Turn on the lava lamps and sit back and relax to some music that has sitar sounds in it, and I’m always up for sitar. When you think of Genesis in the mid-1970s, you don’t immediately picture them as a singles band like the later incarnation. This was the Peter Gabriel era, long concept pieces that made up an album. However, as we will see, not everything was that simple.
This was on their 1973 album Selling England by the Pound, a quirky song that became their first charting single in the UK. The song is only about four minutes long (short by Genesis standards at the time), and it grooves along nicely. The band was almost embarrassed by a hit. Gabriel joked in later interviews that it was Genesis goes Top of the Pops, but the song showed that their long studio work could deliver something catchy and not be super long.
The lineup was Peter Gabriel (vocals, flute), Steve Hackett (guitars), Tony Banks (keyboards), Mike Rutherford (bass/guitars), and Phil Collins (drums/vocals). They were coming off the success of their last album Foxtrot, and there was pressure from their record company to deliver something more commercially accessible without ditching their progressive roots. That is a lot harder than it sounds. The sessions were long and argumentative. Genesis were perfectionists, which paid off with this album.
The song peaked at #21 on the UK Charts in 1974. The album Selling England by the Pound peaked at #3 on the UK Charts and #70 on the Billboard Album Charts. For me, it’s one of those tracks that feels like a bridge, still theatrical but also radio-friendly.
I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
It’s one o’clock and time for lunch,When the sun beats down and I lie on the benchI can always hear them talk
There’s always been Ethel:“Jacob, wake up! You’ve got to tidy your room now.”And then Mister Lewis:“Isn’t it time that he was out on his own?”Over the garden wall, two little lovebirds – cuckoo to you!Keep them mowing blades sharp…
I know what I like, and I like what I know;getting better in your wardrobe, stepping one beyond your show
Sunday night, Mr Farmer called, said:“Listen son, you’re wasting your time; there’s a future for youin the fire escape trade. Come up to town!”But I remebered a voice from the past;“Gambling only pays when you’re winning”– I had to thank old Miss Mort for schooling a failureKeep them mowing blades sharp…
I know what I like, and I like what I know;getting better in your wardrobe, stepping one beyond your show
When the sun beats down and I lie on the bench,I can always hear them talk.Me, I’m just a lawnmower – you can tell me by the way I walk
…
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I know “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway” and not much else from the Gabriel years. Nice sound. Still not your typical pop hit. Wouldn’t even try to put a meaning to those lyrics.
Yea I love the “sound” of it all…in one song. I like when differen type of songs like this gets radio play.
The Gabriel years are far superior; he is brilliant.
I’m finding that out more and more.
Great tune! One of the few Peter-era songs by them I know from hearing on radio , though it’s been a good few years since I last heard it. Prog-pop if there is such a thing! Also maybe best song about a lawn mower…or a wardrobe…or something!
I like that album…I listened to it and I didn’t know this was a hit…but I picked it out because it was more assessible but it’s not my favorite on the album…but I like it. I was shocked when I looked up and saw it charted….right before I emailed you.
Pretty weird song that seems like a conversation, which escapes me.
Very cool, Max! Now, how did you know I have a lava lamp?! Ha!!! I even bought my daughter, son-in-law, and eldest granddaughter lava lamps for Christmas last year! LOL
I have loved Genesis for decades, though not from the beginning. A few years before I heard Led Zeppelin.
I still have one a girlfriend gave me in the late 80s lol…it’s behind me right now…I’ve bought around 4 bulbs for it but it still runs fine.
Yea this one is early…before they played more pop.
Ha! Glad your lava lamp is still going! Our granddaughter never turned hers off and recently noticed the lava quit flowing.
They must last forever until you break it.
The last line has always stuck in my head. Love the cut, the band and the album. Genesis with Gabriel always took me on a head trip. I wore this record out.
I really like the album CB…I picked this one because it was accessible to people starting out… but I will pick one from Foxtrot next. Very cool cut…I’m surprised it got played on radio…which is great
It fit the album listening I was into back then. Hey I still am. Who says I didnt pay attention, just not in school.
