Peter Gabriel said in an 80s interview, looking back, that this was "a great showstopper", and their early shows often finished with it. But it's also easy to hear this as a kind of statement against the cult of all kinds of avantgarde terror groups (the Baader-Meinhof group, the Weathermen etc) and guerillas which flourished around 1970. I think the group knew this on some level.
It's unusual to hear a song from the perspective of a militant leader, though very characteristic of Gabriel to handle such a persona. He's taken on the role of a home invader (Intruder), an assassin (Family Snapshot), a burgermeister (Moribund...), a diluted boy (Rael from The Lamb...), a native chief (San Jacinto), etc. Going back to The Knife, this is a song most bands today wouldn't have the guts, talent, or brains to pull off. The song is brilliant.
This song sounds millitant for sure but I took this in a less literal maybe more modern form where "the knife" that strikes out against the lies that spread like disease through our minds is a war waged not only in violence but in words. The current battleground of righteous ideologies is also battled virtually, in the media, in academia, in the senate which would be ideal if they didn't persist to be realized outside the mind in anger and vanity.
Am i the only one who thinks this song might be connected to the letter written by Marie Antoinette before her execution? I think it's about the French during that time, 18th century, who thought they were doing all of these violent and horrible things for the freedom of the state.
But still this is a great Genesis song. It's one of their heavier songs and it's still beautiful. This just goes to show you that Genesis can write anything.
Imagine what this song would sound like if the studio version was recorder with Phil Collins was the drummer. No disrespect to John Mayhem, but he's no Phil Collins. And we can all agree that Tony's Hammond L-122 organ drives this song. To me the best Genesis linup was after Trespass, with Gabriel, Banks, Rutherford,Collins, and Hackett
The Knife was inspired by the British cult film, IF, about a small group of militant and anarchic public school students led by Mick Travis ( played by Malcolm McDowell ). Gabriel, Rutherford, Anthony Philips and Tony Banks of course, all attended Charterhouse public school.
Listen to the killer guitar solo on the "Genesis Live" album. Can see how powerful this track was on their early tours. Good comments from Tinderbox about terrorist groups - but musically - wow!!
This song is awesome in every sense of the word. Gabriel's voice, the atmosphere and the lyrics are brilliant, I agree with Tinderbox that this is certainly about a militant group, the song seems written from the perspective of leader of such a group who fills impressionable followers minds with heroic promises. His crusade seems to be the only thing he has to live for 'tell me my life is about to begin', which is the same reason others follow him because they also have nothing to lose.
I love how Gabriel's voice seems distorted almost like in a radio in the lines "Martyrs of course to the freedom that I shall provide". It seems like after the line 'WE HAVE WON', the militant leader from whom the song is written from is the now the figure he was rebelling against, repeating the line almost from like a public annoucement system as propaganda, "Martyrs of course...".
Powerful, Brilliant.
absolutely agree with you all. i just followed the lyrics while listening to the song and it's so weird after all how they came up to match the words with the melody, especially the "soon we'll have power.." part. it's such a miracle case this song.
For me it's about war, and this is probably my favorite from 'Trespass'. Love the guita riffs in this too.
It's also kinda creative how the cover of 'Trespass' has a line in the picture with a knife on the back of the album, and has a song named "The Knife". I find this kinda cool and creative.