Genesis – Say It's Alright Joe

My InterpretationI have to first say that I always forgot how incredible this song is...I think this really is the most underrated song on one of their most underrated albums. Still, there are a couple sections of this song that have interested me since I listened to this the first time. The two parts where the pace picks up and the music becomes brash and pompous...

"There were Kings who were laughing in the rain
And they told me I'd come here to lead the parade
All the colours were changing, The sky was in ruins
The lights are all shining on me and on you
Oh, Shine on........"

I'd always thought this section, the first introduction of the part in the song, was almost psychedelic in its imagery and the juxtaposition of tone. The slower parts of the song are obvious intimate moments of vulnerability–a troubled man alone in a bar well after everyone else is gone, confiding in the piano player. But this "kings" section is like a hallucination–perhaps it's a brief flash of hope for him, his mind and dreams getting away from him. But to me it really sounds as if it's a reference to drug abuse to get away from problems–preceded by the lines "I'm looking for some other world / to dream out my dreams," and then by imagery like swirling color and "the sky was in ruins."

The next part like this...

"If there's a fire it's asleep in my bed
I must leave it to burn till it burns itself out
Catch as you can I'm not staying here long
I'll be coming back early or never at all
Shine on........"

I think the "fire" that's "asleep in [his] bed" is indicative the troubles he has at home. The next line communicates his understanding that he has to let things even out on their own, so, as he then says, he's not staying long–he's leaving his troubles behind. "I'll be coming back early or never at all"–he's either got to go face his troubles right now, or just leave them forever and start again.

The first time I listened to this I had no idea it was such a deep and complex song, but now it always sends shivers through me. It's become one of my favorite Genesis songs.

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  @AdamantVision

General CommentWell, I kind of agree with Adamant vision, but not sure theres anything really drug/hallucinatory in this. Definately a troubled soul plus alcohol, with vast thoughts and maybe nightmares. Its either in a bar or at a friends place, where he is pouring out his troubles...maybe one more time too many and he knows this, hence 'Never again will I bother you'. Not suicidal, he wants to hide away in hope of calming his mind, with little contact with friends....Build a tower, Busy bee...existing through bad dreams.
There is the struggle and hope theme running through this album
Not sure if Collins and his wife of then, were breaking up at this point or a little after, but Rutherford wrote this and it could be an imaginative take of his observations of his bandmate??? Perhaps he and Collins had confided and agreed the writing of this?
Duke album 2 years later, was widely believed to be all about Collins marriage break up, so it sort of fits the timeline of my thoughts around this.
Musically a brilliant song, absolutely love the chorus cutting in with his nightmares of being pushed in the deep end. Banks gave many songs real atmospherics with his magic fingers, tops for me was the airy synth sound in the verse section of Blood on the rooftops....just amazing with headphones...like your'e up floating with the stars!

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  @stephen4y7
  0

  This song is the story of Sydney who is the second cousin of Albert Duke (Duke's Travels).
  
  And he liked to have a drink or two or ten. And every lunch time & evening, Sydney would go down to the bar & sit at a stool at the bar. He would listen to Joe who played the piano there.
  
  So this is about Sydney - the pathetic drunk - who listens to Joe playing the piano at some seedy, dark bar somewhere in downtown London....

  Flag ToadSprocketon November 18, 2017  

General CommentGreat song. He's in a bar feeling sorry for himself.

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  @jedidivemaster

MemoryI have loved this band ever since I was 14, {1977}, and part of the enjoyment was getting lost in the lyrics and the scenes they created in my mind. I don't believe there's any band out there now that can still do that. If there is I'd be interested to hear them.

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  @melizzie

General CommentHear Mike Rutherford's "Moonshine" off his solo album "Smallcreep's Day". I see it as related to this, as well as "Twilight Alehouse" (an older song from the Peter Gabriel days) about a clinical depressive who finds an outlet through self-medicating with alcohol.

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  @vtrc1220

My InterpretationMy original interpretation was much the same as Adamantvision's, below, though it's definitely open to interpretation. The 'troubled man' isn't necessarily a man, nor is he/she necessarily in a bar. It could be someone close to death, perhaps in hospital (clock on the wall says it's time to leave). It's a lyrically very interesting, deep song with no clear meaning but plenty of atmosphere and feelings.

In answer to Melizzie's comment, try lyrics written by Neil Finn (Crowded House) for deep, meaningful and open to interpretation in a way that adds a lot of interest to his songs.

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  @Mdonne45

General CommentThis song is the story of Sydney who is the second cousin of Albert Duke (Duke's Travels).

And he likes to have a drink or two or ten. And every lunch time & evening, Sydney would go down to the bar & sit at a stool at the bar. He would listen to Joe who played the piano there.

So this is about Sydney - the pathetic drunk - who listens to Joe playing the piano at some seedy, dark bar somewhere in downtown London....

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  @ToadSprocket