Top ten Peter Gabriel songs (Part 1)
With Peter Gabriel’s “i/o” tour beginning in Europe in just a few short months, it seems like the perfect time to look back at the musician’s rise to fame and the best songs in his solo catalog. Initially known in the early 1970s as the lead singer of the progressive rock group Genesis, Gabriel stepped down in 1975 and went on to release nine studio albums, win three Grammy awards, and create the international arts festival, World of Arts, Music, and Dance (WOMAD). Even now, in 2023 and with Gabriel recently turning 73, he continues to impress and plans to release a new album this year. With that said, here are my picks for the top ten Peter Gabriel songs!
Ten: “In Your Eyes” from So
Starting with what is likely Gabriel’s most popular love song, “In Your Eyes” is a heartbreaking and soulful exclamation of the narrator’s comfort they find in their loved one. Repeating the line “in your eyes” drives home the relentlessness of this passion. The song also includes a final vocalization by Youssou N’Dour singing in his native language Wolof, a startling contrast to the rest of the song, but common for Gabriel promoting music from non-Western cultures.
Nine: “Steam” from Us
One of Gabriel’s grooviest songs, “Steam” is the perfect mixture of jazz and rock, coming together in a song that makes you want to sing along. Though not as mainstream as some of Gabriel’s other funk tunes, “Steam” holds its own among the likes of “Sledgehammer” when it comes to pure rhythm and power.
Eight: “Flotsam and Jetsam” from Peter Gabriel 2 (Scratch)
From the earlier days of Gabriel’s solo career, “Flotsam and Jetsam” imbues the prog energy from his time in Genesis while keeping what makes his solo career unique. With a focus on piano rather than horns or guitar, the song keeps Gabriel’s signature funk sound without being overpowering or distracting—it is short, sweet, and excellent.
Seven: “Don’t Give Up” from So
One of Gabriel’s few duets, “Don’t Give Up” features the famous Kate Bush, who many today know for the song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” from the hit show Stranger Things 4. While the song has reemerged on the 2022 UK charts due in part to Bush’s presence, the song was also a hit long before Stranger Things. Telling the tale of a man on the verge of suicide (Gabriel) and the voice of a guardian angel-esque figure (Bush), the song is nothing short of soul-rending. In fact, Elton John said in a 2014 interview that “Don’t Give Up” was instrumental in his sobriety: “This was one record that saved my life.”
Six: “Kiss That Frog” from Us
On a more positive note, “Kiss That Frog” is perhaps Gabriel’s funniest song in his discography. As the name suggests, the song plays on the classic Princess and the Frog fairy tale by taking it to an absurdly uncomfortable and comedic place. Lines like “don’t you know that this tongue can kill” and “jump in the water, come on baby get wet with me” are certainly quite different from the Disney movie many attribute this song to. And, of course, the song’s a jam, once again focusing on that power funk, with Gabriel improvising noises for a large portion of the end and even croaking some of the lyrics like a frog.
Tune in next week for the final five!