Whats all that about then - Suppers Ready by Genesis

1. Even though you can never understand an authors true intentionality, its fun to try, there are no right answers and no prizes - but that doesn't mean it is not fun to take part.

2. Assume it is about something. It doesn't matter if it was a load of random gibberish pretend it isn't.(see 1).

3. Assume the SONG is about something, the lyrics AND the music. Assume they have a relationship with each other even though you can never be sure (see 1).

For extra points you can consider the different version on Seconds out. What does Collins change? Why?

Im not sure it IS a coherent song, unlike say, close to the edge which has a great deal of internal reflection and lyrical themes maintained for the length of the song, Suppers Ready only really has the 'your suppers waiting for you' and thats only at the beginning and the end.

Whats the 'all change' bit about then? The 'feel your body melt' and the steam train departing from the platform theme of the music?

Has anyone ever looked really closely at the forth horse on the back cover of Foxtrot? Not you "Anna".

"So why are over half the lyrics nicked from The Book of Revelations" I wanted to say, but held my tongue.

I like this track btw.

I prefer flamboyant mediocricity to understated mediocricity (not that I'm calling Genesis mediocre, haven't heard enough to judge- The Eagles had the occasional winnah but were mostly crap)

indeed, what IS this song all about then? it's just that "supper's ready" seems awfully POLITE for a song that's supposed to be about an apocalyptic battle between good & evil -- perhaps we've been spoiled by all sorts of musical extremities b/w 1972 & now, and i don't want to get essentialist/classist or anything, but this song SOUNDS like something whipped up by a bunch of late 60s/early 70s English public school toffs. even by prog standards (a subject which, admittedly, i am not an expert on) it seems much too pleasant for such dark subject matter -- e.g., i could see either Yes or (God forbid) ELP really tearing into this motherfucker.

i guess that i just don't GET gabriel-era genesis.

as always, dave q said it best (about gabriel-era genesis generally, not about "supper's ready" particularly):

See, I luv prog but I Don't Know about Genesis. Firstly, Pink Floyd did a better job of camouflaging their less-than-amazing chops by working on the textures and FX etc. whereas Genesis just seemed like they wanted to be Yes but weren't as good. (Everyone knows Banks was no Emerson, but even Rick Wright was better.) Secondly, I usually have no time whatever for that 'middle-class public schoolboy' accusation that only Brits are confused enough to care about, but Genesis is the only band whose cosy brand of cluelessness actually irritates me. Thirdly, Peter Gabriel's voice is a prissy version of Perry (equally clueless but at least shameless about it) Farrell's

-- dave q, Tuesday, June 25, 2002 8:00 PM (5 years ago) Bookmark Link

i saw a genesis doc and it said that this was based on peter and his wife doing drugs in peter's parents house one time and having a crazy love trip.

it still sounds kinda prissy & weak if it's all about tripping yer brains out, though!

The 9/8 section when they're trying to play together in 9/8 time and failing miserably is hilarious. I don't love the track any less for it though.

The bit where the mellotron goes seriously wowy is the most spine-tingling Genesis accident ever. Dad to dam to dum to mum to mud to mad to dad is decently clever too, despite the wankery being almost tangible.

"Dad diddly office Dad diddly office!"

(Will attempt a defence at some point.)

A big part is I really don't agree with dave about Gabriel's voice, to the point where I can't even see where dq is coming from there (and I like PF anyway).

"Mum diddly washing mum diddly washing! You're all full of ball"

WHAT IS BALL

Were you talking about the 9/8 part around 5:45? I don't really think they're failing miserably.

On my copy the whole of Supper's Ready is one CD track. It's at 16:10, just after Gabriel sings 'better not compromise it won't be easy' (or something) and the drums and guitar plop all over the place. You can hear them thinking as they're doing it. It does improve once the flute/pipe/thing kicks in.

The 9/8 doesn't quite work out right, kinda right about that.

The rest of the "song" is pure perfection though. And I'm not speaking of the lyrics.

Perfection indeed, except for the jarring edit bang in the middle of Willow Farm (12.25).

Also, the l33t wowy mellotron bit is at 14.09.

"Mum diddly washing mum diddly washing! You're all full of ball"

lol this lyric is almost hanle yesque.

'Walking across the sitting room, I turn the television on'

Love this opening line and the way it's delivered. Peter Gabriel had a great way with mixing up mundane lyrical matter with grandiose musical themes.

Did anyone catch that BBC doco about Genesis a few months ago? Definitely changed my opinion on them (and Phil Collins, who comes across as a remarkably easy going and affable fella really).

everyone dissing this 12 years ago off the mark

It's actually "turn the television off", but yeah it's a great opening. Even more so the following bit that goes "Six saintly shrouded men move across the lawn slowly/The seventh walks in front with a cross held high in hand," which apparently was a vision seen by Gabriel and his wife late one night.

There's been some chatter about the doc on other Genesis threads, it was a pretty shoddy piece of work imo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPBsrmHQYrg