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Genesis: ABACAB

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Vertigo Records
Released: 1981
Time:
 46:43
Category: Pop/Rock
Producer(s): See Artists ...
Rating: *******... (7/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.worldofgenesis.com
Appears with: Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Steven Hackett, Mike + The Mechanics, Tony Banks, Ray Wilson
Purchase date: 1987
Price in €: 14,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Abacab (T.Banks/P.Collins/M.Rutherford) - 7:02
[2] No Reply At All (T.Banks/P.Collins/M.Rutherford) - 4:41
[3] Me And Sarah Jane (T.Banks) - 6:00
[4] Keep It Dark (T.Banks/P.Collins/M.Rutherford) - 4:34
[5] Dodo / Lurker (T.Banks/P.Collins/M.Rutherford) - 7:20
[6] Who Dunnit? (T.Banks/P.Collins/M.Rutherford) - 3:22
[7] Man On The Corner (P.Collins) - 4:27
[8] Like It Or Not (M.Rutherford) - 4:58
[9] Another Record (T.Banks/P.Collins/M.Rutherford) - 4:30

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Phil Collins - Percussion, Drums, Vocals, Producer
Tony Banks - Keyboards, Vocals, Producer
Mike Rutherford - Bass, Guitar, Producer

Earth, Wind & Fire - Horn
Hugh Padgham - Engineer

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


Recorded and mixed at The Farm, Surrey
Arranged by Tom Tom 84

The painting from which the Abacab cover art originates has three color variations. On the releases, at least four and probably more have been used! This is a point of confusion. The three variations on the LP cover (which are the three in the painting) are A, B, and C:

A: Yellow, Orange, Green, Dark Gray
B: Light Gray, Yellow, Blue, Maroon
C: Orange, Navy Blue, Light Gray, Yellow

In addition, there are other variations on LP and CD:

CD/D: Light Blue, Peach, Green, Pink
German CD variation: Red, Blue, Lt. Grey/Beige, Yellow.
Virign OVEDC 344 has Yellow, Pink, Light Blue and Black

The color issue gets even more complicated and convoluted if you take into account all the later rereleases of Abacab from different sources. Also note that the "Definitive Edition Remaster" uses a different color combination than the usual US CD combo ('D'), and the Gold Standard Series uses yet another. It is possible there are more variations on this theme if you consider record club editions and reissues (one reissue LP has been seen with the 'D' color scheme).

The band said on a radio interview (ca. 1981) Another Record was originally written for Duke

LP:
US Atlantic SD 19313: (inner sleeve has picture of band, no lyrics)
UK Charisma CBR 102: (as Atlantic release, note there were three different varitions of the sleeve in UK)
Germany Vertigo Phonogram 6302 162
Cassette:
US Atlantic CS 19313: (outside flap with play list erroneously does not credit Anthony Banks Ltd. even though the inside does)
UK Virgin OVEDC 344: re-issue
CD:
UK Virgin CBRCD 102: 1985 (b&w band pic and lyrics in booklet)
US Atlantic atl19313: July 1987
Germany Vertigo 800 044-2: 1981 (booklet w/b&w photo of the band, no lyrics)



Genesis had perfected its rhythmic, densely chorded, passionate trio music with this, their first U.S. million-seller and Top Ten hit, which includes the Top 40 singles "Abacab," "No Reply at All," and "Man on the Corner."

William Ruhlmann, All-Music Guide



Phil Collins might be swinging away the late '90s, but in 1981 he was sharpening his pop chops, from his first solo offering to this, the first Genesis album to break the hallowed million-copy mark stateside. But Abacab wasn't entirely about charting Top 40 singles ("No Reply At All," "Man on the Corner," and the title track); it still exhibited some late-stage evidence of a trio courting the art-rock muse that had graced its past ("Who Dunnit," "Dodo," "Keep It Dark"). However, by 1983's eponymous follow-up, the hit factory that was Genesis in the mid- to late-1980s was operating full steam ahead, and the angel Gabriel's spectre had all but vanished. Then, there were truly only three.

Bob Michaels - Amazon.com



"Genesis hat perfected its rhythmic, densely chored, passionate trio music with this, their first US million-seller and Top Ten hit, which includes the Top 40 singles "Abacab", "No Reply at All" and "Man on the Corner".

All-Music Guide ****

 

 L y r i c s


Abacab

Look up on the wall, there on the floor,
Under the pillow, behind the door.
There's a crack in the mirror.
Somewhere there's a hole in a window-pane.
Do you think I'm to blame?
Tell me do you think I'm to blame?

(When they do it) you're never there.
(When they show it) you stop and stare.
(Abacab) He's in anywhere.
(Abacab)

If you're wrapping up the world
'Cos you've taken someone elses girl,
When they turn on the pillow,
Even when they answer the telephone,
Don't you think that by now,
Tell me, don't you think that by now.

(When they do it) you're never there.
(When they show it) you stop and stare.
(Abacab) He's in anywhere.
(Abacab) Doesn't really care.

you want it, you got it, you gotta go
you want it, you got it, now you know

It's an illusion, It's a game,
Or reflection of someone else's name.
When you wake in the morning,
Wake and find you're covered in cellophane.

Well, there's a hole in there somewhere.
Yeah, there's a hole in there somewhere.
Baby, there's a hole in there somewhere.
Now there's a hole in there somewhere.

(When they do it) you're never there.
(When they show it) you stop and stare.
(Abacab) he's in anywhere.
(Abacab)


No Reply At All

Talk to me, you never talk to me.
Ooh, it seems that I can speak.
But I can hear my voice shouting out.
But there's no reply at all.

Look at me, you never look at me,
Ooh, I've been sitting, staring, seems so long.
But you're looking through me
Like I wasn't here at all.
No reply, there's no reply at all.

Dance with me, you never dance with me.
Ooh, it seems that I can move,
I'm close to you, close as I can get.

Yet there's no reply at all,
There's no reply at all.

I get the feeling you're tryin' to tell me,
Is there something that I should know?
What excuse are you tryin' to sell me?
Should I be reading stop or go, I don't know.

Be with me, seems you're never here with me,
Ooh, I've been trying to get over there.
Ah, but it's out of my reach.
And there's no reply at all.
There's no reply at all.

I get the feeling you're trying to tell me;
Is there something that I should know?
What excuse are you trying to sell me?
Should I be reading stop or go, I don't know.

Maybe deep down inside,
I'm trying for no one else but me.
Too stubborn to say, "The buck stops here.
It's not the one you're looking for."
But, maybe deep down inside,
I'm lying to no one else but me.
Oh but my back is up.
I'm on my guard - with all the exits sealed.

Listen to me, you never listen to me,
Ooh, and it seems there's no way out,
I've been trying, but we cannot connect,
And there's no reply at all,
There's no reply at all,
There's no reply at all,
No reply at all.

Is anybody listening - oh oh,
No reply at all...


Me And Sarah Jane

The fires are burning in another land,
Don't start counting, don't start counting.
Colder and colder, the ice is moving closer
And it gets me down.
Going round and round and down the same old track.

Pack on my back, going swiftly nowhere,
Heart in my ear beating like a drum.
Where will you go?

All by yourself.
(Hah, hah, hah, hah, hah, hah.)

And now I'm standing on the corner.
Waiting in the rain,
But then in sunlight without warning,
I invent a name,
Me and Sarah Jane,
We had a special thing going,
Me and Sarah Jane.

It was a time of love and laughter,
It wouldn't come again,
We had our round of joy but after,
Then began the pain,
Me and Sarah Jane.
We had a special thing going,
Me and Sarah Jane,
Sarah Jane.

Searching for a clue.
Traces on the sand.
First I'm flying, going round round round,
Then I'm sliding going down down down,
Doesn't matter where I start I always end up
Falling through those same old crowded rooms.

Me and Sarah Jane,
We had it coming
All the pain,
Walking down the streets,
And finding nothing is the same,
And now the city lights are dimming one by one,
It costs too much money to keep them all on.

Me and Sarah Jane,
In silence walk along the shore,
Tears of joy and mocking laughter,
Words lost in the wind.
The tide was rising,
But there we stayed,
We had no fear of dying
We weren't afraid.


Keep It Dark

Found that man reported missing,
He wandered in his home.
It don't seem to bad if you consider
Just what he's been through.

Seems he met up with a gang of thieves,
Who mistook him for a man of means,
They locked him up then found he had no money,
So they let him go again.
Now he's back at home and happy
Just to see the kids.

I wish that I could really tell you
All the things that happened to me
And all that I have seen.
A world full of people their hearts full of joy,
Cities of light with no fear of war,
And thousands of creatures with happier lives,
And dreams of a future with meaning and no need to hide.

Oh, keep it dark.

It seems strange to have to lie,
About a world so bright.
And tell instead a made-up story,
From the world of night.

I wish, that I could really tell you,
All the things that happened to me
And all that I have seen,
A world full of people their hearts full of joy,
Cities of light with no fear of war,
And thousands of creatures with happier lives,
And dreams of a future with meaning and no need to lie,
No need to hate,
No need to hide.

Oh, keep it dark.


Dodo

Too big to fly, dodo ugly so dodo must die,
Doggo with fear on its side, can't change, can't change the tide.
Dog baiter, agitator, asking questions, says he wants to know why.
Ain't no reason that money can't buy.
Mink he pretty so mink he must die, must die, must die.

Sun he giving life in his light,
Part of the system,
Friend to man, friend to the trees,
No friend to the snowman.
Where does he go, what does he do?
Does he meet with the mole, the stream, the cloud
And end up at the bottom of the sea.

Fish he got a hook in his throat,
Fish he got problems
Where does he go, what does he do?
Does he hope he's too small, to poor a haul,
Who'll end up being thrown back in the sea.
I'm back in the sea.

Caretaker, horror movie,
Only one eye, only needs one boot,
Sweet lady, she knows she looks good
Vacuum coming for the bright and the brute.

