Genesis

Released: February 1, 1976

Songwriter: Mike Rutherford Tony Banks

Producer: David Hentschel

Like father like son
Not flesh nor fish nor bone
A red rag hangs from an open mouth
Alive at both ends but a little dead in the middle
A tumbling and a bumbling he will go
All the King's horses and all the King's men
Could never put a smile on that face

He's a sly one, he's a shy one, wouldn't you be too?
Scared to be left all on his own
He hasn't a, hasn't a friend to play with the ugly duckling
The pressure on, the bubble will burst before our eyes
And all the while in perfect time
His tears are falling on the ground
But if you don't stand up, you don't stand a chance
You don't stand a chance

Go a little faster now
You might get there in time

Mirror mirror on the wall
His heart was broken long before he ever came to you
Stop your tears from falling
The trail they leave is very clear for all to see at night
All to see at night
They come at night

In season, out of season
Oh, what's the difference when you don't know the reason
In one hand bread, the other a stone
The hunter enters the forest
But all are not huntsmen who blow the huntsman's horn
And by the look of this one you've not got much to fear

Here I am, I'm very fierce and fright'ning
I come to match my skill to yours
Now listen here, listen to me, don't you run away now
I am a friend, I'd really like to play with you
Making noises my little furry friend would make
I'll trick him, then I'll kick him into my sack
You better watch out, you better watch out

I've got you, I've got you
You'll never get away

Walking home that night
The sack across my back
The sound of sobbing on my shoulder
When suddenly it stopped
I opened up the sack, all that I had
A pool of bubbles and tears, just a pool of tears
Just a pool of tears

All in all you are a very dying race
Placing trust upon a cruel world
You never had the things you thought you should've had
And you'll not get them now
And all the while in perfect time
Your tears are falling on the ground

Genesis are an English rock band formed at Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey in 1967. The most commercially successful line-up includes keyboardist Tony Banks, guitarist Mike Rutherford and drummer/singer Phil Collins. Other important members were singer Peter Gabriel and guitarist Steve Hackett. The band underwent several significant changes in musical style over its career, from folk music to progressive rock in the 1970s, before moving towards pop at the end of the decade.

Formed by five Charterhouse pupils including Banks, Rutherford, Gabriel and Anthony Phillips, Genesis was named by former pupil Jonathan King who arranged them to record several unsuccessful singles and an album. After splitting with King, the group began touring professionally, signing with Charisma Records. Following the departure of Phillips, Genesis recruited Collins and Hackett and recorded several progressive rock style albums, with live shows centred around Gabriel’s theatrical costumes and performances.

Their discography includes fifteen studio and six live albums, six of which topped the UK chart. They have won numerous awards and nominations, including a Grammy Award for Best Concept Music Video with “Land of Confusion” and inspired a number of tribute bands recreating Genesis shows from various stages of the band’s career. In 2010, Genesis were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their biggest hit to date is Invisible Touch which spent 3 consecutive weeks at #1.

more tracks from the album

A Trick of the Tail

From the album

A Trick of the Tail (1976)

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SquonkGenesis

Genesis

A Trick of the Tail