Security

This is the first time on this blog I've had a chance to write about Peter Gabriel, one of my favorite musical artists. I became aware of him after he had left Genesis, when he was a truly odd bird, and when he was well into his solo career. In 1982, almost 30 years ago, he released his fourth album, which like its predecessors, was simply called Peter Gabriel, which made it tough to differentiate them. The record company in the U.S. showed pity and called the album Security.

Security, I think, is Gabriel's best album (barely beating out his third solo album) and one of the best records of the 1980s. It only has eight songs, but each one is a world unto itself. Mostly I like that the arrangement heavily emphasizes percussion. Fans of timpani, marimbas, and any other form of drum will glory in listening to this album, especially turned up loud.

The tone is set with the opening track, "Rhythm of the Heat," which is an inkling of the interest Gabriel would end up showing in world music. This song is heavily influenced by African drums, and the lyrics refer to Carl Jung's trip to Africa. This is followed by "San Jacinto," which is almost symphonic in structure. It has a long lead in, with a lyric about a native American despairing about the disappearance of his culture: "Indian ground, so far down/Cut up land--each house a pool/kids wearing water wings/drink in cool/follow dry river bed/watch scouts and guides making pow-wow signs/Past Geronimo's Disco and Sit'n'Bull Steakhouse/White men dream." When the chorus of "San Jacinto" hits, with full strings and orchestration, and Gabriel growling, "I hold the line," it hits like a thunderbolt.

This is followed by "I Have the Touch," a sexy song that is great for a dance floor, and then comes "The Family and the Fishing Net," a seven-plus minute song about, well, I'm not quite sure. Wikipedia says it's about a modern wedding compared with a voodoo sacrifice. Since Gabriel intones, "Headless chickens," I'll take their word for it.

Next comes one of Gabriel's most famous songs, "Shock the Monkey," which I think I could listen to on a loop for a great deal of time. The production, by Gabriel and David Lord, is just perfect, with use of keyboards, drums, and an assortment of other sounds, including background vocals. Periodically an electronically-altered voice shouts, "Shock!" and I can't help but shout along with it. I had always assumed it was about animal rights, and the monkey in question was in a test lab, but Gabriel says the monkey is a metaphor for jealousy. Okay, but it doesn't really matter.

"Shock the Monkey" is followed by the eerily uplifting "Lay Your Hands on Me," which would seem to be about the healing power of touch, but also has some creepy lyrics punctuated by sharp, gunshot-like beats on a timpani. "Working in gardens, thornless roses, fat men play with their garden hoses." Then comes "Wallflower," which is a heartbreaking ode to political prisoners, and can be seen as an anthem for Amnesty International. The song describes life in a six by six cell, but asks the prisoners to keep hope alive: "Though you may disappear/You're not forgotten here/And I will say to you/I will do what I can do."

The last song is the only one I have no love for. It's "Kiss of Life," is a standard dance rock number. It's an okay song, but stands out in this collection, and is a strange choice to end the album. After the emotional power of "Wallflower," it seems almost silly in comparison.

Gabriel has put out strong work since Security--his 1985 followup, So, was a smash it, but I'll still take Security as his best.