Storytelling in music: Peter Gabriel’s So

Despite his long-standing career prior to 1986, Peter Gabriel did not see wide recognition until after the release of his fifth album So in that year. Gabriel was a part of the prog-rock group Genesis since 1969, leaving the band in 1979 to focus on his family and new-born daughter. Many thought that was the last they would see of the oddball lead singer, but Gabriel quickly proved this to be untrue.

With the release of the lead single “Sledgehammer,” Gabriel immediately set So up to be a massive success, not only in terms of sales but popularity as well. “Sledgehammer,” arguably Gabriel’s most poppy song and inarguably one of his biggest hits, is a jumpy piece that incorporates a wide variety of instruments. It starts with a shakuhachi flute in its intro, then immediately bounces into a full ensemble, with horns leading the way. Many may recognize “Sledgehammer” for its iconic stop-motion music video, one of the most popular of the 80s, which portrays Gabriel in and out of claymation in a brilliantly created and perfect piece to capture the 80s vibes. The video won nine out the ten awards it was nominated for in the MTV Video Music Awards.

The second single released was “In Your Eyes,” possibly the exact opposite of “Sledgehammer.” While the lead single was often described as dance rock or funk rock, “In Your Eyes” went back to Gabriel’s most comfortable space in progressive pop and art rock. The song is an incredibly raw story about a man experiencing emotional turmoil and how his significant other provides an indestructible anchor, a shining beam of light in the darkness. The song ends with a solo by African performer Youssou N’Dour, who sings in his native language of Wolof. Gabriel was already known for including various cultures into his music before this, with the solo in “In Your Eyes” solidifying it.

The third single, “Don’t Give Up,” is a favorite amongst Gabriel’s fans worldwide. Featuring singer Kate Bush, the song is about a man on the verge of committing suicide, feeling as if he has no place in the world and no significance. Kate Bush acts as his ‘guardian angel,’ telling him all the reasons he must live and all the people he’s touched in his life. Although the song is nearly seven minutes long, the heartfelt lyrics clearly resonated with audiences as the song peaked at #9 on the UK Hot Singles chart and even reach #72 on the US Billboard Hot 100 despite its length and subject matter.

While there were two more singles, “Big Time” and “Red Rain,” I’d like to take the rest of this article to talk about some of the other songs that make this album so special to me. Take “That Voice Again,” for instance, and how the song weaves together the thoughts of someone who acknowledges that their anxiety is disrupting their ability to be the best significant other they can be. The song repeats the line “I hear that voice again” over and over to replicate the mental illness, trying desperately to explain why they can’t always be emotionally present despite wanting to. 

“We Do What We’re Told” is the shortest track on the album, but despite this, shows Gabriel’s ability to make the listener feel uncomfortable with as few lyrics as possible. The piece has a low, droning bass that nibbles at the reader’s ear as the lyrics speak about how we are all cogs in a machine. 

Finally, perhaps my personal favorite, is “Mercy Street.” The song follows a father and daughter attempting to flee a city as some sort of unnamed destruction takes it over. Another longer song, “Mercy Street” uses every second to weave together a beautiful and compelling story about family and love. I wrote a fiction adaptation of this song titled “Mercy,” and despite borderline studying this piece while creating the novella, Peter Gabriel’s lyrical ability never ceases to amaze.

If you’ve never heard of So, or if you’ve heard of just a few songs named here but never listened to the whole thing, I implore you to do so now. It’s a compelling, soul-changing album about the human condition and one that will please listeners no matter what their music preference is.