Genesis Meets Tom and Jerry

I had a mouse problem this summer. Comical at times, I could not catch that mouse because he was allusive. It reminded me of a classic Genesis tale..... All In A Mouse's Night on Wind and Wuthering is a simple cat and mouse tale. The lyrics quickly immerse the listener using imagery of a classic cat and mouse night. Broken into points of view from the cat and mouse, the song is sinister during certain points. The lyrics cleverly create tension with Hacket's scratching sound when the song has quieter moments. A typical Tony Banks song similar to Robbery Assault and Battery, it takes a moment in time of failed rebellion by the mouse. The mouse thinks the house is his, only to learn his fate. The conclusion is the mouse being swept up in by the jaws of the cat. A classic Tom and Jerry tale with a touch of Genesis.

Entangled - With Your Consent I Can Experiment Further Still

Entangled is one of those Genesis songs that resonates with so many fans. The lyrics are an exploration of being in a hospital. Most likely a mental health setting. The song explores a state of mind in which a person explores reality transporting themselves from what is real to what is imaginary. However, being in such a state has consequences. You can get lost in such a state. The people at the hospital? Will they help. Will they keep you in such a state until you pay the bill? This is a song that is haunting lyrically and musically. The song's sound is haunting throughout. This is a showpiece for Hackett and Banks. the Mellotron at it's best. Steve's guitar transitions us between realities. Phil's voice also showcases his talents. Just taking over for Peter Gabriel, he shines on this song. Reassuring fans that the band will create new timeless classics to add to their catalog. This is Genesis at it's finest.

Genesis Meets the Artful Dodger

Robbery, Assault and Battery is a whimsical song written mostly by Tony Banks. The song is complex, yet very simple. A British tale reflective of the story of the Artful Dodger. Here is a quick reminder for those who forgot the tale of the Artful Dodge from Oliver Twist:

1. The Artful Dodger, is a character in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist.Dodger is a pickpocket, so called for his skill and cunning in that respect. He is the leader of the gang of child criminals, trained by the elderly Fagin. Sound Familiar?
2. Genesis would incorporate British Folklore into many of their songs. Robbery, Assault and Battery is not a simple song. The instrumentals quickly change pace. Transitions are many and incorporate the story very well. Genesis enjoyed telling a story that could incorporated complex transitions throughout their career. 
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Mad Man Moon.....

I found this on a blog that explains what Mad Man Moon may be about. It breaks down the song in detail. I think the writer is spot on....

 "Was it summer when the river ran dry
Or was it just another dam
When the evil of the snowflake in June
Could still be a source of relief"

This kind of sets the tone for the song I think.  I get the feeling from these lines that something's drying up.  Something's being wasted away.


"O how I love you, I once cried long ago
But I was the one who decided to go
To search beyond the final crest
Though I'd heard it said just birds could dwell so high"

We realize here what's being dried up and who broke it off here.  The narrator seems to have broken it off, basically becuase his feelings had either changed or dried up, or so he thought.  He doesn't think he can achieve the highs of love again.

"So I pretended to have wings for my arms
And took off in the air
I flew to places which the clouds never see
Too close to the deserts of sand"

He fantasized about having love again and realizes he's not really there with the analogy of being too close to the "deserts of sand"

< Where a thousand mirages, the sheperds of Lies
Forced me to land and take a disquise
I would welcome the horse's kick to send me back
If I could find a horse not made of sand>

The Shepherds of Lies could be his friends who convinced him to leave what he had and he believed them because he thought he could be happier.  He wishes he could be kicked back into what he once had, but nothing can do that until he admits it was all his fault.  Realizing bad intentions and wishing things were back to where they once were won't get you back to where you were happy, thus the horse of sand analogy.  There's not much behind the kick of a horse made of sand.

"If this desert's all there'll ever be
Then tell me what becomes of me
A fall of rain?
That must have been another of your dreams
A dream of mad man moon"

This is basically describing how he feels.  Now that all his options are gone, it's like a desert.  There's very little relief knowing that he has blown his chance at true love.  Rain is a dream in this world.  It's a relief.  Rain is a metaphor for love in this case I think.


"Hey man
I'm the sandman
And boy have I news for you
They're going to throw you in gaol
And you know they can't fail
Cos sand is thicker than blood
But a prison in sand is a haven in hell
For a gaol can give you a goal
And a goal can find you a role
In the muddy pitch in Newcastle
Where it rains so much"

This is a dream sequence for the narrator.  The Sandman is usually a reference to sleep and more specifically dreams.  In this part of the song, as in the previous section, rain is a metaphor for love.

"You can't wait for a touch
Of sun and sand
  sun and sand"

This throws him from his dream sequence right back to where he was in the desert - all alone.

"Within the valley of shaowless death
They pray for thunderclouds and rain
But to the multitude who stand in the rain
Heaven is where the sun shines
The grass will be greener till the stems turn to brown
And thoughts will fly higher till the earth brings them down
Forever caught in desert lands one has to learn to
Disbelieve the sea"

This section of the song refers to how people want love, dream of love, but some never find it.  Again, rain being a metaphor for love.  The stems turning to brown meaning love hasn't found the narrator.  "One has to learn to disbelieve the sea".... This refers to people losing hope for love after a while, the rain builds up into a sea after a long while.  They mentally block out the notion that love can thrive through this imagery.

"If this desert's all there'll ever be
Then tell me what becomes of me
A fall of rain?
That must have been another of your dreams
A dream of mad man moon"

This is a refrain from earlier of course... The desert being a metaphor for loneliness.  The narrator has blocked out the chance of love to comfort himself, thus the "fall of rain?" question, and the dream of Mad Man Moon.. The moon, from all accounts, is a cold, desolate place.  And this is where the narrator of the song finds himself at the end of everything.
What a great analysis....

Genesis Meets Wuthering Heights

Wind and Wuthering has a combination of 2 influences in the titles. The "Wind" comes from "The House of the Four Winds." This was inspired by Steve Hackett, who wrote what became the bridge on "Eleventh Earl of Mar." The "Wuthering" is attributed to the novel "Wuthering Heights", by Emily Brontë. Additional connections to Wuthering Heights is "Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers..." and "...In That Quiet Earth." They are taken from the closing paragraph of the books. The long history of Genesis includes literary connections to the classical writers. It demonstrates that creative writing and the love for reading leads to creative music.

Wind and Wuthering Full Show - Audio Only

I found this gem on the way home from Elmira a year ago. Great set. The sound quality was excellent. It is also the most complete concert bootleg I can find on Youtube. At 141 minutes it is the longest. Anyone have others to share, let me know. I will eventually archive audio links on each page.

The Live Shows

Genesis begins to peak due to their live shows. Here is some vintage footage from this time period.