The "Duke Suite" might have been split up on the album but was put back together for the In Concert '80 tour which took place following the release of Duke, and, as it happens, the first time I saw Genesis live. Phil introduced it with a little story about Albert, the character on the album cover and presumably therefore the 'Duke' of the title.
According to Phil, Albert was a born loser. He fell in love with the Duchess who dumped him. Guide Vocal is apparently Albert expressing bitterness at this. Albert went on to fall in love with the television (Turn It On Again) and then, bizarrely, his walking stick (Dukes Travels I guess). He ends up at a retirement home for losers called Duke's End where he reviews his life (we get samples of the songs) and another round of bitterness towards the Duchess.
I sometimes wondered if the other songs fit into the suite. I'm sure they could - Misunderstanding is when Albert catches the Duchess having a bit on the side, Please Don't Ask suggests that he and the Duchess had children and he's missing them like mad, Alone Tonight is self evident. However, I presume that these are stand alones and Duke's Suite is indeed just Behind the Lines, Duchess, Guide Vocal, Turn it on Again, Duke's Travels and Duke's End.
The "Duke Suite" might have been split up on the album but was put back together for the In Concert '80 tour which took place following the release of Duke, and, as it happens, the first time I saw Genesis live. Phil introduced it with a little story about Albert, the character on the album cover and presumably therefore the 'Duke' of the title.
According to Phil, Albert was a born loser. He fell in love with the Duchess who dumped him. Guide Vocal is apparently Albert expressing bitterness at this. Albert went on to fall in love with the television (Turn It On Again) and then, bizarrely, his walking stick (Dukes Travels I guess). He ends up at a retirement home for losers called Duke's End where he reviews his life (we get samples of the songs) and another round of bitterness towards the Duchess.
I sometimes wondered if the other songs fit into the suite. I'm sure they could - Misunderstanding is when Albert catches the Duchess having a bit on the side, Please Don't Ask suggests that he and the Duchess had children and he's missing them like mad, Alone Tonight is self evident. However, I presume that these are stand alones and Duke's Suite is indeed just Behind the Lines, Duchess, Guide Vocal, Turn it on Again, Duke's Travels and Duke's End.