Song of the day for November 18, 2023

Today’s song of the day is, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

Genesis released the double concept album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway their sixth studio album and the last album by the group to feature the involvement of lead singer Peter Gabriel. The album was released in 1974 and it peaked at No. 10 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 41 on the Billboard 200 in the US. It is their longest album to date.

While the band worked on new material at Headley Grange for three months, they decided to produce a concept album with a story devised by Gabriel about Rael, a Puerto Rican youth from New York City who is suddenly taken on a journey of self-discovery and encounters bizarre incidents and characters along the way. The album was marked by increased tensions within the band as Gabriel, who insisted on writing all the lyrics, temporarily left to work with filmmaker William Friedkin and needed time to be with his family. Most of the songs were developed by the rest of the band through jam sessions and were put down at Glaspant Manor in Wales using a mobile studio.

The album received a mixed critical reaction at first, but it gained acclaim in subsequent years and has a cult following. The songs “Counting Out Time” and “The Carpet Crawlers” were released as singles in the UK in 1974 and 1975, respectively; both failed to chart. A single of “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” was released in the US. Genesis promoted the album with their 1974–75 tour across North America and Europe, playing the album in its entirety. The album reached Gold certification in the UK and the US. The album was remastered in 1994 and 2007, the latter as part of the Genesis 1970–1975 box set which contains a 5.1 surround sound mix and bonus material.

This live recording was recorded after Peter Gabriel and even Phil Collins left the band, But this is still a good live version of this song.