed on Phil Collins stepping forwards from behind the drums - to stay. Gabriel saw no reason to force himself back; the members had obviously grown apart. «Today I need no replacement; I'll tell them what the smile on my face meant». The song is an attempt to explain this, with a spiritual experience as a teat.
The world benefitted from this. It got a refined pop/rock band, and a brand new rock legend came to blossom. And this song should really not be performed by anybody but Gabriel, but it is so bright and delightful that I can't let it be.
climbing up on Solsbury Hill
I could see the city light
wind was blowing, time stood still
eagle flew out of the night
he was something to observe
came in close, I heard a voice
standing stretching every nerve
had to listen had no choice
I did not believe the information
(I) just had to trust imagination
my heart going boom boom boom
"son," he said "grab your things
I've come to take you home"
to keepin' silence I resigned
my friends would think I was a nut
turning water into wine
open doors would soon be shut
so I went from day to day
tho' my life was in a rut
"till I thought of what I'd say
which connection I should cut
I was feeling part of the scenery
I walked right out of the machinery
my heart going boom boom boom
"hey" he said "grab your things
I've come to take you home"
when illusion spin her net
I'm never where I want to be
and liberty she pirouette
when I think that I am free
watched by empty silhouettes
who close their eyes but still can see
no one taught them etiquette
I will show another me
today I don't need a replacement
I'll tell them what the smile on my face meant
my heart going boom boom boom
"hey" I said "You can keep my things
they've come to take me home"
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
C...G...Am...D7 [4x] G...Gadd9...G G G...Gadd9...G climbing up on Solsbury Hill G Em...Esus4...Em I could see the city light Em Em...Esus4...Em wind was blowing time stood still Em G...Gadd9...G eagle flew out of the night G G...Gadd9...G he was something to observe G Em...Esus4...Em came in close I heard a voice Em Em...Esus4...Em standing stretching every nerve Em G had to listen had no choice G/F# Em Em...Esus4...Em I did not believe the information Em Cmaj7 just had to trust imagination Em Cmaj7 my heart going boom boom boom son he said C Am D7 G grab your things I've come to take you home
