Supper's Ready

Supper's Ready ( sample?) is a song by the band Genesis. A recorded version appeared on their 1972 album Foxtrot, and the band performed the song regularly on stage for several years following this. Live versions appear on the albums Seconds Out (recorded in 1977) and the compilation Genesis Archive 1967-75 (recorded in 1973).

Nearly 23 minutes in length, the song could be described as a medley of seven separate shorter songs, although some musical and lyrical themes do re-appear throughout. True to some main tenets of progressive rock, the song undergoes multiple changes in time signature, key signature, Leitmotif, instrumentation, and mood. Even as such, the song's musical structure remains today to be quite avant-garde.^[1] The song's writing is credited jointly to the whole band (Banks/Collins/Gabriel/Hackett/Rutherford). In various interviews, Banks mentioned that he composed several of the musical progressions whilst still a university student; Gabriel authored most or all of the lyrical content; Collins apparently contributed much to the arrangements and segués from one section to another.

The song has been highly regarded by fans for its epic nature and cathartic climax, with Gabriel in particular delivering an emotionally charged vocal performance at the close of the song. Referring in part to the song's lyrical depiction of a struggle between good and evil, Gabriel has been quoted as saying he felt he was "literally singing for his life" in the recording studio - however in contrast Hackett is said to have responded to a fan who enthused "Steve, I actually saw God at the end!" with the rather more down-to-earth "Well, I was just trying to get the notes right".

"Supper's Ready" may be considered a good example of the long, multipart songs often recorded by progressive rock bands of that era.

The various sections of the song are detailed below:

"Lover's Leap"

This section harks backs to the band's folky roots, featuring a gentle arpeggiated guitar backing (Hackett, Banks and Rutherford all playing 12-string guitars, soft electric piano (Hohner pianet), bass pedals, cello and flute, and a section with folky three part vocal harmonies (which omit the third note of the chord). There are no drums, aside from a few triangle hits. Lyrically it mingles imagery of a man returning home after a long time to be greeted by his lover, and mention of supernatural imagery ("six saintly shrouded men"), which Gabriel claims relate to a genuine supernatural experience which occurred with himself, his wife Jill and producer John Anthony.

"The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man"

This section sees Banks switch to Hammond organ, Hackett playing electric guitar and Collins entering on drums. When performing the song live, Gabriel would don a "crown of thorns" costume at this point.

"Ikhnaton and Itsacon and Their Band of Merry Men"

This section is much more dynamic than the previous two, with lively drums, a strong elegiac lead electric guitar solo from Hackett, and a lot of interplay between this guitar and the organ (including a section with fast organ and guitar arpeggios, Hackett employing the "tapping" style of playing). The lyrics refer to a battle of some sort, presumably involving Ikhnaton (Akhenaton).

"How Dare I Be So Beautiful?"

This is a slow and gentle section, the only instrumentation being treated acoustic piano chords, each chord being faded-in on the recording, thus losing the piano's characteristic attack and sounding more like an organ (it was done by organ live). The title is a catchphrase used by the band's early music-business contact, Jonathan King. The lyrics deal with the aftermath of the preceding battle, and referring to the Greek myth of Narcissus, who turned into a flower.

"Willow Farm"

Live in concert, this section provided what is perhaps one of Gabriel's most iconic moments - the lyrics commence with the question "A Flower?", which would see Gabriel appear in his "flower mask" (by Gabriel's own admission, partly inspired by the BBC children's programme The Flowerpot Men.) Musically, this section is somewhat bizarre, featuring amongst other things: vaudeville-style sections, the Mellotron Mark II's "combined brass" tape set, sped-up vocals, and musique concrete noises of trains and explosions. Lyrically, it has a Python-esque quality, dealing with elements of the absurd in the English psyche, "there's Winston Churchill, dressed in drag, he used to be a British flag, plastic bag, what a drag!" and numerous elements of word play, boarding schools and agricultural depravity. Gabriel said that it was written to contrast the darkness of the rest of the song.^{[citation needed]} This could be interpreted as the chaos in aftermath of the battle, proceeding the apocalypse, where the "12,000" are saved and the saints come back from the dead. The angels open the seven seals to symbolize the rapture.

At this point there is an unrelated interlude, not definitely belonging to either "Willow Farm" or the following "Apocalypse In 9/8", with bass pedal, electric guitar, organ and mellotron drones, followed by a reprise of a melody from the start of "Ikhnaton and Itsacon…" on acoustic guitar, flute and oboe.