Big noise, black smoke
So pig-headed couldn't see the joke.
But it ain't funny
Ask the fly on the wall
It's only living
It don't matter at all, at all, at all.

Pimp, he make you drool and grunt,
He got an answer.
One he got a dream of love,
Deep as the ocean.

Where does he go?
What does he do?
Will the siren team with Davy Jones,
And trap him at the bottom of the sea?

I'm back in the sea.
I'm back in the sea.
I'm back in the sea.


Lurker

Meanwhile lurking by a stone in the mud
Two eyes looked to see what I was and
Then something spoke and this is what
It said to me.......

Clothes of brass and hair of brown
Seldom need to breathe
Don't need no wings to fly
Ooh and a heart of stone
And a fear of fire and water
Who am I?

Clothes of brass and hair of brown
Seldom need to breathe
Don't need no wings to fly
And a heart of stone
And a fear of fire and water
Who am I?


Who Dunnit?

Was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Was it A or was it B?
Or was it X or Z?

Was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Was it A or was it B?
Or was it X or Z?

Was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Was it A or was it B?
Or was it X or Z?

Was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Who dunnit?

I didn't, I, I didn't do it....

Oh but we know, we know, we know...

So was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Was it A or was it B?
Or was it X or Z?

Was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Was it A or was it B?
Or was it X or Z?

Was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Was it A or was it B?
Or was it X or Z?

Was it you or was it me?
Or was it he or she?
Was it you or was it me?
Who dunnit?

I, I, I didn't, I didn't do it...

But we know, we know, we know...
Yeah we don't know, we don't know, we don't know...
We all know, we all know, we all know...


Man On The Corner

See the lonely man there on the corner,
What he's waiting for, I don't know,
But he waits everyday now.
He's just waiting for something to show.

And nobody knows him,
And nobody cares,
'Cos there's no hiding place,
There's no hiding place - for you.

Looking everywhere at no one,
He sees everything and nothing at all - oh.
When he shouts nobody listens,
Where he leads no one will go - oh.

He's a lonely man, there on the corner,
What he's waiting for, I don't know,
But he waits everyday now.
He's just waiting for something to show - oh.

Nobody knows him,
And nobody cares,
'Cos there's no hiding place,
There's no hiding place - for you and me.

Are we just like all the rest,
We're looking too hard for something he's got
Or moving too fast to rest.
But like a monkey on your back you need it.
But do you love it enough to leave it - ah.

Just like the lonely man there on the corner,
What he's waiting for, I don't know - oh.
But he waits every day now.
He's just waiting for that something to show - oh.

Who's the lonely man there on the corner,
What he's waiting for, I don't know.
But he's there every day now.
And he's just waiting for something to show - oh.

Who's the lonely man there on the corner,
What he's waiting for, I don't know.
Oh but he waits every day now.
He's just waiting for that something to show.


Like It Or Not

Ah, don't you know, I've been on my own
But I'm coming home.
And I'd like you to be there,
I feel a little cold in the air,
And you're not anywhere.
You're just another face, I used to know.
But there is still a chance to hold on to our love,
'Cos I gave you everything, everything I had.

Ooh, like it or not
You have done it this time
And like it or not, I've had enough.

Ooh, like it or not
There's a lot I could say
'Cos I've got a lot on my mind.

It won't be very long
You're just another face
That I once used to know
And I gave you everything,
But what have I got to show? Oh Oh

Oh, like it or not
You are out on the street
And like it or not
That's where you will stay.

Oh, like it or not
There's another thing darling,
Well I just could not stand another day
'Cos if you want to know,
That there is still a chance to hold on to our love
'Cos I gave you everything
Everything I had - Everything I had.

It's been a long, been a long long time
Since I held anybody, since I loved anyone.
Oh it's been a long, been a long long long time
But if I'm right or if I'm wrong, does it matter anyway?

It's been a long long long long time
Since I held anybody, since I loved anyone.
Ooh it's been a long long long long time
But if I'm right or if I'm wrong, does it matter anyway?

Ooh it's been a long long long long time
Since I held anybody, since I loved anyone.
Oh it's been a long, been a long long long time
I'm right, if I'm wrong, does it matter anyway?

It's been a long long, long long long time
Since I held anybody, since I held anyone.


Another Record

It's funny you know,
'Cos there's an old rock 'n' roller
He's got nowhere to go.
Did you ever think of taking him in?
Somebody help him, somebody please.

Put another record on
'Cos he likes that song.

It's funny you know,
Ooh he never done nothing, done nobody wrong,
Did he think about changing his name,
But I'm gonna tell him it's the same old game.

Put another record on
Round and round and round and around - oh
Ah - see him smile.

Well lately I've seen him
Walking down the street, kinda moving his feet,
Everyone I know looks the other way
Somebody help him, somebody say -

Put another record on
Round and round and round and around - oh
Ah - see him smile.

It's funny you know,
'Cos there's an old rock 'n' roller
He's got nowhere to go.
Did you ever think of taking him in?
Somebody help him, somebody please.

Just put another record on
Put another record on
Put another record on       Cos you know we like it
Put another record on       Cos you know we like it...

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


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