Selling England by the Pound

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Selling England by the Pound
Genesis studio album

Publication
(s)

October 12, 1973

admission

August 1973

Label (s) Charisma Records (UK);
Atlantic Records (US)

Format (s)

LP, MC, CD, DVD, Hybrid-SACD

Genre (s)

Progressive rock

Title (number)

8th

running time

53:39

occupation

production

John Burns / Genesis

Studio (s)

Island Studios, London (England)

chronology
Genesis Live
(1973)
Selling England by the Pound The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
(1974)
Peter Gabriel in stage costume for The Moonlit Knight 1973

Selling England by the Pound ( English for England to sell the pound 'or, Selling England by the Pound') is the fifth studio album by the British rock band Genesis . It was released in October 1973 and is considered a high point in the band's progressive rock phase in the 1970s . With I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) the band's first single hit is included on the album, which can still be found in their live repertoire to this day.

background

In terms of music, the band perfected their symphonic styles and dramatic arcs of tension. Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, for example, consists of numerous oppositely structured parts, each of which contains references to and quotations from other parts, while Firth of Fifth focuses on one topic . Another characteristic feature is the frequent use of odd time signatures (e.g. in The Battle of Epping Forest, Firth of Fifth ) and a comprehensive set of instruments, which, in addition to the classic band, organ and mellotron , also includes flute, oboe, synthesizer and tin drums.

In terms of the lyrics, songs with modern and socially critical content predominate - according to the title of the album. In contrast to earlier works, historical or mythological themes take a back seat in favor of more contemporary references or are completely eliminated. Thus Dancing with the Moonlit Knight a satiric examination of British society, while The Battle of Epping Forest with struggles of youth gangs in the same county concerned. With the title More Fool Me is the second and last track of the Gabriel era on the album, which was sung by the later Genesis singer Phil Collins.

Selling England by the Pound is one of the most influential progressive rock albums. The sound as well as many musical phrases and melodies ( e.g. in Firth of Fifth or The Cinema Show ) found many imitators, especially in Neo-Prog (e.g. Marillion , IQ ) and in Retro-Prog (e.g. Spocks Beard , Änglagård ).

Track list

All titles were written by Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett and Mike Rutherford. ("All Titles Done By All")

  1. Dancing with the Moonlit Knight - 8:02
  2. I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) - 4:07
  3. Firth of Fifth - 9:38
  4. More Fool Me (Vocals: Phil ) - 3:10
  5. The Battle of Epping Forest - 11:44 am
  6. After the Ordeal - 4:13
  7. The Cinema Show - 11:05 am
  8. Aisle of Plenty - 1:33

Charts

Album: (US place 70, GB place 3)

Single: I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) (GB # 21)

occupation

reception

In June 2015, the renowned trade journal Rolling Stone voted the album at number 6 of the 50 best progressive rock albums of all time .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Richard Gehr: 50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time - Genesis, 'Selling England by the Pound' (1973). In: Rolling Stone . Wenner Media, June 17, 2015, accessed on September 23, 2015 .