"Apocalypse in 9/8 (Co-Starring the Delicious Talents of Gabble Ratchet)"

At this point, the drums enter, with the rhythm section of Collins, Hackett and Rutherford striking out a pattern using the unusual metre of 9 beats to the bar. Over this, Gabriel sings lyrics filled with apocalyptic imagery akin to the Book of Revelation, alternating with a complex organ solo from Banks (played in 4/4 against the 9/8 rhythm section), then switching to a climactic vocal from Gabriel, and the mellotron "three violins" tape set. In live performances, during the organ solo, Gabriel would don a bizarre "Magog" outfit of geometrical head-dress (which can be seen on the cover of the band's Genesis Live album). Gabble Ratchet is a reference to the Hounds of Hell^[2]; they are usually portrayed as geese, which explains the sound effect heard during this section. They are also known as Gabriel's Hounds, which may indicate a punning reference to Peter Gabriel himself. Indeed, the programme for the 1972/3 tour refers to this section as "co-starring the delicious talents of wild geese"^[3]

"As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs (Aching Men's Feet)"

"As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs" is a reference to faith: being absolutely convinced of the ultimate victory of good over evil and/or that God/Heaven do indeed exist. "Apocalypse" segués into this part via a slower section which reprises the lyrics from "Lover's Leap" in combination with the chord progression from "The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man", backed by a pressed snare drum roll and tubular bells. As this reaches a peak, during live shows, Gabriel would let off a flash charge, discarding his Magog costume to reveal himself in shining white apparel which actually glowed when exposed to a flourescent blacklight. During one gig, he infamously attempted flying on a kirby wire, and was nearly strangled. From this point to the end, drums, deep bass pedals and mellotron brass are present, Gabriel singing Blakean lyrics which reference The New Jerusalem (The Crystal City of God that is established on Earth after the death of the AntiChrist) and the Second Coming of Christ with reference to the biblical Revelation 19:17-

"I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky, Come! Be gathered together to the great supper of God"

(This passage of Scripture refers to the bodies of the wicked dead left-over after the forces of the AntiChrist are supernaturally destroyed - the birds are called to feast on the flesh of the wicked. Hence, the song's bizarre title: Supper's Ready).

After completing the lyrics in this section, Gabriel would then pick up and raise an active blacklight tube, holding it near himself, upraised with both hands, as though it were a sword. Gabriel would be the only one lit onstage at this point and would actually appear to be glowing from the combination of blacklight, his reflective white costume and flourescent makeup. Gabriel considered this effect to be a theatrical way of symbolizing the victory of good/light over evil/darkness. (This "glowing" also reflects a spiritual transformation, changing from a fleshly body to a spiritual one as is depicted in the Biblical Rapture, also referenced in the preceding lyrics, "Can't you feel our souls ignite.."). (It has been commented that Phil Collins looks like Jesus when he sings this section in the live, Genesis In Concert film from 1976).
Then, the piece fades out on overdubbing cascading lead electric guitar parts from Hackett. On the original recording this section is in the key of A, but because of Gabriel's inability to properly re-create the same vocal performance onstage from either hoarseness or tiredness, the band regularly had to change the key to G.

Personnel

Peter Gabriel – vocals, flute, bass drum, tambourine and oboe
Steve Hackett – electric guitar, 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars and guitar effects
Mike Rutherford – bass, 12 string acoustic guitar, bass pedals, cello, backing vocals
Tony Banks – piano, Hohner pianet, Hammond organ, mellotron, treated piano, 12 string acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Phil Collins – drums, backing vocals, triangle, tubular bells, percussion

"Guy and Paul": Child's Voices (Possibly)

References

^ Smith, Bradley (1997). Billboard Guide to Progressive Music, First printing, Billboard Books, p. 81. ISBN 0-8230-7665-2.
^ Brewer, Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, 1898 [1]
^ http://www.genesismuseum.com/programs1.htm

Gabble Ratchet is also the name of a Genesis Tribute Band in California. Gabble Ratchet - Genesis Tribute Band

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Donate to Wikimedia

	I'm 13 can't get a job cuz I'm to young and can't ask my parents for money and I need 20 dollars in about 2 days?
	Who are the Mariners in the hall of fame?
	What is curfew for a seventeen year old in Eastlake Ohio?
	Who was the female drummer and backup singer who sang with Robbie Nevil on the C'est la Vie track?
	Who were the women present at the crucifixion of Christ?