Genesis back then really embraced a lot of English themes. Along with the Kinks, the Who and a few more they didnt hide their homegrown influences. Love the band.
They do bring up a lot of British culture which yes…I love to hear. I do like how this album flows…into songs.
All those early albums had themes that shot through the records. At the time it fired my imagination. They played up the theatrical side with Gabriel playing out the songs with the band providing the soundtrack. I would guess they were one of the first to do this. It probably kept them in debt.
Oh yeah, Gabriel taking us out with the flute going for a “Lawnmower’s walk”.
It’s so out there that it is interesting.
They were out there at the time but they backed it up musically. Kinda the Monty Python of that music scene.
…And I like what I’m listening. And reading ! When I was younger, I was huge fan of Genesis and all the prog rock sphere. And of course, “selling England” was one of my favorite, with the fabulous tale of “Battle of Epping Forest”. This tune was also a good one and I didn’t know it hit the charts at that time.
Another fabulous review on a great song. “Let it be revealed” as Pete could have said 😉
Battle of Epping Forest was the one I originally picked…but every time I post a song by someone I never posted before…I always try to get one more accessible. It’s really cool because I’m just really finding out about this era and I’m loving it.
Thank you for the comment!
Yeah, it’s a smart little single. Probably too weird to chart super high. I think the pop hooks were always there with Genesis.
Graham…the fact it was played at all surprised me…I didn’t know it charted before I listened to the album.
I’ll be around soon…long long week at work.
Lilywhite Lilith is another short prog-era song that’s great IMO.
I must say I had not heard this song before. Not to my liking either! Ha! Phil Collins is sure young there.
Yes he was…
I remember Genesis was different than PG solo but this one tells me I may be wrong. Epitomy of double entendre. He looks pretty as a girl here which I think was the intent. Good tune.
Peter Gabriel went on to become a super soloist.
Great song from my favourite Genesis album
I’m just now exploring them…love what I’ve heard.
It is English Eccentric. That off the wall kind of thing was a British cottage industry in the 60s /70s. It’s not a massive revelation that it didn’t travel well to the States, unlike say, the Dave Clark 5 and earlier Brit invaders. The oddball Brit wit acts didn’t stand a chance, at least until Monty Python was taken to by the college kids.
obb I can hear Python on their records, Gabriel doing the female voices like the MP gang. 100 % english then they fused it with N America on Lambs.
It’s odd how the buttoned down Brits have a soft spot for the weird and whacky. I’m a Bonzo Dog fan, and they can range from the ridiculously sublime to the painfully childish, but mostly I appreciate their surreality, warts and all.
I’m with you on that. Well said.
Hey Max, just back home after a 7 plus hour drive. But it was good to see my buddy after more than a year. I got into the solo careers of these guys more than when they were together. I don’t know this song at all!
Get some rest Randy…cool that you had a good time.
Thanks Max. Yeah going to call it a night.
Looks like you and Dave were on the Genesis wavelength today, except Dave highlighted music from 1981, while you picked a song from 1973. I liked a good deal of ’80s more pop-oriented Genesis at the time but nowadays, I prefer their older prog rock-focused material. I taped “Selling England By the Pound” on music cassette during the second half of the ’80s. “I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)” is the track I best remember. It’s a somewhat odd song, yet at the same time, it’s kind of catchy. As you said, they pulled off making catchy prog rock with that track.
Yea and it wasn’t planned. Of coure Max had to pick a rare one LOL…I’m just finding these albums…so it is a cool thing….to find these and listen to them like they are new.
quirky fun, love this single 🙂
Very quirky!
Max, I have never heard this one before. I wanna give it a couple more listens before rendering a verdict of sorts. Super-quirky…but that certainly isn’t a bad thing. Maybe it just caught me off-guard as I don’t go way-way back with the group, although it remains one of my favorites.
This is new to me as well Bruce. I simply don’t know much about them before their pop era that we all know.