We Can't Dance

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We Can't Dance
Studio album by Genesis
Released	11 November 1991
Recorded	March - September 1991 at The Farm, Surrey
Genre	Rock
Length	1:11:31
Label	Atlantic, Virgin
Producer	Genesis, Nick Davis
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Blender link Rolling Stone link
Genesis chronology
Invisible Touch (1986) We Can't Dance (1991) The Way We Walk, Volume One: The Shorts (1992)

We Can't Dance, recorded and released in 1991, is the 14th studio album by Genesis. It reached #1 in the UK, where it remained in the charts for 61 weeks. It was their last studio album featuring vocalist/drummer Phil Collins, who would leave Genesis amicably in 1996 before returning for 2007's Turn It on Again: The Tour.

History

We Can't Dance was Genesis' first studio album in five years, following the international success of Invisible Touch in 1986. We Can't Dance reached #1 in the UK and #4 in the US, selling several million copies (including 4 million in the US alone). The album also spawned several hit singles, including "No Son of Mine", "Hold on My Heart", "I Can't Dance" and "Jesus He Knows Me", the latter two supported by humorous videos. Two songs were cut from the album, due to the fact "there wasn't enough room on the record." These two songs are "On the Shoreline", and "Hearts on Fire". Both songs were released as B-Sides.

Contrary to popular belief, "Since I Lost You" is not about a broken relationship. The lyrics were written by Phil Collins for friend Eric Clapton. On 20 March 1991, Clapton's four-year-old son Conor died after falling from the 53rd-story window of his mother's friend's New York City apartment, landing on the roof of an adjacent four-story building. Phil played it to him before putting it on the album to get his O.K. At the same time Eric played Phil "Tears in Heaven".

Most of the songs were created/written out of improvising at Genesis' Fisher Lane Farm ("The Farm") studio.

Following the release of the album and the singles, Genesis spent 13 weeks playing 55 dates on the road in 1992 from May to July, with a 15 date UK tour in October/November [1] promoting We Can't Dance on a popular worldwide tour with sold out arenas and stadiums (where they mostly played on the US leg of the tour). This proved to be Collins' last tour with Genesis until the band reunited in 2007.

During the recording of We Can't Dance a 40 minute documentary called No Admittance was produced and broadcasted on The Disney Channel. It has since been included in the bonus DVD released in 2007.

Editions

A SACD/DVD double disc set (including new 5.1 and Stereo mixes) was released in October 2007.

Track listing

All songs by Tony Banks, Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford.

CD

1. "No Son of Mine" – 6:39
2. "Jesus He Knows Me" – 4:16
3. "Driving the Last Spike" – 10:08
4. "I Can't Dance" – 4:01
5. "Never a Time" – 3:50
6. "Dreaming While You Sleep" – 7:16
7. "Tell Me Why" – 4:58
8. "Living Forever" – 5:41
9. "Hold on My Heart" – 4:37
10. "Way of the World" – 5:39
11. "Since I Lost You" – 4:09
12. "Fading Lights" – 10:17

Singles

• "No Son of Mine"
• "I Can't Dance"
• "Hold on My Heart"
• "Jesus He Knows Me"
• "Never a Time"
• "Tell Me Why"

LP

Side one

1. "No Son of Mine"
2. "Jesus He Knows Me"
3. "Driving the Last Spike"

Side two

1. "I Can't Dance"
2. "Never a Time"
3. "Dreaming While You Sleep"

Side three

1. "Tell Me Why"
2. "Living Forever"
3. "Hold on My Heart"

Side four

1. "Way of the World"
2. "Since I Lost You"
3. "Fading Lights"

Personnel

• Phil Collins - drums, percussion, vocals
• Tony Banks - keyboards
• Mike Rutherford - guitars, bass guitar

Working titles for the album

Before We Can't Dance was released, many of the songs had working titles. Below is a list of the original song working titles and finalized song titles (in parentheses):

• Elephantus ("No Son of Mine") – 6:39
• Jesus He Knows Me" – 4:16
• Irish ("Driving the Last Spike") – 10:08
• Heavy A Flat also Blue Jeans ("I Can't Dance") – 4:01
• B.B. Hit also Still Throwing it All Away ("Never a Time") – 3:50
• Rolling Toms ("Dreaming While You Sleep") – 7:16
• Rickenbacker ("Tell Me Why") – 4:58
• Hip Hop Brushes ("Living Forever") – :41
• Burt ("Hold on My Heart") – 4:37
• Way of the World" – 5:39
• "Since I Lost You" – 4:09
• Nile ("Fading Lights") – 10:17

Tour

The "We Can't Dance" tour featured shows in large arenas and stadiums throughout North America and Europe. It would be the band's final full-length tour until the 2007 Turn it On Again reunion tour. The tour is captured live on the albums "Live: The Way We Walk Volume 1 - The Shorts," "Live: The Way We Walk Volume 2 - The Longs," and the concert video "The Way We Walk Live in Concert"

The set list featured much of the "We Can't Dance" album as well as the "Invisible Touch" and "Genesis" albums. The only material from the 1970s played on a regular basis was featured in a new "Old Medley" of songs which replaced the "Cage" medley of past tours.

Typical Set-List:

• Land of Confusion
• No Son of Mine
• Driving the Last Spike
• Old Medley: Dance on a Volcano/The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway/The Musical Box(Closing Section)/Firth of Fifth/I Know What I Like/That's All/Illegal Alien/Follow You Follow Me/I Know What I Like (reprise)
• Fading Lights
• Jesus He Knows Me
• Dreaming While You Sleep
• Home By The Sea
• Hold on My Heart
• Domino
• The Drum Duet
• I Can't Dance

Encore:

• Tonight, Tonight, Tonight/Invisible Touch

Encore #2:

• Turn it On Again

Also played on the tour were "Mama," "Throwing it All Away," and "The Carpet Crawlers" (one time)

Personnel

• Phil Collins - drums, percussion, lead vocals
• Tony Banks - keyboards, vocals
• Mike Rutherford - guitars, bass guitar, vocals
• Daryl Stuermer - guitars, bass guitar, vocals
• Chester Thompson - drums

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Singles - Billboard (North America)

External links

• No Son of Mine (Music Video) at VH1 Classic
• Jesus He Knows Me (Music Video) at VH1 Classic
• I Can't Dance (Music Video) at VH1 Classic
• Hold On My Heart (Music Video) at VH1 Classic