And then there were three...?

It contains the first real hit of Genesis: Follow You, Follow Me. Then it has one song which I really like: "Burning Rope". And there are others: "The Lady Lies", or "Ballad Of Big". It's a good album, I would say. For me it's particularly meaningful, as it had accompanied me during my self-finding-trip about 30 years ago, when it was just published. I carried a small tape recorder, and had the album on a cassette. I played it a hundred times or more, until the tape recorder was stolen. That wasn't so bad, it meant less to carry, and the music I had in my memory. But I'm glad I can listen to it again, and when I do, memories of that time come back... :-)

what a cool story!! sounds like you spent a long time on this self-finding journey...

Quoth tastyloaf:
what a cool story!! sounds like you spent a long time on this self-finding journey...

Well, I was about two months on the trip, and I spent it more or less in London (my home is in Germany) - without money, after the first month. It was quite interesting. I slept mostly in parks, under bushes and so on (also in the coldest April night since 1910 - I woke up under a pile of snow), searched for food in garbage cans (and rather successful!). It still took me some time to know what to become, after I had started and given up a successful career in the chemical industry. "Burning Rope" was a real inspiration. I probably could make that song responsible for my "breaking out".


"Refrain:
the warming sun, the cooling rain,
the snowflake drifting on the breath of the breeze,
the lightning bolt that frees the sky for you
yet only eagles seem to pass on through
the words of love the cries of hate
and the man in the moon who seduced you
then finally loosed you

You climb upon a burning rope
to escape the mob below,
but you have put the flaming out
so that others could now follow
to be out of the bounds and the barks
of those who do not wish you well
you must blaze a trail of your own, all own, alone,
but deep in mind don't live today for tomorrow
like you were immortal
the only survivors on this world of ours are
Refrain

You're old and disillusioned now
as you realize at last
that all you have accomplished here
that will soon all turn to dust.
You dream of a future after life,
well, that's as maybe, I don't know.
But you can't take what you left behind,
you're all alone, so keep in mind
Don't live today for tomorrow
like you were immortal
the only survivors on this world of ours are
Refrain

I don't have any Genesis post-Wind & Wuthering. What would be a better next choice, Duke or ATTWT? I'm kind of undecided if I even should pick up one of them, but it doesn't hurt to try (well, it hurts my wallet a bit).

Hmm, I really like W&W so maybe I'll get ATTWT. Thanks :)

"Follow You, Follow Me" doesn't do much for me, it strikes me as being cynically aimed at the lowest-common denominator. I can only dig it as something of a coda to all that came before, a neat little way to wrap things up. However the other songs are interesting enough if you liked Wind And Wuthering, the style isn't too dissimilar if you can imagine what it'd be like with one member short. Overall it's my least favourite Genesis album of the 70s even though I enjoy most of it.

Of the later trio records Duke and Abacab are even less proggy, but I feel that the band were more comfortable as a trio and had created a distinct style. Even the more poppy songs on these albums had more character than "Follow You, Follow Me" and as albums I'd definitely consider looking into them provided you don't expect anything like A Trick Of The Tail or Wind And Wuthering.

I find the album has a good blend of the old and what was to became the new genesis. I think that it’s a bit like the self titled Genesis album which moved to a more mainstream pop with invisible touch and We Can’t Dance. Each album seems to move forward but you can always find moments of the past.

Just for " Down & Out" , it is necessary - for Genesis fans or not - to get this album! The drumming is dement, and Tony Banks delivers an anthologic solo....And for all the rest of the record, no worry, THIS IS GOOD MUSIC . After, it's a question of taste, of course!